Essentials Of Insurance

A condensed version of the classic Fundamentals of Risk and Insurance, this accessible text contains the latest forms, statutes and court decisions and examines specific contracts in detail to emphasize insurance principles. Addresses such timely issues as the high cost of medical care and automobile insurance. detail to emphasize insurance principles. The helpful study aids and the critical essentials of risk management and insurance remain intact. A special section on buying insurance prepares the reader for future purchases.

The aim of the book is to provide an overview of risk management in life insurance companies. The focus is twofold: (1) to provide a broad view of the different topics needed for risk management and (2) to provide the necessary tools and techniques to concretely apply them in practice. Much emphasis has been put into the presentation of the book so that it presents the theory in a simple but sound manner. The first chapters deal with valuation concepts which are defined and analysed, the emphasis is on understanding the risks in corresponding assets and liabilities such as bonds, shares and also insurance liabilities. In the following chapters risk appetite and key insurance processes and their risks are presented and analysed. This more general treatment is followed by chapters describing asset risks, insurance risks and operational risks - the application of models and reporting of the corresponding risks is central. Next, the risks of insurance companies and of special insurance products are looked at. The aim is to show the intrinsic risks in some particular products and the way they can be analysed. The book finishes with emerging risks and risk management from a regulatory point of view, the standard model of Solvency II and the Swiss Solvency Test are analysed and explained. The book has several mathematical appendices which deal with the basic mathematical tools, e.g. probability theory, stochastic processes, Markov chains and a stochastic life insurance model based on Markov chains. Moreover, the appendices look at the mathematical formulation of abstract valuation concepts such as replicating portfolios, state space deflators, arbitrage free pricing and the valuation of unit linked products with guarantees. The various concepts in the book are supported by tables and figures.

Insurance is perhaps the most effective device for managing ‘risk,’ which is a pervasive phenomenon in our lives. We can sometimes avoid or reduce it but never entirely eliminate it. Whether you are a Graduate student who is studying insurance as a part of your curriculum, or an Executive managing your Organization’s Insurance and Risk Management Program this book will provide you with a strong conceptual foundation, comprehensive knowledge of non-life and life insurance products, and perspectives on how insurance functions as a part of the economy. Essentially, you will understand ‘why’ it is needed, ‘what’ solutions it provides, and ‘how’ different business processes and professionals work together to deliver the vital compensation to victims of disasters. Organized in 18 chapters that are comprehensive yet brief, it continuously relates facts to theories, concepts to processes, events to their context, and the rule-of-thumb to underlying basic principles. Thus, insurance will be demystified, and you will be empowered to decode ‘insurance speak.’

This classic, comprehensive book is divided into three sections. The first section examines the concept of risk, the nature of the insurance device, and the principles of risk management. This section also provides an overview of the insurance industry. The second section examines the traditional fields of life and health insurance as solutions to the risks connected with the loss of income. The Social Security system, workers compensation, and other social insurance coverages are discussed. The final section deals with the risks associated with the ownership of property and legal liability. Updated to reflect the changes in the field of insurance since 1996, and a listing of Web sites of interest.

An introduction to the subject of insurance and risk management and is intended for a reader that has little or no prior education in insurance. This book is consumer-oriented with an emphasis on the insurance product.