Claims frequency and risk premium rate as a function of the size of the risk

Abstract

The rapid economic growth in the last decade and the fierce competition have forced industry to raise its output, to develop new manufacturing methods and, where possible, to lower the fixed costs per unit of output. Consequently bigger factories and warehouses have been and are being built. Furthermore increasing labour costs have speeded up rationalisation and the introduction of efficient machinery.Often, in the course of this development, too little attention has been paid to safety. This is reflected in the increasing number of Fire and Consequential Loss claims which have become so costly that the premium income has proved inadequate. Insurers have therefore adjusted their tariffs and increased their rates.Of course, this is no solution to the problem. Insurers have to insist on adequate fire prevention and fire protection measures. Progress in the right direction can certainly be expedited by realistic tariffs which take account of all the positive features (sprinklers, inspection reports, etc.) and the negative features of a given risk (in commerce or industry).Rating experts say that the tariffs of industrialized countries do not always point to the actual risk and claims fluctuations; one very important factor here, the size of the risk or of the building (i.e. its insured value, volume, surface area), brings me to the main theme of my today's talk.