Does Peer-to-Peer Fit In Risk Markets?

In the first of this series of four segments, we looked at the current state of the risk markets and the insurance industry. In this segment, we will look at how peer-to-peer (P2P) fits. First, P2P is not mutual insurance. While the mutual insurance model is in more of the same spirit as P2P than corporate insurers are, mutuals are still operating primarily with the same business methods that corporate insurance companies use, and the financial service is still an indemnity insurance contract. The same would apply to the fraternals. P2P is also not just a behavioral economic twist on insurance to reduce fraud.