Resources on Insurance Settlement

Insurance Settlement

Insurance

Insurance insulates too much
By creating a "security blanket" for its insureds, an insurance company may inadvertently find that its insureds may not be as risk-averse as they should be (since the insured assumes the risk belongs to the insurer). This problem is known to the insurance industry as moral hazard. To reduce their own financial exposure, insurance companies have contractual clauses that mitigate their obligation to provide coverage if the insured engages in some kind of behavior that grossly magnifies their risk of loss or liability.

For example, life insurance providers may require higher premiums or deny coverage to people who work hazardous occupations or engage in dangerous sports. Liability insurance providers do not provide coverage for liability arising from intentional torts committed by the insured. Even if a provider was irrational enough to try to provide such coverage, it is against the public policy of most countries to allow such insurance to exist, and thus it is usually illegal.

Complexity of insurance policy contracts
Insurance policies can be complex and some policyholders may not understand all the fees, regulation and coverages included in a policy. As a result, people could buy policies at unfavorable terms. In response to these issues, governments often make detailed regulations that set down minimum standards for policies and govern how they may be advertised and sold.

Many individuals purchase policies through an insurance broker. The broker can counsel the policyholder on which coverage to purchase and limitations of the policy. A broker generally holds contracts with many insurers which allows the broker to "shop" the market for the best rates and coverage possible.

People may also purchase policies through a "producer" (a seller of insurance). Unlike a broker, who represents the policyholder, a producer represents the insurance company from whom the policyholder buys. A producer can represent more than one company. In the United States, these people are known as "resident producers" in the states where they are licensed. In some states (such as Michigan), insurance brokers are not allowed to operate because the cheapest rates may not be in the best interest of the policyholder.

Excerpt from "Insurance." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 27 Oct 2006, 00:35 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 27 Oct 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Insurance&oldid=83955548

Settlement

Settlement (of securities) is the process whereby securities or interests in securities are delivered, usually against payment, to fulfill contractual obligations, such as those arising under securities trades.

Settlement involves the delivery of securities to perform contractual delivery oligations. It usually also involves the corresponding payment of a purchase price. Usually settlement is preceded by trading, which involves entering into contracts of sale and purchase.

Although settlement is generally becoming quicker, in most markets a number of business days still elapse between trading and settlement. A number of risks arise for the parties during the settlement interval, which are managed by the process of clearing, which follows trading and precedes settlement. Clearing involves modifying those contractual obligations so as to facilitate settlement, often by netting and novation.

Nature of settlement
Settlement involves the delivery of securities from one party to another. Delivery usually takes place against payment, but some deliveries are made without a corresponding payment. Examples are the delivery of securities collateral against a loan of securities, and a delivery made pursuant to a margin call.

Excerpt from "Settlement (finance)." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 1 Sep 2006, 21:26 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 27 Oct 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Settlement_%28finance%29&oldid=73292806