Solvency II reporting: How to interpret funds’ aggregate solvency capital requirement figures

Depending on the current risk exposure of an insurance company, the impact of buying an additional unit of a fund on an insurer’s overall Solvency II capital charges, i.e., the Solvency Capital Requirement (SCR), will differ. We call this impact the fund’s SCR contribution and show in which boundaries it lies if only the fund’s aggregate sub-SCR figures are known but not the risk exposures of the insurance company buying the fund. The upper bound of this range, the worst-case SCR contribution, can be used as a conservative measure to assess funds’ Solvency II risk contributions or to assign them to different Solvency II risk categories. We believe that providing funds’ worst-case SCR contributions can be useful information to insurance companies when screening from a broad investment universe.     

Longevity risk,cost of capital and hedging for life insurers under Solvency II

The cost of capital is an important factor determining the premiums charged by life insurers issuing life annuities. This capital cost can be reduced by hedging longevity risk with longevity swaps, a form of reinsurance. We assess the costs of longevity risk management using indemnity based longevity swaps compared to costs of holding capital under Solvency II. We show that, using a reasonable market price of longevity risk, the market cost of hedging longevity risk for earlier ages is lower than the cost of capital required under Solvency II. Longevity swaps covering higher ages, around 90 and above, have higher market hedging costs than the saving in the cost of regulatory capital. The Solvency II capital regulations for longevity risk generates an incentive for life insurers to hold longevity tail risk on their own balance sheets, rather than transferring this to the reinsurance or the capital markets. This aspect of the Solvency II capital requirements is not well understood and raises important policy issues for the management of longevity risk.     

Optimal non-life reinsurance under Solvency II Regime

The optimal reinsurance contract is investigated from the perspective of an insurer who would like to minimise its risk exposure under Solvency II. Under this regulatory framework, the insurer is exposed to the retained risk, reinsurance premium and change in the risk margin requirement as a result of reinsurance. Depending on how the risk margin corresponding to the reserve risk is calculated, two optimal reinsurance problems are formulated. We show that the optimal reinsurance policy can be in the form of two layers. Further, numerical examples illustrate that the optimal two-layer reinsurance contracts are only slightly different under these two methodologies.     

The Solvency II square-root formula for systematic biometric risk

In this paper, we develop a model supporting the so-called square-root formula used in Solvency II to aggregate the modular life SCR. Describing the insurance policy by a Markov jump process, we can obtain expressions similar to the square-root formula in Solvency II by means of limited expansions around the best estimate. Numerical illustrations are given, based on German population data. Even if the square-root formula can be supported by theoretical considerations, it is shown that the QIS correlation matrix is highly questionable.     

Risk aggregation in Solvency II through recursive log-normals

It is argued that the accuracy of risk aggregation in Solvency II can be improved by updating skewness recursively. A simple scheme based on the log-normal distribution is developed and shown to be superior to the standard formula and to adjustments of the Cornish–Fisher type. The method handles tail-dependence if a simple Monte Carlo step is included. A hierarchical Clayton copula is constructed and used to confirm the accuracy of the log-normal approximation and to demonstrate the importance of including tail-dependence. Arguably a log-normal scheme makes the logic in Solvency II consistent, but many other distributions might be used as vehicle, a topic that may deserve further study.     

Solvency supervision based on a total balance sheet approach

In this paper we investigate the adequacy of the own funds a company requires in order to remain healthy and avoid insolvency. Two methods are applied here; the quantile regression method and the method of mixed effects models. Quantile regression is capable of providing a more complete statistical analysis of the stochastic relationship among random variables than least squares estimation. The estimated mixed effects line can be considered as an internal industry equation (norm), which explains a systematic relation between a dependent variable (such as own funds) with independent variables (e.g. financial characteristics, such as assets, provisions, etc.). The above two methods are implemented with two data sets.     

On the lifetime and one-year views of reserve risk,with application to IFRS 17 and Solvency II risk margins

This paper brings together analytic and simulation-based approaches to reserve risk in general (P&C) insurance, applied to the traditional actuarial view of risk over the lifetime of the liabilities and to the one-year view of Solvency II. It also connects the lifetime and one-year views of risk. The framework of the model in Mack (1993) is used throughout, although the results have wider applicability.The advantages of a simulation-based approach are highlighted, giving a full predictive distribution, which is used to estimate risk margins under Solvency II and risk adjustments under IFRS 17. We discuss methods for obtaining capital requirements in a cost-of-capital risk margin, and methods for estimating risk adjustments using risk measures applied to a simulated distribution of the outstanding liabilities over their lifetime.     

