• Credit risk is the possibility that one of the parties to an agreement will not be able to meet its financial obligations under this agreement. A classic example is the granting of credit by one business to another business or individual. Many insurance arrangements, especially limited risk programs, also involve varying degrees of credit risk for both parties to the transaction, depending on the financial strength of the parties. Because insurance and reinsurance companies are leveraged (i.e., their capital backs up its value many times over in the outstanding policy limits), an unanticipated amount of severe loss can devalue such capital. While it is generally assumed that the insured or ceding insurer (under a reinsurance contract) bears the credit risk, insurance and reinsurance companies also bear the credit risk.