How to choose an insurance company in a crisis?

One of the heaviest blows have on insurance companies for which the main source of income is income from investment of temporarily surplus funds and own funds, rather than premiums. Due to falling prices in the stock market and falling property prices, which is the main method of investment, most insurance companies have losses. Autumn on the verge of bankruptcy turned out to be the world's largest insurer - American company AIG, which had a business in Russia. Rosgosstrakh now turned to the Russian government for permission to the additional issue of 43 billion rubles. In the spring of 2009, when the expected bottom of the global financial crisis, insurers in various areas of activity can lose up to 10% of the proceeds from the usually collected insurance premiums (property insurance entities), not counting losses in the stock market. Typically, insurance companies use high-quality investments, but the crisis has reached such depths that the cautious tactics did not save. In late September, Fitch lowered the outlook for the sector from "stable" to "negative." Now in the UK was a lot of depreciated assets. The situation is difficult for Russian companies as well as for Western, who have to "patch up holes in the developed markets, pulling the funds, particularly from Russia. According to market rumors that Western companies attach great importance to the national - European and U.S. markets and may zalatyvat financial hole in the developed markets, pulling money out of Russia. Today in Russia there are 6 major foreign companies Zurich, Allianz, ING Group, AXA, AIG and Aviva. The world's largest insurers do not feel better: the shares of parent company Zurich for three months fell 20%, and for the year to 30% in October, falling by 50% (according to the SIX Swiss Exchange), the paper group Allianz fell by 40% for three months (Euronext), ING - on 68,5% (Euronext), AXA - about 40% (Euronext), AIG - by 97% (NYCE). Nevertheless, in 2008, a financial disaster for the insurance companies will not happen - they have built up a sufficient reserve for the 9 months before the crisis. But in 2009, will start trouble attracting new customers, the general decrease in the objects of insurance - new cars, houses etc. However, insurance is still necessary in some cases it is necessary, so today is especially important to choose a reliable insurance company. Some customers of the company did not pay compensation for the past few years. If you have a claim to a particular insurer, it is better to announce them now, because in 2009, with payments under the insurance situation will be even harder. Try to take the help of a lawyer - perhaps the company still prefer the timely repayment of debt long trial. All the more so in court you have the right to charge much more than the amount of insurance - the longer it is not paid, the more the insurers would have to pay later. Before contacting the company - carefully check its reputation, ask not whether a company is registered cases of nonpayment. One can easily check and the ratio of charges and fees (see table). However, please note that this study makes sense to comparing only the same indicators and sections. Also try to ask their friends about their experiences with insurance companies, and the difficulties they faced in trying to get insurance money. Information about the company can search and in the media or on blogs. Small companies today do not differ greatly on financial stability from the large, under attack may be everything. In large western holdings, heavily invested in a rapidly depreciating securities and use various financial instruments, the problems at the moment at least, if not more, than their Russian counterparts. However, remember that the value of the share capital of the insurer must be at least 30 million rubles for companies operating in risky segment (fear of apartments, villas, cars, traveling abroad, offering policies LCA) and at least 60 million rubles for companies offering life insurance policies. Do not hesitate to choose the local companies - today for the Russian consumer, they are more reliable than foreign ones. For example, against the insurance company Zurich Rus, daughter of Zurich Financial Services (Switzerland), the Moscow Arbitration Court has already opened 240 cases. One customer is waiting for his payment for more than 2 years old, even if a positive decision, the Court of First Instance. Remember that reputation in the world do not have a reputation in Russia. Service quality and working methods of the domestic subsidiaries could differ materially from the head office. This is due to the fact that the Russian market has its own specifics that do not want to understand Western companies, and the fact that, unfortunately, many foreign insurers Russia remains a market for second-class citizens. Market, where you can "squeeze" money, while allowing yourself to work in a slipshod manner and to skimp on their obligations to customers.