Wednesday, November 9, 2011

What Lies Behind Insurance And Financial Industry Trends

By Ed Hulse


The insurance and financial industry trends were both rocked by the global financial crisis of 2008 to 2010. The crisis triggered a string of collapses of prestigious financial institutions and brought into question the established economic ideals of West capitalism. However many analysts claim that after significant restructuring, economies all over the world decided to balance an interventionist schema with a pragmatic approach that can deregulate swiftly based on domestic conditions.

One of the big concerns of modern corporations is the issue of responsibility and accountability regarding social and environmental decisions. Ernst & Young have printed a white paper showing that in 2010, there was a rise in shareholder resolutions which specifically emphasized the environment or similar issues of company accountability. Last year saw 191 resolutions over the 150 in the previous year.

The evidence indicates investors are more concerned than ever before with being responsible to society and the environment. Many argue this is almost close to becoming an essential priority because resolutions focused on these issues have risen steadily over the past six years. ExxonMobil shareholders voted to make the company be far more open to public on its oil and natural gas extraction process.

The financial crisis has ushered in new corporate attitudes towards unfettered growth. No longer is the emphasis on meeting unfeasible growth projections, but rather on the sustainability of corporate growth over the long term. While also linked to environmental goals, sustainability is the ability of a company to maintain growth without artificially straining for it.

An unrestrained pursuit of growth in order to meet unreasonable targets has been the downfall of many corporations. Projections were based on market and region expectations that were rushed and could not survive in the shifting economic landscape. However, the strategy of sustaining growth demands strong leaders who can reset investor aspirations and can recognize where new drivers of growth will start.

Many commentators have estimated the price of insurance will increase as a result of the numerous natural disasters across the globe. In early 2011 there was an array of tragic events in Japan, New Zealand and Australia, devastating communities and rocketing insurance claims.

Lloyds of London expects the high rate of natural calamities to result in a higher rates of insurance as damaged companies seek to rebuild. This was also the view of Caitlin, another global insurer, who thinks the catastrophes of 2011 will inevitably raise insurance prices.




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