Contemporary Trends in the Global Insurance Industry

Abstract

Insurance industry has historically been influenced by many factors, either an internal or external nature, which have caused not only great losses but also have jeopardised the very existence of insurance and reinsurance companies. Recently, particularly during the last decade, when the development of the global economy and human society have reached a tremendous speed not recorded so far in human history, insurance companies come under growing pressure to manage, in an adequate manner, their profitability, risk and consumer loyalty in a challenging and ever-changing market. In the risky modern world, the basic characteristic of the insurance industry is the increased probability that the unexpected will happen. Compliance with the numerous pressures in an effective manner can be achieved through questioning, adaptation and redesigning of their own business. To achieve this, to be prepared for the unexpected and to be able to timely respond to the challenges laid before them, insurers and reinsurers must know and follow the trends and dynamics that characterises the global insurance and reinsurance industry. Our research has identified five key trends that are reviewed and presented in the paper. These trends affect the insurance industry and will determine the success of the insurance companies in the next decade. They are: integration processes, which encompass globalisation, consolidation and convergence, ever more frequent and intensified catastrofic events and the emergence of new risks, mainly caused by the emerging technologies.