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Insurance brokers are not offering any votes of confidence in the South African economy. Results from a survey taken in the past week of the fourth quarter of 2011, show a drop from 66% in the broker confidence rating to 61% as of the last quarter of 2010, CIB Insurance stated that this is the main reason for the lull in support from the Broker Confidence Index (BCI) Survey.

South Africa had been experiencing an economic boom since the dismantling of Apartheid. Today the problems of economic slow down are far reaching, as South Africa’s central bank is set to continue the current benchmarked interest rates, leaving them unchanged. This is a measure to shore up the recovery of Africa’s largest economy. South Africa is considered an upper middle class economy in the continent of Africa.

South Africa has made great strides in the past three decades, economically, but is now struggling to maintain its past form as is the case with many other small to large economies. The survey of the BCI indicates perpetuating gloom as it illustrates how brokers have continued to become more jaded about South African business conditions within the neighborhood insurance industry for at least another 12 months. The last quarter business climate was somewhat elevated, owing this mild high to the shopping season of the global holidays. Once this season passed the rates followed suite by 5% to the negative with the 2010 forth quarter BCI rating of 67% falling to 62% in the first quarter of 2011.

The broker’s survey measures how they make their assumptions. Other survey indicators, such as the Broker Confidence Index for attracting new businesses in the next 12 month period to South Africa, are considered. This index also fell five points from 76% in the last quarter of 2010. It is currently at 71% based on the last day of the first quarter of 2011.

The most common method that insurance brokers use to measure confidence levels is taken while new clients are shopping for and buying their products. Insurance prospecting has fallen off in general. This trend highlights the fact that the once touted recovery is not real. More brokers are suggesting that they do not expect consumers to increase spending.

What brokers are mildly relieved to notice is that they do feel confident that they will maintain their 2011 customer base with their expression of 79% BIC for their ability to retain these clients. One hint of optimism shows that brokers feel some confidence that they will conserve their current client base. This was indicated as a 1% increase this quarter from the 2010 forth quarter.

Brokers find themselves facing the challenge to maintain their confidence levels in the face of new government legislation and regulations. The financial services board regulatory exam is threatening to destabilize an already weak market. Key players in the Insurance industry must complete this first level exam by December 2011. This fast approaching deadline is the source of discomfort and uncertainty among the brokers.

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The reinsurrance giant Munich Re reported a loss this first quarter of 2011 at 948 million Euro ($1,346,720 USD). The reason for these losses is due to the extreme frequency in a short time period of natural disasters; mainly with Australia, New Zealand, and the earthquake in Japan. The company isn’t projecting a total loss on the year though. Their CFO Jrg Schneider has gone on record stating that this year will still be profitable. He said the company will be able to absorb the losses, and be able to exploit opportunities in positive market development.

The first few months for Munich Re had been a bit rocky, with pre tax losses totaling 1.38 billion. Higher than expected tax benefits lowered the forecasted net loss, which was also do to the 11% drop in equity, a stronger Euro, and weaker investments. On a positive note, the company’s gross premium written increased by 11.3%. Munchi Re wasn’t the only business hit hard by the world wide natural disasters. Other reinsurance businesses are also in the same boat. At this time last year the net operating amount totaled over 1.25 billion Euro, with this years numbers at only 605 million. The posted losses are do to high claim costs are at t 683 for the quarter, with a net combined ratio of 159.4%, and 109.2% on the premiums. 69 points alone coming from the disasters, totally 2.7 billion Euro. It’s estimated that Japan totaled 1.5 billion, with Australia and New Zealand having 1.1 billion.

Part of Munich Re’s predicted and obvious bounce back towards the end of the year, is going to be the result from 1.1 billion in renewals in the USA, Japan, Korea, and other global clients; Japan being responsible for 35% of them. These renewals after March 11th also saw an increase of up to 50% in recent disaster areas and globally, because of the severity of them. It’s predicted that this will also be the case for Australia, and New Zealand, with Munich Re continuing to take advantage of these opportunities.

Munich Health premiums were increased to 1.5 billion. That’s a 900% increase in the operating results, contributing 21 million to the group’s profit, with the gross premium income growth up by 22.7% This resulted from a new North American treaty, and the addition of the Windsor Health Group. This served to strengthen Munich Health’s position in the American market, and would have had an even larger impact on the premium volume if exchange rates hadn’t deviated.

For 2011’s financial year, the group estimates the gross premium volume for Munich Re to range circa 25 billion. With Munich Health to hit around 6 billion, and their insurance ranging between 19-20 billion. Munich Re will continue to proceed business by the projections that gross premiums will total around 47-59 billion. Confident that their long term objective of a 15% post-tax return on their RORAC, they expect to counteract these losses, and post profits by the end of the year.

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When you own a vehicle, auto insurance is a necessary evil. If you are a resident of Wisconsin and currently shopping for insurance timing may be of the essence. Currently there is a bipartisan debate taking place over whether legislating insurance minimum coverage limits will actually make coverage more affordable.

Back in 2009 Governor Jim Doyle increased the minimum levels; this had not been done since way back in 1982. These laws double the coverage for liability claims for bodily injury to $50,000 per person and $100,000 for multiple claimants. On top of this the minimum for property damage was raised to $15,000

On both sides of the debate there are claims for the need for increased coverage to protect motorist and potential victims financially while at the same time ensuring that insurance is affordable for lower and middle income drivers.

The numbers are not yet in on how repealing this law will reduce insurance costs for the average driver. There is a serious consideration though about having only minimum coverage, it is sufficient to meet the requirements to drive. However what would happen to you financially if you hurt or killed someone or damaged their property to a significant degree?

