This book provides a comprehensive overview of the theory, functioning, management and legal background of the insurance industry. Written in accessible, non-technical style, Insurance Theory and Practice begins with an examination of the insurance concept, its guiding principles and legal rules before moving on to an analysis of the market, its players and their roles and relationships. The model is the UK insurance market which is globally recognized and forms the basis of the insurance system in a range of countries in the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean as well as Australia and Canada. The book covers the underlying ideas behind insurance transactions, together with the legal and financial principles that permit these concepts to function in the real world. Key issues considered include: the role of the constituent parts of the insurance market the operation of both life and general insurers with special reference to the operation of the Lloyd's market the nature and function of reinsurers, brokers and loss adjusters the influence of government, both in terms of market regulation and consumer protection alternatives to the established private sector insurers, such as government schemes, Islamic insurance and alternative risk financing.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the theory, functioning, management and legal background of the insurance industry. Written in accessible, non-technical style, Insurance Theory and Practice begins with an examination of the insurance concept, its guiding principles and legal rules before moving on to an analysis of the market, its players and their roles and relationships. The model is the UK insurance market which is globally recognized and forms the basis of the insurance system in a range of countries in the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean as well as Australia and Canada. The book covers the underlying ideas behind insurance transactions, together with the legal and financial principles that permit these concepts to function in the real world. Key issues considered include: the role of the constituent parts of the insurance market the operation of both life and general insurers with special reference to the operation of the Lloyd's market the nature and function of reinsurers, brokers and loss adjusters the influence of government, both in terms of market regulation and consumer protection alternatives to the established private sector insurers, such as government schemes, Islamic insurance and alternative risk financing.

The purpose of the book is to provide insurance practitioners, consumers, and students with definitions of common insurance terms in both the property/casualty and life/health insurance industries. The unique feature of the book is that many of the definitions contain detailed explanations of coverage provided by certain types of insurance and/or examples that illustrate how a particular coverage works. The book should be helpful to insurance agents and to new insurance agency/company personnel. It will also be helpful to consumers to use as a reference guide to better understand insurance products the consumer needs. Finally, it will be useful as a reference guide for students in business courses.

Enables critical thinking about the current state of risk management and ERM Demonstrates contemporary shortcomings and challenges from real life cases Draws from a global selection of cases from well-known organisations Provides a basis for developing more effective risk management approaches

Investments, global warming and crossing the road a " risk is a factor embedded in our everyday lives but do we really understand what it means, how it is quantified and how decisions are made? In six chapters Ben Ale explains the concepts, methods and procedures for risk analysis and in doing so provides an introductory understanding of risk perception, assessment and management.

Aided by over seventy illustrations, the author casts light on the often overlooked basics of this fascinating field, making this an essential text for students at undergraduate and postgraduate level as well as policy and decision-making professionals.

Developed from the Safety Science or Risk Science course taught at Delft University, this highly respected author has a lifetime of knowledge and experience in the study of risk.

Climate change brings about a new set of major economic risks arising from changing weather patterns, extreme weather events and rising sea levels. Most at risk are developing countries who, despite considerable post-disaster donor aid, have been bearing the major brunt of disaster-related losses. One adaptation solution that is rapidly gaining the support of countries and international donors is a risk transfer to the global reinsurance and capital markets. This volume, a special issue of the journal Climate Policy, explores the role that insurance-based mechanisms can play in helping developing countries prepare for climate change. It offers a unique and comprehensive perspective on the potential role of insurance solutions in global adaptation to climate change and attempts to engender debate on the role of insurance in reducing global emissions and encouraging climate-friendly corporate behaviour.

Some Muslims believe insurance is unnecessary, as society should help its victims. Muslims can no longer ignore the fact that they live, trade and communicate with open global systems, and they can no longer ignore the need for banking and insurance. Aly Khorshid demonstrates how initial clerical apprehensions were overcome to create pioneering Muslim-friendly banking systems, and applies the lessons learnt to a workable insurance framework by which Muslims can compete with non-Muslims in business and have cover in daily life. The book uses relevant Quranic and Sunnah extracts, and the arguments of pro- and anti-insurance jurists to arrive at its conclusion that Muslims can enjoy the peace of mind and equity of an Islamic insurance scheme.

The book analyzes the role of technology in the redefinition of the competitiveness of insurance markets. With a focus on the competitive challenges of InsurTech startup to the incumbent insurers, the book will discuss the strategic role of technology both in the development and in the distribution of insurance services and explore the customer relationship evolution following the digitalization of services offered. The book presents original theoretical and empirical contributions addressing how digitalization impacts the insurance environment and regulation, and how InsurTech development represents a threat for traditional companies, from Big Data analysis to digital devices, from personal interactivity to home automation systems development. The project's key benefit is up-to-date analysis of the competitiveness of technology usage in the insurance field, with particular reference to the distributive variable and to the future trends of the customer relationship in the short and medium-long term. The book will be of particular interest to scholars and students of insurance and financial technology.

