An amount of money earmarked for a specific purpose. Insurers establish unearned premium reserves and loss reserves indicated on their balance sheets. Unearned premium reserves show the aggregate amount of premiums that would be returned to policyholders if all policies were canceled on the date the balance sheet was prepared. Loss reserves are estimates of outstanding losses, loss adjustment expenses (LAEs), and other related items. Self-insured organizations also maintain loss reserves.
Definition provided by the International Risk Management Institute (IRMI) Glossary of Insurance.
