Interest rate derivatives and risk exposure: Evidence from the life insurance industry

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 100978
Author(s):  
Hui-Hsuan Liu ◽  
Ariana Chang ◽  
Yung-Ming Shiu
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rate ◽  
Life Insurance ◽  
Insurance Industry ◽  
Risk Exposure ◽  
Interest Rate Derivatives ◽  
Life Insurance Industry

Allocating Overseas: Risk Assessment of Currency Hedging in Taiwan Life Insurance Industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shih-Chieh Chang ◽  
Yen-Kuan Lee ◽  
Wei Hsuan ◽  
Chang-ye Tu
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rate ◽  
Life Insurance ◽  
Asset Allocation ◽  
Insurance Industry ◽  
Yield Enhancement ◽  
Currency Hedging ◽  
Put Options ◽  
Life Insurance Industry ◽  
Interest Rate Spread ◽  
Asset Portfolio

Abstract A persistent low-interest-rate environment has had a notable impact on the life insurance industry. For reducing the negative interest-rate spread problems, Taiwan life insurer’s asset allocation shift to international diversifies. In this paper, overseas investment is incorporated into the asset portfolio to reflect the growing practice of life insurers taking offshore risks for yield enhancement. We calibrate contract parameters and surplus distribution is investigated through feasible hedge strategies. Foreign-exchange volatility reserves, forward hedge, and basket hedge are compared based on the shortfall measures under risk-neutral valuation. The shareholder’s claim and default put options are compared. The numerical results show that FX volatility reserves are the most effective instrument for controlling currency risk, followed by basket hedge. By contrast, fully forward hedge is cost enhanced and might not generate the advantage of carry trade.

Auswirkungen der anhaltenden Niedrigzinsen auf das Versicherungswesen

2015 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rate ◽  
Interest Rates ◽  
Life Insurance ◽  
Insurance Industry ◽  
Life Insurers ◽  
Life Insurance Industry ◽  
Low Interest Rates ◽  
Rate Environment ◽  
German Life

AbstractHelmut Gründl discusses in his paper the effects of the present low interest rate environment on the German life insurance industry. By referring to a recent study of the “International Center for Insurance Regulation”, he assesses insolvency probabilities for life insurers with different capital endowments under different interest rate scenarios. Based on that, he discusses measures of insurance regulation that try to cope with the imminent problems of the life insurance industry. Finally, he has a look at product developments and investment strategies of life insurers in the presence of low interest rates. Hereby, he argues, that life insurance products with lower investment guarantees that are granted for a shorter period of time are regarded as the best remedy to avoid low interest rate problems in the future. Such product development also allows for a more risky investment policy of life insurers that can make life and annuity products more attractive.Rolf Ketzler und Peter Schwark explicate that the very accommodative monetary policy of the ECB and the related extremely low interest rates are involved with major challenges for the German insurance sector, in particular for life insurers. As long-term investors, insurers are not only affected in their capital investment strategy, but also by different households’ retirement saving patterns in response to the low interest rate environment. Several significant steps have already been taken in order to ensure the long-term viability of life insurance. These include changes in the product portfolio as well as new approaches in the investment strategy. In addition, new regulatory requirements have been established to strengthen the risk bearing capacity of life insurers. Given the substantial risks of low interest rates, from an economic point of view the question concerning an appropriate exit from the low interest rate environment needs more attention in the public debate. They argue that in this context, further progress regarding the economic reform policies in the euro zone is still necessary as a condition for the ECB to normalize its monetary policy as soon as possible.Focusing the perspective of German life insurance industry, the article of Heinrich Schradin starts with a brief description and discussion of the financial impact of the persistently low interest rate environment. Based on an empirical data set of German life insurers, the author illustrates actual limitations to generate sufficient investment income for to meet the given specific financial guarantees. Moreover, the core problem, caused by the use of volatile timing-related interest rates for to evaluate long-term cash flows, becomes obvious. The currently observed regulatory interventions are trying to overcome the existential consequences of the so-called fair value measurement. In consequence, the author derives four central theses:1. Life insurance in Germany suffers from insufficient capital adequacy.2. Persistent low interest rates threaten the fulfillment of financial guaranty commitments of German life insurers.3. The generally accepted principals of economic evaluation do not satisfy to the traditional business model of German life insurers.4. Under a business perspective, the development of new life insurance products is inevitable.

scholarly journals Future investment value of China’s listed life insurance companies’ H shares from the perspective of secondary market