The quantitative modeling of complex systems of interacting risks is a fairly recent development in the financial and insurance industries. Over the past decades, there has been tremendous innovation and development in the actuarial field. In addition to undertaking mortality and longevity risks in traditional life and annuity products, insurers face unprecedented financial risks since the introduction of equity-linking insurance in 1960s. As the industry moves into the new territory of managing many intertwined financial and insurance risks, non-traditional problems and challenges arise, presenting great opportunities for technology development. Today's computational power and technology make it possible for the life insurance industry to develop highly sophisticated models, which were impossible just a decade ago. Nonetheless, as more industrial practices and regulations move towards dependence on stochastic models, the demand for computational power continues to grow. While the industry continues to rely heavily on hardware innovations, trying to make brute force methods faster and more palatable, we are approaching a crossroads about how to proceed. An Introduction to Computational Risk Management of Equity-Linked Insurance provides a resource for students and entry-level professionals to understand the fundamentals of industrial modeling practice, but also to give a glimpse of software methodologies for modeling and computational efficiency. Features Provides a comprehensive and self-contained introduction to quantitative risk management of equity-linked insurance with exercises and programming samples Includes a collection of mathematical formulations of risk management problems presenting opportunities and challenges to applied mathematicians Summarizes state-of-arts computational techniques for risk management professionals Bridges the gap between the latest developments in finance and actuarial literature and the practice of risk management for investment-combined life insurance Gives a comprehensive review of both Monte Carlo simulation methods and non-simulation numerical methods Runhuan Feng is an Associate Professor of Mathematics and the Director of Actuarial Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a Chartered Enterprise Risk Analyst. He is a Helen Corley Petit Professorial Scholar and the State Farm Companies Foundation Scholar in Actuarial Science. Runhuan received a Ph.D. degree in Actuarial Science from the University of Waterloo, Canada. Prior to joining Illinois, he held a tenure-track position at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he was named a Research Fellow. Runhuan received numerous grants and research contracts from the Actuarial Foundation and the Society of Actuaries in the past. He has published a series of papers on top-tier actuarial and applied probability journals on stochastic analytic approaches in risk theory and quantitative risk management of equity-linked insurance. Over the recent years, he has dedicated his efforts to developing computational methods for managing market innovations in areas of investment combined insurance and retirement planning.

The flow of capital to Third World countries in recent years has been less than expected for realizing their growth objectives. As a consequence, efforts have been redoubled to attract capital in the form of direct investment. The World Bank has proposed the establishment of a multilateral guarantee scheme, encompassing as many investing and host countries as possible, to reduce the risks associated with overseas investment.The authors analyze and comment on the necessity and suitability of the World Bank proposal. They examine earlier proposals for setting up multi lateral guarantee schemes and the reasons for their failure, develop an eco nomic frame of reference for analyzing the new proposal, describe and examine the World Bank plan, and present alternatives to it. They pay particular attention to two major assumptions of the plan: that additional foreign investment capital for developing countries could be mobilized on a large scale if the investment risks were reduced, and that existing national insurance schemes display shortcomings that could be avoided in a multilateral system.

This book examines interesting new topics in applied economics from the perspectives of the economics of information and risk, two fields of economics that address the consequences of asymmetric information, environmental risk and uncertainty for the nature and efficiency of interactions between individuals and organizations. In the economics of information, the essential task is to examine the condition of asymmetric information under which the information gap is exploited. For the economics of risk, it is important to investigate types of behavior including risk aversion, risk sharing, and risk prevention, and to reexamine the classical expected utility approach and the relationships among several types of the changes in risk. Few books have ever analyzed topics in applied economics with regard to information and risk. This book provides a comprehensive collection of applied analyses, while also revisiting certain basic concepts in the economics of information and risk. The book consists of two parts. In Part I, several aspects of applied economics are investigated, including public policy, labor economics, and political economics, from the standpoint of the economics of (asymmetric) information. First, several basic frameworks of the incentive mechanism with regard to transaction-specific investment are assessed, then various tools for market design and organization design are explored. In Part II, mathematical measures of risk and risk aversion are examined in more detail, and readers are introduced to stochastic selection rules governing choice behavior under uncertainty. Several types of change in the random variable for the cumulative distribution function (CDF) and probability distribution function (PDF) are discussed. In closing, the part investigates the comparative static results of these changes in CDF or PDF on the general decision model, incorporating uncertain situations in applied economics.

