Homeowners Claims: A Picture of Volatility

The cost of claims paid by homeowners insurers has been increasing at twice the rate of inflation, despite significant declines in recent years, according to the 2015 edition of a report from the Insurance Research Council (IRC).

Average homeowners claims payments per insured home have been increasing at an annualized rate of 5.0 percent since 1997, the IRC said, compared to the inflation average of approximately 2.4 percent.

Volatility—a major characteristic of homeowners insurance claims trends—is reflected in this chart:

The average claim payment per insured home countrywide rose to $625 in 2011, up from $229 in 1997, before falling to $442 in 2013.

What’s behind the increased costs?

All of the increase in average costs per insured home was due to growth in average claim severity, which rose at an annualized rate of 7.8 percent over the 17-year period—more than triple the rate of inflation, the IRC said.

The rise in claim severity more than offset a 2.6 percent annualized decrease in claim frequency, the report found.

That said, claim frequency trends were found to be significantly more volatile than claim severity trends, especially for experience identified by insurance companies as related to catastrophe events.

In the words of Elizabeth Sprinkel, senior vice president of the IRC:

Insurance companies face significant challenges in responding effectively to rapid growth in claim severity and in managing the extreme volatility of claim trends everywhere.

In addition, consumers will find it increasingly important to consider steps to control their personal exposure to risk and to mitigate the damages and costs associated with severe weather events.”

IRC analyzed data from the Fast Track Monitoring Service representing approximately 50 percent of the U.S. homeowners insurance market for the study.

I.I.I. has useful facts and statistics on homeowners insurance here.