Assessing the solvency and financial strength of a general insurance company

1987 ◽  
Vol 114 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.D. Daykin ◽  
G.D. Bernstein ◽  
S.M. Coutts ◽  
E.R.F. Devitt ◽  
G.B. Hey ◽  
...  

AbstractAfter reviewing some general issues concerning solvency and the problems associated with establishing the financial strength of a general insurance company using the traditional balance sheet concept, the authors put forward an emerging costs approach for examining the strength of a company. This enables the true nature of the assets and liabilities to be taken into account, including their essential variability. Simulation is suggested as a powerful tool for use in examining the financial strength of a company and in exploring the impact of alternative scenarios. A particular example of such a simulation model is then presented and used to explore the resilience of a company's financial position to variations in a wide variety of parameters. The model enables the user to quantify the probability that the assets will prove adequate to meet the liabilities with or without an assumption of continuing business. This in turn permits an appropriate asset margin to be assessed individually for any particular company in the light of the strategy that the company intends to follow. Some of the implications of this approach for the management and supervision of general insurance companies are explored. The suggestion is made that the effectiveness of statutory supervision based on the balance sheet and a crude solvency margin requirement is limited, since it cannot have proper regard to the risk profile of individual companies. More responsibility should be placed on an actuary or other suitably qualified professional individual to report on the overall financial strength of the company, both to management and to the supervisory authorities.

1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. D. Daykin ◽  
G. D. Bernstein ◽  
S. M. Coutts ◽  
E. R. F. Devitt ◽  
G. B. Hey ◽  
...  

AbstractThe authors challenge the traditional balance sheet concept of the solvency of a general insurance company and put forward an emerging costs concept, which enables the true nature of the assets and liabilities to be taken into account, including their essential variability. Simulation is suggested as a powerful tool for use in examining the financial strength of a company. A simulation model is then used to explore the resilience of a company's financial position to a variety of possible outcomes and to assess the probability that the assets will prove adequate to meet the liabilities with or without an assumption of continuing new business. This suggests the need for an appropriate asset margin assessed individually for each company. The implications for the management and supervision of general insurance companies are explored. The suggestion is made that the effectiveness of supervision based on the balance sheet and a crude solvency margin requirement is limited. More responsibility should be placed on an actuary or other suitably qualified professional individual to report on the overall financial strength of the company, both to management and to the supervisory authorities.


1990 ◽  
Vol 117 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. D. Daykin ◽  
G. B. Hey

AbstractA cash flow model is proposed as a way of analysing uncertainty in the future development of a general insurance company. The company is modelled alongside the market in aggregate so that the impact of changes in premium rates relative to the market can be assessed. An extensive computer model is developed along these lines, intended for use in practical applications by actuaries advising the management of genera1 insurance companies. Simulation methods are used to explore the consequences of uncertainty, particularly in regard to inflation and investments. Some comments are made on the role of actuaries in general insurance. Alternative approaches to describing the behaviour of an insurance firm in the market are considered.


Author(s):  
Jana Gláserová ◽  
Eva Vávrová

Entities such as commercial insurance companies are obliged to create technical provisions in order to fulfill their activities. Technical provisions are used to cover liabilities of commercial insurance companies arising from insurance and reinsurance activities. The principal aim of this paper is to determine the impact of the creation and use of technical provisions for some important items of the financial statements, which are liabilities, a balance sheet, profit and an income tax base. A prerequisite to fulfill the objective of the paper is to analyze the accounting legislation for technical provisions in an insurance company. The intention of the presented paper can be divided according to its conception into two parts. The first part of the paper is devoted to methodological aspects in relation to the general definition of the accounting principles and their importance in the accounting of commercial insurance companies. The second part deals with the methodological procedure of the accounting of the creation and use of technical provisions and the specifics of how they are reported in the financial statements of commercial insurers. Conclusions of the paper show contemporary issues in the analyzed area in the context of the financial crisis.


1989 ◽  
Vol 116 (3) ◽  
pp. 639-662 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. D. Daykin ◽  
G. B. Hey

1.1 The traditional approach to examining the financial status of a company is to look at the balance sheet and the profit and loss account. Such information is usually publicly available, it is certified by the auditors as having been drawn up according to relevant accounting standards and it is generally presumed to communicate reliable information.1.2 In the case of a manufacturing or trading company the profit and loss account records purchases and sales and the balance sheet will include a valuation of stock in hand, since it is anticipated that this will give rise to future sales income. Working capital is required because products have to be manufactured or purchased before they can be sold. Profit is realized when the product is sold for more than it cost to buy it or to make it.


