Reinsurance Ceded: Definition, Types, Vs Reinsurance Assumed

Reinsurance Ceded: Definition, Types, Vs Reinsurance Assumed

Reinsurance ceded is a term used in the insurance industry to refer to the practice of an insurance company transferring a portion of its risks and liabilities to another insurance company. This transfer of risk is done through a reinsurance agreement, where the reinsurer agrees to indemnify the ceding company for a portion of the losses it incurs.

There are different types of reinsurance ceded, each with its own characteristics and purposes. The most common types include proportional reinsurance and non-proportional reinsurance.

Non-proportional reinsurance, on the other hand, involves the ceding company transferring specific risks or losses to the reinsurer. This type of reinsurance is typically used to protect the ceding company against catastrophic events or large losses that exceed its risk appetite. Examples of non-proportional reinsurance include excess of loss reinsurance and stop-loss reinsurance.

Reinsurance ceded should not be confused with reinsurance assumed. While reinsurance ceded refers to the risks and liabilities transferred by the ceding company, reinsurance assumed refers to the risks and liabilities accepted by the reinsurer. Reinsurance assumed is the opposite side of the reinsurance transaction, where the reinsurer takes on the risks and liabilities of the ceding company in exchange for a share of the premiums.

What is Reinsurance Ceded?

When an insurance company sells a policy to a customer, it assumes the risk associated with that policy. However, the insurance company may not want to bear the full risk on its own, especially if the policy has a high potential for large claims. In such cases, the insurance company can cede a portion of the risk to a reinsurer.

Reinsurance ceded works by the insurance company paying a premium to the reinsurer in exchange for the reinsurer agreeing to cover a portion of the claims made under the policies issued by the insurance company. The reinsurer takes on the responsibility of paying claims up to a certain limit, reducing the financial burden on the insurance company.

Benefits of Reinsurance Ceded

There are several benefits to an insurance company ceding risk to a reinsurer:

1. Financial Stability: By transferring a portion of the risk to a reinsurer, the insurance company can protect itself from large losses that could otherwise jeopardize its financial stability.
2. Diversification of Risk: Reinsurance ceded allows the insurance company to diversify its risk by spreading it across multiple reinsurers. This reduces the concentration of risk and provides more stability.
3. Capacity Enhancement: Ceding risk to a reinsurer allows the insurance company to underwrite larger policies and take on more business, as it can rely on the financial strength and capacity of the reinsurer to cover potential claims.
4. Expertise and Knowledge: Reinsurers often have specialized knowledge and expertise in certain areas of insurance. By ceding risk to a reinsurer, the insurance company can benefit from their expertise and access to additional resources.

Types of Reinsurance Ceded

4. Stop Loss Reinsurance: Stop loss reinsurance is similar to excess of loss reinsurance, but it provides coverage for losses that exceed a specific aggregate limit. This type of reinsurance is often used by insurance companies to limit their exposure to losses from a particular policy or group of policies.

5. Catastrophe Reinsurance: Catastrophe reinsurance provides coverage for losses resulting from natural disasters or other catastrophic events. This type of reinsurance is designed to protect insurance companies from the financial impact of large-scale disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, or floods.

By utilizing these different types of reinsurance ceded, insurance companies can effectively manage their risk exposure and ensure their financial stability in the face of unexpected losses.

Reinsurance Ceded Vs Reinsurance Assumed

Reinsurance Ceded

There are several reasons why an insurance company may choose to cede some of its risk through reinsurance. One of the main reasons is to protect itself from catastrophic losses that could potentially bankrupt the company. By transferring a portion of the risk to a reinsurer, the ceding company can limit its exposure and ensure its financial stability.

Types of reinsurance ceded include proportional reinsurance and non-proportional reinsurance. In proportional reinsurance, the ceding company and the reinsurer share the risk and the premium in a predetermined ratio. Non-proportional reinsurance, on the other hand, involves the reinsurer only assuming the risk once it exceeds a certain threshold.

Reinsurance Assumed

Reinsurance assumed can provide several benefits to the assuming company. It allows the company to diversify its risk portfolio and potentially increase its profitability. Additionally, it can help the assuming company expand its business by taking on policies from other insurers.

Key Differences

The main difference between reinsurance ceded and reinsurance assumed lies in the direction of the risk transfer. In reinsurance ceded, the primary insurer transfers the risk to the reinsurer. In reinsurance assumed, the assuming company takes on the risk from the ceding company.

Another difference is the party responsible for paying the premium. In reinsurance ceded, the primary insurer pays the premium to the reinsurer. In reinsurance assumed, the ceding company pays the premium to the assuming company.