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This seminar covers the essential concepts of suretyship and surety bonds, pricing trends, top writers in the industry, reinsurance market changes, loss activity analysis, recent claim trends, market participants, and current litigation scenarios.
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Casualty Loss Reserve Seminar September 23-24, 2002 Surety Bonds – A General Overview By Richard Meyerholz Vice President Underwriting
What is “Suretyship”? • Suretyship is essentially an extension of credit by the surety on behalf of the principal. Suretyship is designed to protect the Obligee from exposures to loss.
What are “Surety Bonds”? • A surety bond is a written agreement providing for monetary compensation or satisfactory completion of an obligation by the surety. A surety bond is a three-party agreement whereby the surety is bound, with the principal to the Obligee.
There are two broad categories of Surety • Contract Surety – a contract bond guarantees the performance of the principal under a written contract to build or supply goods and services. • Commercial Surety (also known as non-contract or miscellaneous bonds) – a commercial surety bond guarantees the principal will honor obligations to pay certain sums of money under defined agreements or statutory terms.
Pricing • Sliding Scale based on contract amount • Pricing declined throughout 1990’s • 2001 price increases but not across the board • Variations in bond form language
Reinsurance MarketChanges from January 2000 – December 2001 • - Calendar year 1999-over 25 active reinsurers with a total • market capacity exceeding $250,000,000 • - December 2001 – 12 active reinsurers with a • total market capacity at approximately • $90,000,000 (excluding New Bermuda markets) • As of today – the jury is still out. Reinsurance Companies reviewing the market potential.
Loss Activity (Contract & Commercial Surety) • Contract Surety • Loss activity over the past 5 years has increased in both frequency and severity • Gross vs. Net Results • Reinsurers share of the industry losses disproportionate Commercial Surety • Historically very profitable, but recently reported losses may wipe out accumulated profits from the last 15 years. • Over the past 5 years: • New product development • Growing number of high risk obligations
Recent Claim Activity • ContractSurety losses over $50 million are now common • Loss over $200 million is in the market; Freide Goldman Halter (two sureties involved) • IVI/Sade Vigesa $400,000,000 • CommercialSurety losses are growing with the biggest claim ever produced now in litigation. • The biggest potential loss is Enron Corp. • Another potential large loss is Kmart • Consolidated Freightways
Enron • US Surety Market & Exposures • Market participants • Primary companies: • Chubb Safeco • St. Paul AIG • Liberty Bond CNA Surety • Travelers Hartford • Fireman’s Fund F&D Surety • Kemper Atlantic Mutual • Total = $2,488,000,000
Enron • US Surety Market & Exposures • Market participants • Reinsurance companies: • Transatlantic Re Gerling Global • Swiss Re American Re • Gen Re Nac Re/XL Re • Partner Re St. Paul Re • Folksamerica Zurich Re • C.N.A. Re Hanover Re • Employers Re Everest Re • SCOR Re Berkley Group • London • Total = $750,000,000
Surety Involvement • Contract Surety • - Performance Bond / Payment Bonds • - Operations and Maintenance Bonds • Commercial Surety • - Advance Payment Bond • - Premium Payment Bond • - Financial Guarantee Bond • Domestic Business Interests • International Business Interests
Where Are The Losses • Contract - most likely from the international business • - Argentina exposure most tenuous • - estimate $25-$200 million • Commercial - paid losses to date exceed $265,000,000 • - A.P.E.A. Bond • - Winterthur Bond • - NEPOOL Bonds • - Mahonia Bonds
Mahonia • Who/What is Mahonia • Six Open Bonds • Guarantee Advance Payment • Total Amount On Six Bond claims - $1.1 Billion • Current Litigation
Kmart • Commercial Surety Loss • Workers’ Compensation/Self Insurers Bond • Lease Bonds • License and Permit Bonds
IVI/Sade Vigesa • Contract Surety Loss • Performance and Payment Bonds on two oil platform projects for Petrobias • Bonds written in 1995 • Judgment against Sureties: $370,000.00