By the eve of the Great Depression, there existed in America the equivalent of a policy for every man, woman and child, and in Britain it grew from its narrow aristocratic base to cover all social classes. This primary resource collection is the first comparative history of British and American life insurance industries.

From the mid-1970s until the crisis in 2007, the world of finance enjoyed thirty euphoric years as the general public, businesses and governments put their blind trust in financial techniques, professions and institutions. Shaken up by a structural crisis and a crisis of legitimacy, today's financial sector can no longer afford to avoid the issues summed up by the key question: what is next for the role of ethics and responsibility in finance? Many see an unbridgeable gap between ethics and responsibility and financial practice. Ethics and Responsibility in Finance paves the way for the dialogue that is needed in order to solve the current problems and allow the return of a refined ethical thinking in the financial sector. This book opens with an in-depth analysis of the operational implications of two key notions: ethics and responsibility. It then addresses ethical dilemmas that are characteristic to each of the three actors involved in any financial transaction. This begins with the discussion of the dilemmas of the ultimate owner of funds: the individual or collective saver, as in the case of pension funds. The analysis then turns to financial intermediaries such as banks, insurance companies, asset managers, and consultants, who work in a web of different loyalties. Finally, the dilemmas of the user of funds are addressed - the household taking a mortgage, an enterprise or a public authority which borrows - all of which have to be clear on the reasons and values driving their decisions. This volume is of great interest to those who study banking, corporate finance and ethics philosophy.

Contents:
Introduction
1. The Meaning of Insurance in Islam
2. Riba (Usury) and Gharar (Risk)
3. Pre-modern and modern Jurists' Standing on Insurance
4. The Development of Mutual Insurance in the West
5. The Development of Islamic Banking and Insurance in Malaysia: A Case Study
6. The Development of Islamic Banking and Insurance in Saudi Arabia: A Case Study
7. Basic Principles for an Insurance Scheme Acceptable to the Islamic Faith
8. Conclusion
Bibliography
Appendix 1: Mudaraba for Investment and Savings and Takaful among Muslims
Appendix 2: Arabians Insurance Guide: Islamic Reinsurance Operating Principles
Appendix 3: Glossary of Mutual Insurance using Case Studies from the USA, Australia, Canada, Japan and Finland
Appendix 4: Glossary of Islamic Financial Terms

This book provides one of the first systematic in-depth studies on regional catastrophe risk pools. It explores the various goals of these new financial instruments, illustrating how they function on a conceptual, technical and practical level, and reconstructs their political genesis. With climate-related disasters increasing in frequency and severity, Insuring Against Climate Change explores how affected countries, especially those in the Global South, have increasingly turned to innovative index insurance instruments, as demonstrated by the creation of the Caribbean Catastrophic Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF), the African Risk Capacity (ARC) and the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative Facility (PCRAFI Facility). Scherer scrutinizes the formation of this trend, exploring comparatively the goals, characteristics and histories of these tools, and argues that their attractiveness rests more on political than economic benefits and is, in fact, more supply than demand-driven. Making a significant contribution to current debates on the opportunities and limitations of what are sometimes described as indirect 'climate risk insurance', this book will be of great interest to political scientists with an interest in insurance instruments and climate-related disaster management politics as well as to practitioners working in the insurance, finance and the development sectors.

First published in 1998, this volume was formally completed in July 1994, but completing the structure of the market is not all the same thing as having a genuine Single Market. This book explores the difficulties inherent in the concept of the Single Market in Insurance, as well as the practical difficulties of implementation. It looks to the future of the Single Market as well as at the present. It should be of interest to lawyers studying law or EC law, as well as to economists and political scientists interested in the development of Project Europe.

The enduring importance of his book The Golden Bough keeps J.G. Frazer's name prominent on the list of the most significant figures in modern religious studies. But by no means was Fraser the sole influence on the Cambridge-based school of thought - myth-ritualism - most often associated with him. In this intellectual history of the fellowship of scholars to which Frazer belonged, Robert Ackerman expands our acquaintance with the myth and ritual school to include Jane Harrison, Gilbert Murray, F.M. Cornford, and A.B. Cook. This book examines how all were instrumental in connecting the lines of thought in myth theory, classics, and anthropology that had begun to converge at the turn of the last century.

* Provides a comprehensive coverage of both the deterministic and stochastic models of life contingencies, risk theory, credibility theory, multi-state models, and an introduction to modern mathematical nance. * New edition restructures the material to t into modern computational methods and provides several spreadsheet examples throughout. * Covers the syllabus for the Institute of Actuaries subject CT5, Contingencies * Includes new chapters covering stochastic investments returns, universal life insurance. Elements of option pricing and the Black-Scholes formula will be introduced.

