The Economics of Property-Casualty Insurance presents new research and findings on key aspects of the economics of the property-casualty insurance industry. The volume explores the industrial organization, regulation, financing, and taxation of this business. The first paper, on external financing and insurance cycles, contains a wealth of information on trends and patterns in the industry's financial structure. The last essay, which compares performance of stock and mutual insurance companies, takes a fresh look at the way a company's organizational structure affects its responses to different economic situations. Two papers focus on rate regulation in the auto insurance industry, and provide broad overviews of the structure and economics of the insurance industry as a whole. Also addressed are the system of regulating insurance companies in the United States, who insures the insurers, and the effects of tax law changes in the 1980s on the prices of insurance policies.

Best's ratings of property and casualty insurance companies reflect their opinion as to the relative financial strength and performance of each insurer in comparison with others.

This is the first book to address the special rules that apply to the taxation of all property and casualty insurance companies, including life insurance companies with property/casualty insurance operations. It covers the special rules that apply to the taxation of captive insurance companies in addition to the general rules that are usually applicable to a captive insurance company. At the same time, it examines the fact that many healthcare organizations are now considered to be insurance companies and will be taxed as such under all the various healthcare reform proposals. Includes a sample tax return for property and casualty insurance companies, Form 1120PC, and guidance on how to read and review a property and/or casualty company annual report.