Author(s):  
Mykhailo Demydenko ◽  
Ihor Pistunov

The competitiveness of an insurance company depends on the competitiveness of the products and services it introduces in the market. The competitive advantages of the insurance company are expressed in the attractiveness and competitiveness of insurance policies. An economic and mathematical model of increasing the competitiveness of the insurance company is proposed, which allows to calculate the integrated indicator of competitiveness of the insurance policy based on a comprehensive system of indicators characterizing the reliability of the insurance company, quality of its services, competitiveness, social activity. To analyze the impact of these indicators on the competitiveness of the insurance policy and identify areas for improving the efficiency and competitiveness of the insurance company. The competitiveness of an insurance company depends on the competitiveness of the products and services it introduces in the market. The assessment of the quality of insurance company services is compliance with the needs, requirements, and insurance interests of customers. This assessment is performed each time an individual client chooses to cooperate with an insurance company that meets his insurance interests and wishes. Therefore, the overall competitiveness of the enterprise depends on the competitiveness of products and services offered on the market. The competitive advantages of the insurance company are expressed in the attractiveness and competitiveness of insurance policies. The insurance market in recent years has shown consistently high growth, which makes it attractive for doing business. In these conditions, the task of modeling the activities of the insurance company in a highly competitive market environment becomes relevant. A mathematical model of increasing the competitiveness of the insurance company is proposed, which allows to calculate the integrated indicator of competitiveness of the insurance policy based on a comprehensive system of indicators characterizing the reliability of the insurance company, quality of its services, competitiveness, social activity. With the proposed model, insurance companies can objectively assess their weaknesses and strengths to ensure continuous growth and decent competition in a competitive market environment. The model allows you to select performance indicators and perform modeling and determine the consequences of changes in this indicator, analyze the impact of these indicators on the competitiveness of insurance policies and identify areas for improving the efficiency and competitiveness of the insurance company. By conducting such experiments, insurance companies can make more informed choices and decisions, analyze areas of competitiveness, and more efficiently allocate resources.


2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1079-1110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Shiu

ABSTRACTDynamic financial analysis has become one of the important tools that actuaries use to model the underwriting and investment operations of insurance companies. The first step in carrying out the analysis is to investigate the most important factors affecting company performance. This paper identifies the determinants of the performance of United Kingdom general insurance companies using a panel data set consisting of economic data and Financial Services Authority/Department of Trade and Industry returns over the period 1986 to 1999. Three performance measures are used to capture different aspects of insurance operations. These measures are related to a number of economic and firm specific variables, chosen on the basis of relevant theory and literature. An ordinary least squares regression model and two panel data models are estimated for each of three performance measures. This paper also addresses several important econometric problems that are usually ignored in applied work in the context of panel data analysis. Based on the empirical results, this study finds that liquidity, unexpected inflation, interest rate level and underwriting profits are statistically significant determinants of the performance of U.K. general insurers.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-75
Author(s):  
Joy Chakraborty ◽  
Sankarshan Basu

Deregulation of the Indian insurance sector has witnessed the rise of private players in the Indian general insurance sector post-1999. Though the four major public sector general insurers still continue to dominate the Indian general insurance market, an abrupt rise in the number of private players has raised concerns upon the solvency position of the public sector general insurance companies in safeguarding their policyholders’ interests. The major reason for this concern could be attributed to the existing investment portfolios of the general insurance firms, the impact of which has been felt upon their solvency position. The present study investigated the investment portfolios of the four major public sector general insurance firms in India involved in multiline businesses, and its subsequent impact upon their solvency position. The application of the multiple linear regression model has been employed to investigate the solvency determinants of the public sector general insurance firms in view of their short-term and long-term investment portfolios, covering the study period from 2005–2006 to 2014–2015. The findings of the study have pointed out the necessity for the four public sector general insurers to focus on certain key investment variables in their investment portfolios in ensuring a sound solvency position in the long run.


Author(s):  
Elda Marzai Abliz

Abstract Due to financial crisis, and especially because of prudence in lending (retail, micro, and corporate), banks are looking for new sources of income, and bancasurance is clearly a potential source of revenue. Thus, in the financial market, the interests of two major components of it are met: banks maximize commission income, and insurers make access to the large customer base of banks. Bancassurance is a distribution channel of insurance products through bank branches, bringing important advantages for banks, insurance companies and customers. The main advantage for the bank is that earns fee amount from the insurance company, the insurance company increases customers data base and market share, the client satisfy his financial needs and requests in the same institution. Considering that in Romania, banks and insurers do not provide information on the number of insurances sold via the bancassurance distribution channel, as well as commissions obtained by banks for the insurance sale, to determine the development of bancassurance in Romania, we used the statistical data provided by the National Bank of Romania, on credit growth and data provided by The Financial Supervision Association, on the evolution of gross written premiums. Bancassurance is one of the most important insurance distribution channels, accounting for approximately 36% of the global insurance market, in 2016, Europe’s insurers generated total premium income of €1 189bn and had €10 112bn invested in the economy. Regarding to the risks of bancassurance business for banks and insurers, they mainly concern distinct capital requirements for the banking and insurance systems, which will be covered by the Basel III and Solvency II directives. This paper aims to analyze the influence of credit on the bancassurance activity in the last 5 years in Romania, the economic, political and legal factors that have a negative impact on the development of bancassurance, and also the calculating the correlation coefficient r (Pearson’s coefficient) and his result.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document