Addis Ababa University: College of Business and Economics Department of Accounting and Finance
Addis Ababa University: College of Business and Economics Department of Accounting and Finance
Addis Ababa University: College of Business and Economics Department of Accounting and Finance
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Risk is defined in financial terms as the chance that an outcome or investment's
actual gains will differ from an expected outcome or return. Risk includes the
possibility of losing some or all of an original investment.
For example assume that a property insurer has 20000 houses insured over a long period
and ,on average, 1percent, 200 houses burn each year. However,it woud be rare for exactly
200 house may burn. Thus, there is a variation of 20 house form the expected number of
200, or a variation of percent. This relative varition of actual loss from expected loss is
known as objective risk.
For example, a customer who was drinking heavily in a bar may foolishly
attempt to drive home. The driver may be uncertain whether he will arrive
home safely without being arrested by the police for drunk driving. This
mental uncertainty is called subjective risk.
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Example you use the hammer to do the job the hammer is the hazard but using it and injure
you self is the risk.
E.g. A situation where an individual has to appear for the first in the newly
introduced insurance examination.
Risk traditionally has been defined regarding uncertainty. Based on this concept, the risk is
denied here as uncertainty concerning the occurrence of a loss.
E.g. the risk of lung cancer for smokers is present because uncertainty is
present.
Risk it is defined in different terms by several authors with some differences in the
wordings used.
Hazard is a condition that increases the chance of loss arising from a peril.
For example: - a slick wods during a snow storm leaving car doors unlocked.
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2. Moral hazards: dishonesty or character flaws of an individual that increase the
likelihood of the unfavorable event (e.g. Carelessness is the cause of most of the accidents
and when the insured behaves carelessly, an unsatisfactory moral)
Pure risk is a situation in which there are only the possibilities of loss or no loss there is
no possibility of gain. it can be categorized as personal, property or legal risk. (E.g. risk of
unemployment changes without the economy so it difficult to predict what unemployment
will be to the coming year.)
Speculative risk is a situation in which either profit or loss is possible, most of them are
uninsurable because they are undertaken willingly for the hope of profit. (E.g. Investments
benefit society, and starting a business helps to create jobs.)
1. Personal risks are risks that directly affect and individual or family. They involve the
possibility of a loss or reduction in income, extra expenses or depletion of financial assets,
due to:
For example
2. Property risks:- involve the possibility of losses associated with the destruction or theft
of property.
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E.g. the immovable like land and building being damaged due to flood, earthquake
or fire, the movables like appliances and personal assets being destroyed due to the
fire or stolen.
Direct loss is a financial loss that results from the physical damage, destruction, or theft
of the property
Indirect loss or consequential loss is a financial loss that results indirectly from the
occurrence of direct physical damage.
3. Liability risks involve the possibility of being held legally liable for bodily injured or
property damage to someone else.
For example, the financial loss arising from the non- performance or standard performance
in a contract, in engineering or construction contracts.