In Nicaragua during 2020, a year marked by the pandemic generated by the covid-19 outbreak, the outlays for life insurance claims increased and for automobiles decreased.
Figures from the Superintendence of Banks and Other Financial Institutions (Siboif), detail that between January and November 2019 and the same period in 2020, the amount disbursed by insurance companies for life insurance coverage increased by 78%, from $10.7 million to $19 million.
Between July and October 2020, the number of people in Guatemala exploring options for life insurance online increased by 3%, and the number of Panamanian consumers seeking auto insurance increased by 39%.
CentralAmericaData's interactive platform, Consumer Insights, monitors in real time changes in consumer habits in all markets in the region and in other Latin American countries, with fundamental information to understand their behavior, new trends and anticipate eventual changes in their purchase patterns.
Discounts in fitness centers, in dental services or in consultations with psychologists, are some of the benefits offered by insurance companies in Costa Rica to maintain their portfolio of clients and attract new ones.
The National Insurance Institute (INS), Sagicor, Pan American Life Insurance, Océanica de Seguros and Mapfre, are some of the competitors in the Costa Rican market that offer this type of privileges in their policies.
Because of vehicle and health insurance performance, premiums paid in Panama last year totaled $1.562 million, 6% more than in 2017.
Preliminary figures from the Superintendence of Insurance and Reinsurance detail that last year income from vehicle insurance totaled $321 million and increased 9% with respect to 2017.
During 2018, premiums paid for health insurance totaled $312 million, 7.8% more than reported in 2017.
In the first nine months of this year, premiums of $1,115 million were written in Panama, exceeding by 4.9% the value reported in the same period of 2017.
The latest data from the Insurance and Reinsurance Superintendence, between the first nine months of 2017 and the same period in 2018, the value of premiums written went from $1.063 million to $1.115 million.
Growth in policies for health and boats and aircrafts accounted for most of the 19% growth recorded in the first quarter of the year.
Data from the Superintendency of Insurance indicates that during the third month of the year the agricultural and livestock sector registered an increase of 64% compared to March 2017, followed by health insurance, whose premiums increased by 27%.
In Panama during the first three months of the year $367 million was written in premiums, which is 2% more than the $360 million reported in the same period in 2017.
During the first quarter of 2018, the three insurance companies that wrote the largest proportion of these premiums were Assa Compañía de Seguros, Compañía Internacional de Seguros and Mapfre Panamá, with $70 million, $62 million and $56 million, respectively.
Three insurers distributed 52% of the premiums generated in January of this year, which in total amounted to $129 million.
In the first month of 2018, the three insurance companies that subscribed the largest proportion of the premiums were Assa Compañía de Seguros, Compañía Internacional de Seguros and Mapfre Panamá, with $32 million, $19 million and $16 million, respectively.
Representatives from the sector stated that in 2017 premiums totalled $627 million, which meant an increase of just 1% with respect to the figures reported in 2016.
According to the Salvadoran Association of Insurance Companies (Ases) last year's performance was associated with lower demand in some sectors, greater competition and a volume of risks that has not increased substantially.
Projections are that this year growth of the Central American insurance sector will be driven by activities in the markets of Costa Rica and Guatemala.
From the report "Prospects 2018: Insurance Sector in Central America" by Fitch Ratings:
Stable Rating Perspective:The rating outlook for the Central Americaninsurancesectoris stable for 2018, given that most of the rated companies maintain a stable outlook on an individual basis.Fitch Ratings believes that the sector shows stable fundamentals, as a result of good profitability levels and high liquidity and capitalization indicators in all countries, which it expects to continue to be reflected in solid balance sheets in companies.
In 2017, net premiums collected totaled $1 billion, 22% more than the $829 million reported in 2016.
According to figures from the Superintendency of Insurance of the Dominican Republic, last year Seguros Universal was the company that registered the highest number of net premiums collected, adding up to $216 million, equivalent to 21% of the total market.
Explained in part by the increase registered in mandatory insurance, last year income from premiums in Costa Rica added up to $1.323 billion, 15% more than in 2016.
Costa Rican authorities reported that last year the largest increase was recorded in mandatory types of insurance, with interannual increases of 26% (¢28.4 billion) in Occupational Hazards and 18% (¢7.5 billion) in the Obligatory Automotive.As a result, this category gained a 1.9 pp share with respect to voluntary insurance categories.
Over the past year, premiums totaled $440 million, 8% more than in 2016, led by General Insurance and Accident and illness insurance.
According to figures from the National Commission of Banks and Insurance, at the end of 2017 the loss ratio totaled $200 million, representing 45% of premium income, 3% more than was reported in 2016.
Income from voluntary insurance premiums grew by 25% compared to April 2015, due in most part to the increase in personal insurance.
From the quarterly report by the Superintendent of Insurance of Costa Rica:
"Revenues from voluntary insurance premiums increased by 25% in relation to April 2015, reaching ¢265 billion colones.The growth of this type of insurance remains one of the main driving forces, but its growth responds, on the one hand, to an increase of ¢ 38.6 billion colones in the SOA, since RT premiums decreased by ¢12.9 billion colones.
The National Bank for Agricultural Development in Honduras is inviting bids for several insurance policies for the period between April 1st and December 31st, 2015.
Purchase of insurance policies by the National Bank for Agricultural Development, hereinafter called BANADESA, for the period from 1 April to 31 December 2015, as detailed below: