How is your premium fixed? Here’s how actuaries do it 10th March 2023
For most people, general insurance online quote is the first consideration when buying any insurance. We do a risk-return analysis based on the premium we pay for the policy, whether a one-time or annual payment. We then compare quotes of policies of other insurance companies and choose the one with maximum benefits and minimum premium.
But have you ever wondered how insurance companies calculate your general insurance online quote price and how it is fixed? Let us look at the answer to these questions in detail.
Who fixes your premium?
Actuaries are the guardians of the premium formulation process for any insurance company. It is based on sophisticated planning. They anticipate and develop detailed forecasts, evaluate them, make several assumptions, and fix the premium. It is a complicated process as the future is tough to predict. Also, it is a continuous process as the external environment is dynamic and keeps changing.
We can divide the process of fixing the premiums into four phases.
1. Pricing plan:
The first phase in fixing the premium is to create a pricing plan based on the short-term and long-term goals of the company and its priorities. It will depend upon the target market of the company, its existing competition, and its distribution technique.
The pricing should maximise the profits of the company while being competitive and sustainable at the same time. Actuaries club this information to design various insurance policies and try to fix the premium accordingly.
2. Actuarial assumptions:
Actuaries make several assumptions before testing the premium pricing. This is done by reviewing the dynamic external factors such as the economy, anticipated inflation, anticipated rates of unemployment and business failure, rules and regulations in the concerned market, accounting and taxation requirements, existing competition, customer tastes, preferences, etc.
The company prepares a pricing strategy based on risk, expected business volume, and capital availability. They also finalise product characteristics based on age groups, female premium procedures, etc. Actuaries then review their assumptions according to their recent market experience, investment earnings rate experience, new money rates by business category, etc.
3. Finalising policies and premium:
Actuaries use their professional judgement to determine the premium for any specific policy. By performing pricing studies, they arrive at the premium amount and dividends that meet the company's objectives. They ensure the various insurance plans are consistent with specific age groups, occupational classes, etc. Actuaries also design supplementary benefits with any plan and the riders that come along with it.
4. Managing the results:
For the final phase in general insurance online quote, they estimate the losses the insurance company may face in the coming year. This can be predicted by making use of historical data. They then establish benchmark rates for various policies that ensure that the insurance company will meet any insurance claim that arises in the future.
Actuaries apply statistical methods and the abovementioned considerations and calculate the premiums for client groups with similar predictive risk attributes. They also assess the insurance company's ability to pay off its claims by studying past data and forecasting the possible financial impact of any catastrophe that may occur in the future.
Fixing the premiums for an insurance policy is a complex process that actuaries perform. If you are a business looking for an insurance policy, you should inform your insurer about the steps you have taken or intend to take to minimise your business risks. This can help to lower your insurance premium.
When purchasing a non-term insurance policy, one must identify the best general insurance online quote by comparing the premium of similar other policies. Choose the policy that provides maximum or reasonable coverage at the minimum premium rates and stay protected.
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Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.