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Dire predictions for the insurance industry

Posted on 10/19/22 at 2:26 pm
Posted by mule74
Watersound Beach
Member since Nov 2004
12543 posts
Posted on 10/19/22 at 2:26 pm
I know that as a Louisiana centric board insurance has been a hot topic around here for the past couple of years. I recently moved to Florida where the homeowners situation is even worse. Beyond that, I work in the industry, specializing in energy and construction related liability coverage.

Based on data my firm as collected, along with reports I have seen from AIG and additional data from Dowling & Partners (a large insurance consulting firm) the market is about to move from firm to rock hard.

Property will lead the way. The retrocessional market is all but gone as is the ILS market for property reinsurance. Reinsurance capital is down $50 billion in 2022 and demand is up $30 billion. That is an $80 billion gap. Property reinsurance rates are forecast to be up a minimum of 40% in 2023 and many are predicting 60% or more.

Inflation is likely to approach 10%, the pound is 1:1 against the dollar and the euro is below the dollar. This is all big trouble for London and European markets, which provide a large portion of international reinsurance.

On the liability side, third party litigation funding is at an all time high and the verdicts/settlements need to be $100 billion just for them to hit their promised returns to investors.

The courts are just now back in full swing and the there are prediction of more than 125 verdicts in excess of $20 million in 2023 and more than 200 such verdicts in 2024.

What does all of this mean? It means we will likely be in a hardening market for 3 to 5 years. With prices escalating rapidly.
Posted by Chad504boy
4 posts
Member since Feb 2005
176236 posts
Posted on 10/19/22 at 2:33 pm to
You used the word "reinsurance" a ton in your post. I've been saying that word for many months and the tomato frick face yelled at me and typed lots of meaningless words every time.
Posted by GREENHEAD22
Member since Nov 2009
20582 posts
Posted on 10/19/22 at 3:23 pm to
Now summarize that in 5yr old terms please
Posted by LSUFanHouston
NOLA
Member since Jul 2009
40269 posts
Posted on 10/19/22 at 4:50 pm to
At what point do we just all end up buying insurance directly from Warren? Or Lloyd's... but your post makes it seem like Lloyd's might not be an option?
Posted by Dandaman
Louisiana
Member since May 2017
800 posts
Posted on 10/19/22 at 6:28 pm to
Think NFIP but for homeowners.

Liability will be capped via tort reform to allow for insurance to still exist.

Trial lawyers have killed their golden goose.
Posted by Skippy1013
Lafayette, La
Member since Oct 2017
775 posts
Posted on 10/19/22 at 7:45 pm to
A Hard Market means very strict underwriting standards and high prices. A Soft Market is the opposite. The insurance industry goes back and forth in cycles. These cycles can change very fast. However, this time, this Hard Market may be with us for a very long time.

This now pertains to home, business and commercial liability insurance. Auto Insurance availability will stay soft, but inflation will cause Auto Insurance to go much higher.
This post was edited on 10/19/22 at 9:54 pm
Posted by tirebiter
7K R&G chile land aka SF
Member since Oct 2006
10727 posts
Posted on 10/19/22 at 8:23 pm to
Given the last 10+ years of storms, etc in the gulf coast market I have been surprised that home owners haven't been forced to cover a much larger co-insurance % than what currently exists. It's irrational to continue to offer coverage when the odds of annual significant storm damage has become much higher than 20 years ago. If I was a re-insurer I would never write coverage in that area.
Posted by KillTheGophers
Member since Jan 2016
6748 posts
Posted on 10/19/22 at 10:13 pm to
Soon you will be hard pressed to get quality homeowner insurance below I20 in Texas, Louisiana, MS and Alabama.

It is not an increase of severe storms, it is the population density - if you choose to live in Mobile, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Houston, you will pay.

Posted by Tiger Prawn
Member since Dec 2016
25207 posts
Posted on 10/19/22 at 10:37 pm to
quote:

I have been surprised that home owners haven't been forced to cover a much larger co-insurance % than what currently exists.
Practically every admitted private market homeowner insurer has required coverage be 100% to value since well before Ida and Laura.
Posted by mule74
Watersound Beach
Member since Nov 2004
12543 posts
Posted on 10/20/22 at 6:30 am to
quote:

Now summarize that in 5yr old terms please


The reinsurance that insurers buy to mitigate their risk is going to be more expensive and perhaps cost prohibitive altogether. This will cause further price increases and exits from certain classes of business.

