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Survey Report

Insurance Marketplace Realities 2024 – Fidelity/crime

November 9, 2023

Despite competitive premiums and steady loss activity, insurers continue to look for opportunities to grow their fidelity and crime books of business.
Financial, Executive and Professional Risks (FINEX)
N/A
Rate predictions: Fidelity/crime
  Trend Range
Fidelity bond Increase (Purple arrow pointing top right) Flat
Commercial crime Neutral increase (purple line, purple arrows pointing up) Flat

According to SFAA data, the net loss ratio for writers of fidelity bonds is typically below (and in many cases well below) 50%.

  • Insurers with primary or otherwise meaningful participation on the management and/or professional liability lines are making a concerted effort to also participate on the fidelity/crime program.
  • Writing fidelity/crime allows insurers to diversify their portfolio with a line of business that is generally more profitable than others.

The fidelity/crime market is experiencing an increasing amount of competition.

  • Insurers who have historically only written management and professional liability coverages are now filing fidelity/crime forms.
  • While primary markets remain limited for large/complex risks, ample competition exists on small to mid-sized accounts.
  • Excess remains highly attractive business and continues to be competitively priced.

Social-engineering fraud (SEF) continues to drive a high frequency of low severity loss activity.

  • In most cases, social engineering coverage remains sub-limited within the fidelity/crime policy.
  • An effective way to increase the SEF limits is through the excess, because most insurers are willing to provide a drop down sublimit.
  • Limited appetite in the market to extend social engineering beyond the loss of funds to also cover the loss of property.
  • The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) recently noted a rising trend in the relationship between social engineering fraud and the real estate sector, with scams targeting all participants in real estate transactions, including buyers, sellers, real estate attorneys, title companies and escrow agents.

Disclaimer

Willis Towers Watson hopes you found the general information provided in this publication informative and helpful. The information contained herein is not intended to constitute legal or other professional advice and should not be relied upon in lieu of consultation with your own legal advisors. In the event you would like more information regarding your insurance coverage, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. In North America, Willis Towers Watson offers insurance products through licensed entities, including Willis Towers Watson Northeast, Inc. (in the United States) and Willis Canada Inc. (in Canada).

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