Texas Property and Casualty License Practice Exam

What defines a Stock Insurer?

1. Owned by the government

2. Owned by policyholders

3. Owned by non-profit organizations

4. Owned by stockholders/shareholders

The correct answer is: Owned by stockholders/shareholders

A stock insurer is defined as an insurance company that is owned by stockholders or shareholders, who invest in the company with the expectation of earning a return on their investment through dividends and appreciation of the stock's value. This structure means that the management of the stock insurer has a fiduciary responsibility to act in the best interests of these shareholders, which often includes maintaining profitability and growing the company. Stock insurers operate for profit and are typically publicly traded on stock exchanges, allowing them to raise capital by selling shares to investors. The focus on profit can influence their business strategies, product offerings, and service models in the competitive insurance market. In contrast, organizations owned by policyholders would be classified as mutual insurers, and those owned by non-profit organizations do not operate under the same profit-driven model as stock insurers. Moreover, government-owned insurance providers exist, but they are not encompassed within the definition of a stock insurer. Thus, the characteristic of being owned by stockholders or shareholders distinctly identifies stock insurers in contrast to these other structures.