You could be found liable for serious medical expenses and a wide array of other costs on top of legal fees that could easily surpass the state legislated minimums. This is something that few people consider until tragedy befalls them.

If you feel you cannot afford sufficient insurance for your needs then you may want to shop around. There are many sources for auto insurance and not all coverage is created equally. Do not look at the price of the premium alone as price is only what you pay however what you get is more important. Does your policy cover incidentals such as chipped windshield? Some basic plans have more bells and whistles than others and at the end of the day why pay more than necessary?

Now back to the debate over repealing the law for state mandated minimums, this may reduce the total premium you pay just be aware that if the coverage is reduced your liability increases. Would you pay a few dollars more to protect yourself from a few hundred thousands of debt applied to you through a liability claim in which you were found to be at fault?

This is not all gloom and doom; there is a bright side that if you are a mature and safe driver you will be enjoying some of the lowest premiums in the nation. The years of your responsible driving is yielding great dividends in reduced risk and fees to enjoy the freedom of driving. Just double check the insurance company you are buying coverage from to make sure that their reputation is one that you feel comfortable with. Getting a bargain is only as good as the business offering it. By doing this you will have one less worry in your life and smooth sailing ahead.

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It seems like the long war between car insurance companies in Germany is finally at an end. No longer will the price wars continue, and although prices are still far below the higher 20 billion euro market world ($28.57 billion) that exists in rest of the insurance world, German insurance companies still need to be profitable. At least that is the opinion, as stated last Tuesday by the large German insurer HUK Corburg. For now, the price lowering seems to have stopped, said Wolfgang Weiler, chief executive for HUK Coburg, when attending the insurance annual results news conference.

HUK is one of the leading car insurance companies in Germany, and in continual competition with Allianz, Germany’s other biggest insurer. Weiler suggested that the goals of HUK were to offer a fair price while making a profit by saying: “we still aim to offer the most competitive policies, even if we do have to raise prices to meet insurance standards.”

Insurance companies like Allianz, Generali, and AXA, up until now have been competing with the not-for-profit mutual insurers like HUK. Insurance premiums in Germany have been drifting downward for years, reaching levels not seen since the 1980s, but this is not as good a news as it would seem. This causes insurance company profit losses and ultimately, is not good for the economy. As expected many car insurance companies in Germany continued to lose money through last year. It is estimated that costs and claims totaled 170 percent of all the premiums sold. However HUK was not experience the loss since the late 1990s until last year when the combined ratio rose to 102.3 percent. Still other German insurance companies have seen immense losses.

Chief executive Weiler blamed this loss on higher damage claims due to excessive cold weather in 2010, but he expects profitability to improve in 2011. Although he did not specify how these higher profits were to be obtained. He continued to explain that there was already a decline in damage claims for the first quarter of this year.

He seemed optimistic in the fact that HUK increased its insurance policy sales by 90,000 by the end of last year, totaling 8.77 million policy holders.

Premiums have already gone up since last year, rising by as much as 3.3 percent which is much higher than the overall market gain of just 0.6 percent. HUK and other German car insurance companies expect to see premiums rise even further this year. However this rise in premiums is still lower than that in other European coutries where premiums have risen by 11.5% or more.

HUK believes that the solution is to reach a happy medium, raising premiums so insurance companies can make a profit, but not so much as to substantially hurt the consumer either. So while insurance premiums in Germany must rise, the objective is to keep the amount they rise to a minimum. Only time will tell what the future brings for the German insurance market, but it is worth watching the new policy implementations, and the effects these may have on the German consumer.

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Millions of people have benefited from changes in health laws during health reform era. Among the prominent changes in the health law, the ability of individuals aged less than 26 years to rejoin health plans of their parent’s health care plan. With these changes in health laws, several options have opened up while at the same time requiring wise evaluation of different health insurance choices. Following are some of the considerations in selection of a health insurance.

-Discover available choices For a graduate aged 26 or lower there are three good means of availing health insurance coverage. One may choose to go with his or her parent’s plans, be covered under employers insurance, or choose to buy a health insurance policy an individual policy.

-Take you current health conditions in consideration Drop the idea of individual health plan should you suffer from chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, a heart condition, or bipolar disorder. Moreover, personal or individual health policies are underwritten individually. What it implies is that an individual policy is good to have at young age. Needless to mention, with chronic medical conditions the individual health insurance could be prohibitively expensive. Under certain circumstance, especially for individual under medications or requiring regular medications, its availability itself could be uncertain.

Group insurance coverage or employer’s health insurance has a specific disadvantage. In case of an employer’s insurance usually, regardless of your health consideration, the premium paid is same across the group. Conversely, if you have a health condition, group insurance could be a great deal. Hence, younger individual with good health should choose to have individual plan as the cost of owning an individual health plan is likely to be lesser.

-Not All Health Insurance Plans Are Same It is very important to know that each health insurance plan is different. While some plans provide sweeping coverage, and some small co-payments, there are other plans that may impose conditions or require higher upfront payments. Hence, it is essential to keep a tab on different available plans in the market. The cost of health insurance generally depends on a few factors including premiums, cost of prescriptions, co-payments, deductible, and if policy under consideration covers all kinds of health conditions.

-Evaluate Different Options It is essential that you carefully evaluate different health insurance options. Sometimes it is a good idea to create a grid-based comparison of different insurance plans. Creating a grid can help you compare different insurance plans based of parameters. It is a good idea to consider factors such as premiums, prescriptions, co-payments, deductibles, and estimated cost of services not covered under the insurance. However, this is not an exhaustive list. If you are not sure of methods of estimation use your best guess.

While it may not be possible for you think of all the parameters at once this exercise will surely help you know different important aspect that you would otherwise have not thought of. Moreover, with this exercise you are sure to make a wise decision.

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