Property is the biggest issue, but all coverage is backed by the same pool of capital. If more capital is being diverted to property it reduces the amount for other lines causing price increases and reduced capacity.

Property is stretched thin already due to a rise in castrophic events around the country. Wildfires, tornados, hurricanes, etc. There were 25 $1B+ catastrophic property events in 2021. As someone said above, population density is also a factor now.

Due to inflation, property claims cost significantly more to resolve. Repairs that might have cost an insurer $50,000 a few years ago might cost $80,000 now. This is a reason that hail storms are now regularly topping $1B. The cost of replacing roofs has out stripped the increase in premiums.

Social inflation is a term we use for the increase in jury verdicts. Inner city juries and juries of millennials have no problem handing out $100mm verdict with no idea what that even means.

Exacerbating that issue is the rise of third party funding. These are investors who give money to trial lawyers to pursue cases those lawyers might otherwise feel is too weak or will take too long to be worth the monetary outlay. In return, the investors get part of the settlement amount.

Even further exacerbating all of these issues are the macro events happening around the world. Higher interest rates, a strong dollar, strong inflation. All of those things are sucking out capital that would normally be available for insurers. Liquidity and access to cheap capital is harder to come buy.
This post was edited on 10/20/22 at 10:16 am
Posted by el Gaucho
He/They
Member since Dec 2010
58529 posts
Posted on 10/20/22 at 7:20 am to
quote:

Given the last 10+ years of storms, etc in the gulf coast market I have been surprised that home owners haven't been forced to cover a much larger co-insurance % than what currently exists. It's irrational to continue to offer coverage when the odds of annual significant storm damage has become much higher than 20 years ago. If I was a re-insurer I would never write coverage in that area.

The democrats have been aiming storms at Louisiana since Obama built the hurricane aimer because they know Louisiana is a lost cause and the hurricanes have to go somewhere

I’m just glad Desantis sent the Mexicans to Martha’s Vineyard so they’d aim hurricanes at him this year
This post was edited on 10/20/22 at 7:21 am
Posted by Bard
Definitely NOT an admin
Member since Oct 2008
57986 posts
Posted on 10/20/22 at 7:27 am to
quote:

A Hard Market means very strict underwriting standards and high prices.


Sounds like a new front for the Equity Justice Warriors in the making (ie: "the insurance industry is racist").
Posted by el Gaucho
He/They
Member since Dec 2010
58529 posts
Posted on 10/20/22 at 7:47 am to
The insurance industry is racist bro. Have you ever noticed the demographics on who has car insurance??
Posted by NCTigerFan
North Carolina
Member since Nov 2007
377 posts
Posted on 10/20/22 at 11:56 am to
quote:

Now summarize that in 5yr old terms please


Tuesday's edition (10/18/22) of the NYT podcast The Daily was titled "Did Hurricane Ian Bust Florida's Housing Boom?" All about how FL propped up its markets after Andrew with re-insurance and state-backed insurance and how it all looks to be on the brink of crumbling. I don't have any particular interest in the topics discussed -- coastal real estate, insurance, re-insurance, equitably dealing with climate change impacts -- but really found it interesting and digestible.
Posted by SlidellCajun
Slidell la
Member since May 2019
16057 posts
Posted on 10/20/22 at 1:51 pm to
quote:

Even further exacerbating all of these issues are the macro events happening around the world. Higher interest rates,


High interest rates are good for insurers

They get higher, safe return on the premium dollars

Posted by Skippy1013
Lafayette, La
Member since Oct 2017
775 posts
Posted on 10/20/22 at 2:34 pm to
Not really true.

As interest rates rise, the value of the bond portfolio of the Life Insurance companies go down. Granted, they can purchase new bonds at higher rates of return or sell off older bonds (and lose money) and buy bonds with higher yield. Therefore, in future years, the portfolio will look better. But again, in the time period of rising rates, like now, it is not good. Life Insurance companies portfolios are almost exclusively invested in Bonds.

Regarding Property an Casualty insurers, they invest in a mixture of diversified things, meaning lots of stocks and real estate, along with bonds. As we know, all of this is not doing well as rates rise.

Therefore, I disagree with your opinion on insurance companies doing well as interest rates go up.

Posted by mule74
Watersound Beach
Member since Nov 2004
12543 posts
Posted on 10/20/22 at 3:07 pm to
quote:

High interest rates are good for insurers They get higher, safe return on the premium dollars


Combined ratios are running well over 100% and the carriers are paying through the nose for reinsurance. 4% interest return won’t save them.
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