2020 ◽  
Vol 218 ◽  
pp. 04012
Author(s):  
Lixin Yang
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rate ◽  
Life Insurance ◽  
Insurance Industry ◽  
Secondary Market ◽  
Insurance Companies ◽  
Market Demand ◽  
Life Insurance Industry ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Impact

China’s life insurance industry has just started in the 1990s after the reform and opening up, and its development experience is obviously insufficient, and it has not gone through a very complete life insurance development cycle. No matter from the actuarial technology, the professional level of the agent, the popularization time of the agent system, or the management experience, it is far from the developed areas of the world’s life insurance industry. In addition, many professional investors are worried about the future prospects of China’s life insurance industry because of the long-term existence of a low interest rate environment. However, after reading detailed materials (research papers, books, reviews, etc.), the final conclusion of this report is different from that of other too cautious investors . This report holds that: the current situation and prospect of China’s life insurance H shares meet the conditions of Davis double-click, and the main investors in the secondary market will encounter a unique opportunity to obtain excess returns by investing in domestic insurance H shares. On the level of objective factors, we analyze from the following four aspects: (I) the potential demand for life insurance in China will continue to increase significantly in the future; (II) most of the representative life insurance companies in China have low valuations; (III) the possible style switching in China’s secondary market is conducive to the rise of blue chips such as life insurance companies; (IV) from the long-term perspective of history, the insurance index has significantly outperformed the Shanghai Composite Index, which represents the market. In terms of subjective factors, we consider them from the following four perspectives: (I) the development and problems of life insurance industry in Japan and Taiwan; (II) on the liability side, China’s life insurance industry vigorously develops new products with high business value, so as to resist the impact of low interest rates; (III) the diversification of asset allocation at the investment end of China’s life insurance industry can make the profit of life insurance industry not limited by the interest rate; (IV) the change of service quality at the supply side is conducive to the life insurance companies to tap the potential market demand in China.

Auswirkungen der anhaltenden Niedrigzinsen auf das Versicherungswesen

2015 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Helmut Gründl
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rate ◽  
Interest Rates ◽  
Life Insurance ◽  
Insurance Industry ◽  
Investment Strategies ◽  
Insurance Regulation ◽  
Life Insurers ◽  
Life Insurance Industry ◽  
Low Interest Rates ◽  
Rate Environment

AbstractThis paper discusses the effects of the present low interest rate environment on the German life insurance industry. By referring to a recent study of the “International Center for Insurance Regulation”, we assess insolvency probabilities for life insurers with different capital endowments under different interest rate scenarios. Based on that, we discuss measures of insurance regulation that try to cope with the imminent problems of the life insurance industry. Finally, we have a look at product developments and investment strategies of life insurers in the presence of low interest rates. Hereby, life insurance products with lower investment guarantees that are granted for a shorter period of time are regarded as the best remedy to avoid low interest rate problems in the future. Such product development also allows for a more risky investment policy of life insurers that can make life and annuity products more attractive.

THE MANIFESTATIONS OF CUSTOMER LOYALTY IN INDIAN LIFE INSURANCE INDUSTRY: AN EMPIRICAL EXAMINATION

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (02) ◽  
Author(s):  
Medha Srivastava ◽  
Alok Kumar Rai
Keyword(s):  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Life Insurance ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Insurance Industry ◽  
Empirical Examination ◽  
Consumption Decisions ◽  
Life Insurance Industry ◽  
Product Service ◽  
Brand Attributes ◽  
Loyal Customers

The widespread reverence for customer loyalty among marketers and businesses all across the globe is inspired from its manifestations since it’s the consumption decisions of loyal customers that leave a mammoth mark over the revenues and growth of a firm. A throng of behavioural, attitudinal and cognitive manifestations of customer loyalty are available in the literature some of which are widely acknowledged and accepted whereas others call for further inquiry. These manifestations of loyalty among customers are generally pinned down through their actions (Zeithaml et al., 1996; Jones et al., 2000) or their attitude towards the company or a particular product/ service (Javalgi and Moberg, 1997; Butcher et al., 2001). However, recent literature suggests that another outcome of loyalty is customer preferring a particular service provider to others based upon the conscious evaluation of brand attributes (Gremler and Brown, 1996; Butcher et al., 2001). The paper intends to explore and empirically test various manifestations of customer loyalty in the context of life insurance services thereby, extending the existing knowledge of customer loyalty by outlining the distinctive nature of customer loyalty outcomes and offering useful insights to the marketing practitioners in life insurance industry. The study further groups these manifestations into distinct outcome classes and empirically evaluates them by comparing and contrasting each with the other. It also aims to enrich the literature of customer loyalty by developing and validating a scale for measurement of customer loyalty outcomes with special reference to life insurance services.

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