Covid could come back to bite Kiwi insurers
According to the RBNZ Financial Stability Report for May 2021, the insurance sector is in good shape stating insurers have retained capital during the period of economic uncertainty and solvency capital ratios remain high but they should be wary of overseas trends and future outbreaks.
"There remains a risk that further outbreaks could lead to significantly greater mortality rates and higher levels of claims on life insurance policies," the report states.
"There is also emerging evidence that Covid-19 can have recurring or long-lasting negative health effects on individuals who recover from the virus, and this may lead to elevated levels of disability and trauma claims over the long term."
The RBNZ report also states the solvency ratio for the life insurance sector dipped slightly in June 2020 but is estimated to have increased to 143 per cent as at October 2020 (see graph). The solvency ratio for the health insurance sector remains above 300 per cent.
Click the button below to subscribe and will have free unlimited access for a limited time to full article and all other articles on the site.
You will also be able to comment on articles on Good Returns.