Workers' compensation causes headaches throughout all levels of an organization. Injuries affect production, costs, and morale. Managing Workers' Compensation: A Guide to Injury Reduction and Effective Claim Management lays out - in logical order - management and safety procedures that reduce injuries and the aggravation that follows. The authors cover hiring, training, and managing employees with injury avoidance in mind. They provide a blueprint for dealing with injured employees and their families, and for determining the correct time for the employee to return to work.

The book discusses the all-important issues of fraud, modified duty, substance abuse testing and accident investigations. It also provides guidance for managing your organization's safety efforts in a manner that targets workers' compensation cost control as one of its major objectives. In addition to comprehensive coverage of workers' compensation, the book gives you a thorough explanation of additional sources of assistance, including the availability and utility of Internet safety resources, a complete listing of state workers' compensation agencies, and sample checklists that help you evaluate your workplace.

Although workers' compensation laws vary from state-to-state, the principles behind the system and the ability of employers to influence their own premiums remain consistent. By gaining a thorough understanding of these principles and implementing proven cost control strategies, you can realize substantial savings. Managing Workers' Compensation: A Guide to Injury Reduction and Effective Claim Management explains the process by which premiums are calculated and shows how you can impact - favorably - the amount your organization pays in premiums.

American state and Canadian provincial governments have dealt with rapidly rising auto insurance rates in different ways over the last two decades, a difference many attribute to variances in political pressure exerted by interest groups such as trial attorneys and insurance companies. Edward L. Lascher, Jr., argues that we must consider two additional factors: the importance of politicians' beliefs about the potential success of various solutions and the role of governmental institutions.

Using case studies from both sides of the border, Lascher shows how different explanations of the problem and different political structures affect insurance reform. In his conclusion, Lascher moves beyond auto insurance to draw implications for regulation and policymaking in other areas.

First published in 1998, this volume was formally completed in July 1994, but completing the structure of the market is not all the same thing as having a genuine Single Market. This book explores the difficulties inherent in the concept of the Single Market in Insurance, as well as the practical difficulties of implementation. It looks to the future of the Single Market as well as at the present. It should be of interest to lawyers studying law or EC law, as well as to economists and political scientists interested in the development of Project Europe.

Originally published in 1987, British Non-Bank Financial Intermediaries the book is the diversification of and overlaps in the operations of UK financial intermediaries forms. The book provides a coherent analysis of the broader implications of ongoing developments in the financial services sector and an insight into the 'back-room activities of the non-bank institutions. The book also focuses on institutions offering some form of financial markets, within which many of the financial intermediaries operate. In doing this, the book outlines a theoretical framework of financial intermediation and provides an overview of the broader evolution of the UK financial system. This volume will be of use to students and practitioners studying in the financial services sector.

Originally published in 1985, Capital City: London as a Financial Centre proves in depth analytical description of the financial institutions of the City of London. The book describes in detail the operations of the banks, the stock market, the insurance world and other bodies that make up the world's largest international financial centre. The book also answers a series of questions on the City's performance, accountability and honesty and explains how the City reached its present position, discuss its future.

The business guide to Big Data in insurance, with practical application insight Big Data and Analytics for Insurers is the industry-specific guide to creating operational effectiveness, managing risk, improving financials, and retaining customers. Written from a non-IT perspective, this book focusses less on the architecture and technical details, instead providing practical guidance on translating analytics into target delivery. The discussion examines implementation, interpretation, and application to show you what Big Data can do for your business, with insights and examples targeted specifically to the insurance industry. From fraud analytics in claims management, to customer analytics, to risk analytics in Solvency 2, comprehensive coverage presented in accessible language makes this guide an invaluable resource for any insurance professional. The insurance industry is heavily dependent on data, and the advent of Big Data and analytics represents a major advance with tremendous potential yet clear, practical advice on the business side of analytics is lacking. This book fills the void with concrete information on using Big Data in the context of day-to-day insurance operations and strategy. * Understand what Big Data is and what it can do * Delve into Big Data's specific impact on the insurance industry * Learn how advanced analytics can revolutionise the industry * Bring Big Data out of IT and into strategy, management, marketing, and more Big Data and analytics is changing business but how? The majority of Big Data guides discuss data collection, database administration, advanced analytics, and the power of Big Data but what do you actually do with it? Big Data and Analytics for Insurers answers your questions in real, everyday business terms, tailored specifically to the insurance industry's unique needs, challenges, and targets.