The Foundation of Insurance: Sharing Risk for Stability

Insurance isn't just a bill you pay every month — it's one of the oldest and most practical financial tools ever invented. As Karl Susman explained in Insurance Hour, the essence of insurance lies in its design: to spread risk so individuals and businesses can grow, invest, and live without fear of financial ruin from unpredictable loss.

The origins of insurance can be traced back to one simple idea — pooling resources. Imagine Abraham Lincoln's log cabin, worth $1,000. Lincoln, worried about losing his home to fire, agrees to pay $5 annually to an insurer. In return, the insurer promises to rebuild his home if it burns down. The math may sound impossible at first glance — how can $5 cover a $1,000 loss? The secret lies in scale and diversification.

Insurance companies don't rely on one person's premium. They collect small amounts from many people, creating a collective pool that can pay for large, individual losses. This shared-risk model has powered not only personal coverage but also the global economy, enabling business innovation, home ownership, and peace of mind.

Diversification: The First Rule of Risk

Susman illustrates this elegantly — insurers don't insure every log cabin in one forest. If a single wildfire hits, they could lose everything. Instead, they diversify their policies geographically and by risk type. This reduces the chance that multiple losses will occur at once.

In modern terms, this diversification strategy applies to everything from auto insurance to cyber risk coverage. By spreading exposure, insurers protect themselves — and, by extension, policyholders — from catastrophic events that could otherwise bankrupt the system.

Investment Income: Making Your Premiums Work Harder

Insurance companies don't just stash your premium in a vault. They invest it — cautiously — to generate income. These investments are typically in safe, liquid assets like bonds, treasuries, or blue-chip stocks.

This investment income is vital. It allows insurers to keep premiums lower than they would otherwise need to be. When interest rates are high, investment returns help keep coverage affordable. But when rates are low, companies earn less on their reserves, and that loss of income often leads to higher premiums for consumers.

What's critical here is regulation. Every state in the U.S. has rules limiting where insurers can invest. They must ensure that funds are liquid and secure so that when claims arise, they can pay them — no matter what's happening in the financial markets.

Reinsurance: Insurance for Insurers

One of the most fascinating topics Karl Susman covers is reinsurance — essentially, insurance for insurance companies.

Here's how it works: An insurer collects premiums from policyholders but doesn't want to carry all the risk alone. So, it "cedes" part of that risk (and part of the premium) to a reinsurer. If a massive loss occurs, both companies share the financial burden.

For example, if a company charges $5 in premium, it might keep $2.50 and pass the other $2.50 to a reinsurer. If a $1,000 loss occurs, each pays half. This sharing of risk protects the insurer from insolvency and ensures that policyholders get paid, even in catastrophic situations.

Reinsurance is a safety net that keeps the entire insurance system stable — particularly in disaster-prone states like California and Florida, where wildfires and hurricanes make large-scale losses a real threat.

Loss Prevention: Stopping Disasters Before They Happen

Insurance companies would love nothing more than to collect premiums and never pay a claim — and that's not as cynical as it sounds. Fewer claims mean fewer losses for both the insurer and the policyholder.

That's where loss prevention comes in. Insurers encourage or even require safety measures that reduce the chance of loss. For instance, homeowners in fire-prone areas may be asked to install spark arrestors on chimneys or clear brush around their property. Businesses might be required to install fire suppression systems or security alarms.

While these requirements may seem like extra costs or nuisances, they protect both the consumer and the insurer. As Susman notes, "Loss is bad" — emotionally, financially, and operationally. Preventing a claim altogether is always better than filing one, no matter how good your coverage is.

Loss Avoidance: Knowing When to Say "No"

There are some risks insurers simply cannot take. When the cost of potential losses becomes impossible to predict or too massive to absorb, insurance companies must avoid those risks altogether.

For example, nuclear war is excluded from nearly every policy in existence. Why? Because it's uninsurable — too widespread, too catastrophic, and too unpredictable. No company could ever collect enough premium to cover the losses.

Similarly, properties located in extremely high-risk zones — such as wildfire corridors or coastal floodplains — may be denied private coverage. This doesn't mean those properties are left unprotected; instead, state-backed programs like the California FAIR Plan or Florida Citizens Insurance step in as insurers of last resort. These programs ensure that homeowners can still obtain coverage, though usually at a higher price, reflecting the true level of risk.

The Bigger Picture: Why Premiums Rise

All these mechanisms — diversification, investment income, reinsurance, loss prevention, and loss avoidance — are designed to balance one thing: solvency. An insurer's ability to pay claims tomorrow depends on the delicate balance of managing risk today.

When catastrophic losses increase (due to climate change, inflation, or supply chain costs), or when investment returns fall, insurers must adjust premiums upward to stay solvent. It's not greed — it's math.

Understanding this helps consumers interpret their premium notices differently. A rate increase isn't always a sign of unfairness; it's often a signal of broader financial realities affecting the entire industry.

Building a Smarter Consumer

The more you understand how insurance works, the better you can navigate your own coverage decisions. Ask questions like:

• How diversified is my insurer's risk exposure?

• Do they rely heavily on reinsurance?

• What loss prevention measures could lower my premium?

• Are there government-backed options available if my property becomes uninsurable?

Susman's Insurance Hour reminds us that the system isn't designed to confuse us — it's designed to protect us. But in a changing world, consumers must become more informed and proactive.

Final Thoughts: The True Magic of Insurance

From Abraham Lincoln's log cabin to today's multi-billion-dollar insurance markets, the core principle hasn't changed: many people contribute a little to protect the few who lose a lot.

Insurance is not a scam, nor is it charity. It's a finely tuned balance of risk, regulation, and responsibility. Understanding how it works — and why it sometimes doesn't — gives us the tools to make smarter decisions, advocate for fairer policies, and appreciate the quiet power behind one of society's most vital financial systems.