The insurance industry exists to contemplate(深思；考虑) worst-case scenarios(最坏的情况), but the events of the past three months have nevertheless been hard to take in(难以接受；难理解). The Iran war has unleashed havoc(造成严重破坏) in the Middle East. It has also presented two classes of specialty insurer—those offering protection against political violence and marine war, which covers ships in conflict zones—with their biggest shock in decades.(它还让两类专业保险公司——提供政治暴力和海上战争（覆盖冲突区域船只）保险的公司——遭遇了数十年来最大的冲击。)
保险业的存在是为了考虑最坏的情况，但过去三个月的事件却难以接受。伊朗战争在中东造成了严重破坏。它还让两类专业保险公司——提供政治暴力和海上战争（覆盖冲突区域船只）保险的公司——遭遇了数十年来最大的冲击。
The impact on those who insure against political violence has been most dramatic(显著的；剧烈的). Such policies protect businesses from terrorist attacks, sabotage, civil unrest, war and other nasty events. Since Iran started firing missiles at its neighbours, local firms in the Gulf have scrambled(争先恐后；仓促行动) to find coverage for exposed infrastructure(暴露的基础设施) and property. Their clamour(喧闹；强烈要求), and the higher risks they now face, has transformed the market. Insuring some assets now costs 40 times the pre-war rate(战前费率).
对提供政治暴力保险的公司影响最为显著。这类保单保护企业免受恐怖袭击、蓄意破坏、内乱、战争及其他恶劣事件的影响。自从伊朗开始向邻国发射导弹以来，海湾地区的本地公司争先恐后地为暴露的基础设施和财产寻找保险。他们的急切需求以及现在面临的更高风险，已经改变了市场。一些资产的保险费用现在高达战前费率的40倍。
Some of this is because previous prices were too low, says Fergus Critchley, head of terrorism and political violence at WTW(① 公司背景：WTW（Willis To...), an insurance broker. A run of strong performance in the sector had brought in competition(引入了竞争), pushing down underwriters’ premiums. They had room to fall(有下降空间), in turn, because few foresaw(预见；预知) a conflict on anything like the present scale.
部分原因是以前的价格太低，保险经纪公司WTW的恐怖主义与政治暴力部门主管Fergus Critchley说。该行业一连串强劲的表现带来了竞争，压低了承保商的保费。反过来，保费有下降空间，因为很少有人预见到任何像现在这样规模的冲突。