KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 -- The COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine are expected to impact Singapore insurers' growth in the near term, according to an AM BestTV episode.
These were said by Doniella Pliss, the director of analytics and Trung Tran, financial analyst, both of AM Best Rating Services.
For the first time in a decade, the Singapore non-life insurance segment recorded an underwriting loss in 2019. Tran highlighted the factors that led to this result.
“Even before 2019, AM Best saw a trend that showed a decline in underwriting results for the entire market. The key reason was the increase in loss ratio for motor insurance, as well as a very high loss ratio for health insurance,” said Tran.
“It is very hard in Singapore to raise the price of motor insurance because the number of car sales in Singapore is fairly limited, given the restriction on vehicle licences in Singapore. Furthermore, even after the pandemic, AM Best does not expect that trend to go down.”
Pliss said: “On the medical side, the government covers the bulk of COVID-19 treatment expenses. However, in AM Best’s opinion, the more significant impact will come from the investment side.
“Lower interest rates and dividends, as well as a decline in value of equity holdings, will result in reuse of investment income, and potentially overall balance sheet contraction for the industry.
“Growth may be extremely challenging to achieve for the insurance industry, not only in 2020, but also in subsequent years. It is very likely that the industry will face reductions in premiums in multiple lines of business.”
AM BestTV covers exclusive AM Best and insurance industry information and reports, targeted topics and key developments in the insurance, reinsurance and related sectors daily.
-- BERNAMA
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