Best's Market Segment Report: AM Best Maintains Negative Outlook on Indonesia's Non-Life Insurance Segment
AM Best is maintaining a negative outlook on the Indonesia non-life insurance segment, citing heightened reinsurance credit risk and potential pressure on underwriting margins owing to rising reinsurance costs and more-restrictive coverages.
The Best's Market Segment Report, "Market Segment Outlook: Indonesia Non-Life Insurance," states that the primary non-life market's exposure to reinsurance counterparty credit risk has worsened as the financial strength of several domestic reinsurers has deteriorated in recent years due to outsized losses in their life, health and credit insurance lines. AM Best expects primary insurers' underwriting margins to come under pressure because of the hardening reinsurance market as well.
"As an alternative to paying higher reinsurance costs, Indonesia's insurers may choose to increase their retention levels," said Chris Lim, associate director, analytics, AM Best. "However, doing so increases income volatility?insurers will bear greater exposures to catastrophe risks given that the country is prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods."
Underwriting losses in the credit insurance line of business, as well as slower premium growth in the property insurance line and rising health insurance claims, also are factors in the negative outlook. Over the long term, AM Best expects the non-life segment's expansion to be supported by the country's economic growth, and particularly as Indonesia continues to develop its insurance market and increase non-life insurance penetration.
To access the full copy of this report, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=336513.
AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.
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