AM Best


Best’s Market Segment Report: Underwriting and Reserving Pressures Build on U.S. Medical Professional Liability Industry


CONTACTS:

David Blades, CPCU
Associate Director, Industry Research Manager,
and Analytics
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5422
david.blades@ambest.com

Sharon Marks
Senior Financial Analyst
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5477
sharon.marks@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Manager, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Jim Peavy
Director, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5644
james.peavy@ambest.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OLDWICK - MAY 09, 2019 08:48 AM (EDT)
The U.S. medical professional liability (MPL) segment continues to produce favorable results, with better-than-average profitability for more than a decade; however, according to a new AM Best special report, the MPL market remains pressurized, resulting in a long-term trend of declining premiums, rising underwriting ratios and diminishing reserve redundancies.

The Best’s Market Segment Report, titled, “MPL Industry Results Improved in 2018, But Challenges Remain,” states that while many financial metrics look encouraging for the MPL segment, a host of issues are infringing on the market. These challenges include the evolution of health care delivery systems; growing concerns about cyber liability/security; the opioid crisis; mergers and acquisitions; diversification; and tort reform. Additionally, a growing numbers of doctors have moved from working as solo practitioners or in small practices to being employed by hospitals or other large medical organizations. Given these headwinds, AM Best is maintaining a negative market segment outlook on the MPL segment, with the overarching theme being shrinking demand and prolonged soft-market conditions.

The property/casualty industry’s top 20 MPL writers, based on statutory direct premiums written (DPW), accounted for 69.9% of direct premium volume in 2018. DPW for AM Best’s MPL composite was up 3.2% in 2018, to $7.4 billion. Overall earnings were boosted by higher investment gains and lower taxes. The composite’s underwriting loss in 2018 was slightly worse than that experienced in the previous year, and the combined ratio,

after policyholder dividends, deteriorated to 102.3 from 101.1 in 2017. However, despite another year of net underwriting losses, net income increased in 2018, by 55% to $1.8 billion due to increases in net investment income and realized capital gains. The positive impact of prior-year loss reserve development on MPL business has been diminishing in recent years, but the composite’s calendar year underwriting results still benefited operating profitability for the segment.

Since 2010, the MPL segment’s one-year reserve development has been running off redundant. However, the release of prior-year reserves has been decreasing, and the amount released as a percentage of the prior year’s original calendar-year reserves booked also has been decreasing. Despite favorable reserve development year over year, indications are that there is a clear erosion in the level of redundancy for the segment. AM Best believes that current reserve redundancies will allow insurers to continue to report favorable reserve development in the near term, but at a lower level than reported in calendar-year 2018.

AM Best notes the impact innovative technological advancements have had on the medical field, and as an extension, the MPL market. AM Best believes that innovation is critical to insurers’ future success and that they must use it to attract and retain customers, as well as improving efficiencies and gain a competitive advantage. While technological developments tend to be the innovations that garner the most recognition, innovation is not all about technology. Many insurers have found nimble ways to adapt to the dynamically changing market environment without having to become sophisticated technology players.

To access the full copy of this market segment report, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=285283 .

AM Best is a global rating agency and information provider with a unique focus on the insurance industry.