What Is the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE)? The Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) is an American company that owns and operates financial and commodity marketplaces and exchanges. It was founded in May 2000 in Atlanta, Georgia. ICE operations include futures exchanges, cash exchanges, central clearing houses, and market services for off-exchange trading. ICE operates futures exchanges in the
What Is an Inter-Dealer Broker (IDB)? An inter-dealer broker (IDB) is a specialized financial intermediary who facilitates transactions between investment banks, broker-dealers, and other large financial institutions. IDBs work with large blocks of securities where there is low trading volume or when clients seek anonymity on their orders. The inter-dealer broker often focuses on trades where
What Is an Interdealer Market? An interdealer market is a trading market that is typically accessible only by banks and financial institutions. It is an over-the-counter (OTC) market that is not restricted to a physical location, nor does it have a centralized exchange or market maker. Rather, it is a global market comprised of a
What Is Interest? Interest is the monetary charge for the privilege of borrowing money. Interest expense or revenue is often expressed as a dollar amount, while the interest rate used to calculate interest is typically expressed as an annual percentage rate (APR). Interest is the amount of money a lender or financial institution receives for
What Is the Interest Coverage Ratio? The interest coverage ratio is a debt and profitability ratio used to determine how easily a company can pay interest on its outstanding debt. The interest coverage ratio is calculated by dividing a company’s earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) by its interest expense during a given period. The
What Are Interest-Crediting Methods? An interest-crediting method determines how interest changes to a fixed index annuity (FIA) are measured. The interest-crediting method chosen measures the amount of interest that the annuity holder can receive over a specific time period. Annuity contracts have a number of provisions that affect how interest is treated. Most contacts include a
What Is an Instrumentality? An instrumentality is a non-governmental agency that acts independently but whose obligations are backed by the government because of its role in providing a public service. In the U.S., the Federal National Mortgage Association, known as Fannie Mae, is an example of an instrumentality. Created during the Great Depression to enable
What Is Insurable Interest? Insurable interest is a type of investment that protects anything subject to a financial loss. A person or entity has an insurable interest in an item, event, or action when the damage or loss of the object would cause a financial loss or other hardships. To have an insurable interest a
What Is Insurance? Most people have some kind of insurance: for their car, their house, or even their life. Yet most of us don’t stop to think too much about what insurance is or how it works. Put simply, insurance is a contract, represented by a policy, in which a policyholder receives financial protection or
What Is an Insurance Claim? An insurance claim is a formal request by a policyholder to an insurance company for coverage or compensation for a covered loss or policy event. The insurance company validates the claim (or denies the claim). If it is approved, the insurance company will issue payment to the insured or an
