InsuranceIR's Blog

With my passion for best practices in insurance-sector investor relations, I am always thrilled when I run across examples of companies doing things really well.

As an example of “providing investors with the transparency they want,” I’m highlighting the comprehensive and timely (timely = early enough to be useful) reserve-related disclosures of Endurance Specialty Holdings* (NYSE: ENH).

I recommend taking a look at Endurance’s “global loss triangles” and the various materials available on the “Quarterly Results” page of their IR site.  A number of the Bermuda carriers, including Endurance, provide global loss triangles to show their business consolidated across various jurisdictions to supplement any U.S.-only Schedule Ps. (While U.S. carriers could view their Schedule Ps as sufficient, I believe Endurance’s materials offer useful ideas that could be help enhance the 10-K or other disclosures.)

Of course, the material offers good data.  But I consider the probable “philosophy” behind the information as important as the data itself. As I have said in the past, better and more transparent communications can be used strategically to reduce uncertainty and to bolster management credibility, arguably a company’s most important intangible asset. Companies and investors win when companies give investors the detail (and data) on the drivers of current results and sources of future opportunities that investors WANT.

* Note: InsuranceIR does not have a business relationship with Endurance.

Filed under: Excellent ideas from the real world, Investor Relations, Reserves |