What does the term "underwriting" refer to in insurance?

The term "underwriting" refers specifically to the evaluation of risk for policy pricing in the insurance industry. This process involves assessing various factors related to the applicant's profile, such as medical history, lifestyle, property characteristics, and more, to determine the likelihood of a claim being made. By accurately evaluating these risks, insurers can set appropriate premiums that reflect the level of risk associated with each insured party.

Underwriting is critical in ensuring that the insurance company remains financially stable and can honor claims from policyholders. It is the foundation upon which insurance companies build their pricing models and decide which risks to accept or decline.

In contrast, the settling of claims primarily takes place post-underwriting, where the insurer determines the validity and amount payable for claims made by policyholders. Investigating fraudulent activities falls under the realm of claims management and compliance, while the selling of insurance policies relates to distribution and marketing rather than the technical assessment of risk inherent in underwriting.