Because Costa Rica requires foreign visitors to take out a local policy, which costs more than $275 for a two-week stay, tour operators are asking that insurance taken out abroad be accepted as an incentive for tourist arrivals.
After more than four months of the country's borders being closed to tourists, commercial flights resumed on Aug. 3 with the arrival of an Iberia plane carrying more than 200 passengers from Spain.
Last year in Nicaragua, insurance sales totaled $199 million, 4% less than in 2018, a drop that can be explained in part by the drop in life, health and accident policies.
Data from the Superintendence of Banks and Other Financial Institutions (Siboif) detail that between 2018 and 2019 premium sales fell by $9 million, from $208 million to $199 million.
During 2018, Guatemala's insurance sector increased 3% year-on-year, well below the 8% growth rate reported between 2016 and 2017.
According to figures presented by the Guatemalan Association of Insurance Institutions (AGIS), between 2017 and 2018 the total of premiums subscribed in the country went from $881 million to $907 million.
According to the association of insurers, the increase in the sector's income is partly because of the dynamism registered in the life and medical i
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 ten months of this year, premiums of $1.245 million were subscribed in the country, exceeding in 5% the value reported in the same period of 2017.
The most recent data from the Superintendence of Insurance and Reinsurance detail that between the first ten months of 2017 and the same period of 2018, the value of premiums subscribed went from $1,188 million to $1,245 million.
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%.
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.
Voluntary insurance made up the main component of growth compared to 2015, with a consequent reduction in the share of compulsory insurance.
From a monthly report by the Superintendent of Insurance:
In 2016, revenues from insurance premiums grew by ¢90.7 billion (16%) compared to 2015, closing the year at ¢655 billion.Growth was widespread by category and in all cases, higher than the main macroeconomic indicators.
It has been announced that three insurers with the largest share in the market have requested authorization from the regulator to make adjustments of up to 12% on premiums for health insurance policies.
The Superintendent of Insurance and Reinsurance, José Joaquín Riesen, told Prensa.com that three companies asked to be able to increase premiums for health policies, arguing that the costs of medical services have increased by at least 10% in recent years, while premiums, deductibles and coinsurance have remained in the same price ranges.
Growth projections for 2020 in premium income are of 135% for Costa Rica, and 97% for the rest of the region.
A report entitled "Performance of Costa Rican Insurers in the Central American Environment" states that Costa Rica has a higher growth potential given it has "... less dependence on reinsurance, which involves greater risk retention, which allows for larger reserves, more investment and financial returns. "
Auto policies are the fastest growing category, with an increase of 14% so far this year compared to 2013.
Lack of a culture of prevention is preventing the emerging Nicaraguan insurance market from achieving high growth rates in most policies. Car policies are the most sought after, but those for life, property and health are growing slowly.
"... In 2013, the insurance industry paid $40 million in personal insurance, which included life insurance, accident and health insurance and pension income; also in property insurance including car insurance, fire and other policies, $105.2 million was paid."
The amount of premiums written during the first half of 2014 totaled $657 million, which is 12% more than in the same period in 2013.
Of the total of premiums paid in the first six months of the year, health insurance, group life and car policies accounted for about 45%. In the case of auto insurance, one of the fastest growing in the country, the total was $112.4 million, 9.78% more than in the first half of 2013.
Between December 2012 and December 2013 revenue from premiums went from $138 million to $156 million.
The pace of growth in the insurance sector in Nicaragua increased during the first quarter of 2014, registering premiums of $43 million, an increase of 21% compared to the same period in 2013.
Laprensa.com.ni reports that "... of the total premiums sold during 2013, the property insurance segment accounted for 71% of total sales, receiving $111.15 million, reflecting a growth of 10 5% compared to the $100.56 million sold in 2012. "