Professional Indemnity Premium Revenue Declines Amidst Stable Claims

4

However, the same period saw a notable dip in gross written premium for PI, which dropped by 6% to $2.775 billion from $2.954 billion, according to data from APRA's latest National Claims and Policies Database.

In contrast, public and product liability insurance for non-facility business experienced a modest reduction in claims payments by 1% to $1.102 billion, while the gross premium for this category saw a 6% increase, reaching $2.914 billion.

Further dissecting the data, APRA revealed that the average written premium for PI insurance decreased more significantly, by over 10%. Conversely, average premiums for public and product liability insurance surged nearly 8% during the same period.

The APRA's comprehensive database, encompassing policy and claims data since 2003, highlights trends in PI and public and product liability insurance. The data accounts for every open, reopened, or completed claim and policy underwritten by APRA-regulated general insurers.

Additionally, the number of PI claims for non-facility businesses that received payments declined by 8% to 17,433 in the 2022 underwriting year. A slight 1% reduction was noted in public and product liability claims, which dropped to 26,483.

Interestingly, data from Lloyd's Australia presents a different trend for PI claims in non-facility business. Lloyd’s reported a 13% increase in claims payments, amounting to $187 million, while payments for public and product liability claims decreased by 4%, totaling $59 million.

Lloyd’s also recorded gross premium totals of $558 million for PI insurance and $290 million for public and product liability insurance in the 2022 underwriting year.

Insights from these comprehensive datasets underscore the varied dynamics within the insurance sector, with professional indemnity insurance facing shifts in premium revenue despite stable claims, while public and product liability insurance show increased premiums despite a marginal decrease in claims.

The original analysis was reported based on data compiled by APRA and Lloyd’s Australia.

Published:Wednesday, 7th Aug 2024
Source: Paige Estritori

Share this news item:

Insurance News

Clear

Rising Insurance Premiums Intensify Australia's Cost-of-Living Crisis 29 Apr 2025: Paige Estritori Insurance expenses across Australia have surged by $30 billion over the past decade, as highlighted by the Climate Council, with premiums escalating more than double the inflation rate during this period. This escalation comes alongside insurance companies reporting annual losses averaging $4.5 billion over the last five years due to weather-related calamities, marking a 67% increase from past years, primarily driven by flood-related claims. - read more

Potential AI Errors: A Looming Challenge for Insurers 24 Apr 2025: Paige Estritori Industry experts are signaling a potential risk for underwriters due to claims arising from inaccuracies produced by artificial intelligence (AI), likening it to the 'silent cyber' phenomenon of the past. Clyde & Co partner, Darryl Smith, highlights the issue, emphasizing how AI inaccuracies could impact various insurance policies, sometimes without immediate detection. - read more

AFCA Supports RAA Insurance in Vehicle Location Dispute 24 Apr 2025: Paige Estritori An insurance dispute over the location of a vehicle culminated in the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) backing RAA Insurance in their decision to deny a claim. The issue surrounded the policyholder's claim that her son’s car was stored in South Australia, while the vehicle was allegedly used and registered in Victoria. - read more

AFCA Sides with Homeowners in Landmark Insurance Dispute Over Property Cracks 22 Apr 2025: Paige Estritori Homeowners recently secured a favourable ruling against their insurer after a water leak led to significant structural damage. After large cracks emerged on their property, Youi initially denied the insurance claim, attributing the damage to pre-existing issues like earth movement and tree root intrusion, both of which are exclusions in their policy. - read more

Climate Change Threatens Australian Suburbs with Unaffordable Insurance 17 Apr 2025: Paige Estritori More than 4% of Australian properties are currently facing heightened risks from natural hazards exacerbated by climate change, rendering insurance coverage often unaffordable or unavailable, according to recent findings by Climate Valuation. An analysis of over 15 million properties across 15,000 suburbs also highlights that an additional 10% are at moderate risk from disasters such as floods, bushfires, tropical cyclones, coastal inundation, and extreme winds. - read more

Insurer Rejects Claim Over Diesel Fluid Mix-Up 16 Apr 2025: Paige Estritori A contentious insurance claim has ended unfavourably for a motor policyholder after her husband mistakenly poured diesel exhaust fluid into her car's fuel tank. Although the policyholder initially received assurances from a Suncorp representative that the use of AdBlue fluid wouldn't be considered improper fuelling – supposedly an excluded scenario under her policy – the claim was later denied. This decision has sparked debate around policy definitions and customer service communication. - read more

ASIC Takes Hollard Insurance to Court Over Significant Claim Handling Issues 14 Apr 2025: Paige Estritori The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has initiated legal proceedings in the Federal Court against Hollard Insurance, alleging a breach of the duty of utmost good faith. This action is in response to what ASIC describes as Hollard's 'egregious' handling of a home and contents insurance claim filed by a couple from regional Victoria. - read more

Suncorp to Slash Jobs and Offshore Work in Motor Claims 11 Apr 2025: Paige Estritori Suncorp, a leading Australian insurer, has announced plans to reduce its workforce by cutting 30 of the 70 positions within its motor claims assessing coordinator team, with an intention to offshore some of these functions. This decision has prompted a response from the Finance Sector Union (FSU), which is currently gathering feedback from its members and intends to challenge the proposed changes. - read more

AFCA Ruling: Trucking Firm's Claim Invalid Due to Misrepresentation 10 Apr 2025: Paige Estritori A recent decision by the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has highlighted the importance of accurate disclosure in insurance applications. A trucking company's claim under an NTI commercial motor vehicle policy was denied after discrepancies were found in the company's insurance history and operational radius claims. - read more

Gow-Gates Secures Two-Year Partnership Extension with Football NSW 10 Apr 2025: Paige Estritori Gow-Gates has successfully renewed its role as the official insurance broker for Football NSW, set to continue for an additional two years. The decision was made following an extensive tender process conducted by the soccer organization last year. - read more