What is a subsidiary formed to insure the parent company referred to as?

A subsidiary formed specifically to insure the parent company is referred to as a captive insurer. This type of insurance company is established to provide coverage for the risks of its owner or group of owners. By creating a captive insurer, a parent company can better control its insurance costs, tailor its coverage to its specific needs, and potentially improve risk management practices.

Captive insurers allow the parent company to focus on specific risks that may not be well covered by traditional insurance markets, thus providing a strategic advantage in risk management. This structure can also lead to potential tax benefits and more efficient allocation of capital.

Other options do not accurately describe this arrangement. A mutual insurer is owned by its policyholders and focuses on providing coverage to them. A joint venture involves two or more parties collaborating on a business project but does not specifically relate to insuring a parent company. A commercial insurer is a standard insurance provider that offers policies to the general public and businesses, but it does not specifically serve the purpose of insuring its parent company in the way a captive insurer does.