基于灰色系统的模糊综合评判在产险公司偿付能力评价中的应用

本文将灰色系统中的灰关联分析理论和模糊数学中模糊综合评判法引入保险公司偿付能力的综合评价排序中。通过案例分析，对2005年我国八家主要财产保险公司（以下简称产险公司）的偿付能力作了判断比较，给出了综合排序。     

偿付能力监管中审核问题博弈分析

偿付能力监管是我国保险监管体系的三大支柱之一,居于监管体系的核心地位,然而保险人报送的不真实数据严重影响了偿付能力监管的效果.将对监管机构和保险人的行为进行分析,建立博弈模型,研究在偿付能力监管过程中,监管机构如何通过审核制度设计保证被监管者报送数据的真实性,并在此条件下对审核制度影响因素进行分析.     

Issues with the Smith–Wilson method

We analyse various features of the Smith–Wilson method used for discounting under the EU regulation Solvency II, with special attention to hedging. In particular, we show that all key rate duration hedges of liabilities beyond the Last Liquid Point will be peculiar. Moreover, we show that there is a connection between the occurrence of negative discount factors and singularities in the convergence criterion used to calibrate the model. The main tool used for analysing hedges is a novel stochastic representation of the Smith–Wilson method.     

A capital allocation based on a solvency exchange option

In this paper we propose a new capital allocation method based on an idea of [Sherris, M., 2006. Solvency, capital allocation and fair rate of return in insurance. J. Risk Insurance 73 (1), 71-96]. The proposed method explicitly accommodates the notion of limited liability of the shareholders. We show how the allocated capital can be decomposed, so that each stakeholder can have a clearer understanding of their contribution. We also challenge the no undercut principle, one of the widely accepted allocation axioms, and assert that this axiom is merely a property that certain allocation methods may or may not meet.     

A note on the Swiss Solvency Test risk measure

In this paper we examine whether the Swiss Solvency Test risk measure is a coherent measure of risk as introduced in Artzner et al. [Artzner, P., Delbaen, F., Eber, J.M., Heath, D., 1999. Coherent measures of risk. Math. Finance 9, 203–228; Artzner, P., Delbaen, F., Eber, J.M., Heath, D., Ku, H., 2004. Coherent multiperiod risk adjusted values and Bellman’s principle. Working Paper. ETH Zurich]. We provide a simple example which shows that it does not satisfy the axiom of monotonicity. We then find, as a monotonic alternative, the greatest coherent risk measure which is majorized by the Swiss Solvency Test risk measure.     

Minimum standards for investment performance: A new perspective on non-life insurer solvency

The aim of this paper is to develop an alternative approach for assessing an insurer’s solvency as a proposal for a standard model for Solvency II. Instead of deriving minimum capital requirements–as is done in solvency regulation–our model provides company-specific minimum standards for risk and return of investment performance, given the distribution structure of liabilities and a predefined safety level. The idea behind this approach is that in a situation of weak solvency, an insurer’s asset allocation can be adjusted much more easily in the short term than can, for example, claims cost distributions, operating expenses, or equity capital. Hence, instead of using separate models for capital regulation and solvency regulation–as is typically done in most insurance markets–our single model will reduce the complexity and costs for insurers as well as for regulators. In this paper, we first develop the model framework and second test its applicability using data from a German non-life insurer.     

Biometric worst-case scenarios for multi-state life insurance policies

It is common actuarial practice to calculate premiums and reserves under a set of biometric assumptions that represent a worst-case scenario for the insurer. The new solvency regime of the European Union (Solvency II) also uses worst-case scenarios for the calculation of solvency capital requirements for life insurance business. Surprisingly, the actuarial literature so far offers no exact method for the construction of biometric scenarios that let premiums and reserves be always on the safe side with respect to a given confidence band for the biometric second-order basis. The present paper partly fills this gap by introducing a general method that allows one to construct such scenarios for homogenous portfolios of life insurance policies. The results are especially informative for life insurance policies with mixed character (e.g. survival and occurrence character). Two examples are given that illustrate the new method, demonstrate its usefulness for the calculation of premiums and reserves, and show how the new approach could improve the calculation of biometric solvency reserves for Solvency II.     

The development of a simple and intuitive rating system under Solvency II

Regulatory authorities pay considerable attention to setting minimum capital levels for different kinds of financial institutions. Solvency II, the European Commission’s planned reform of the regulation of insurance companies is well underway. One of its consequences will be a shift in focus to internally based models in determining the regulatory capital needed to cover unexpected losses. This evolution emphasises the importance of credit risk assessment through internal ratings. In light of this new prudential regulation, this paper suggests a Basel II compliant approach to predicting credit ratings for non-rated corporations and evaluates its performance compared to external ratings. The paper provides an interesting modelling of non-financial European companies rated by S&P. In developing the model, broad applicability is set as an important boundary condition. Even though the model developed is fairly simple and maintains a high level of granularity, it gives high rates of accuracy and is very interpretable.     

有偿付约束的无限期资产经济均衡的存在性

本文通过一个简单的模型证明了有偿付约束的无限期资产经济均衡存在性,所用条件与已有文献相比更加简明．这一研究可望为我们今后研究无限期经济提供方向：同时也可以更好地理解偿付约束（或保证金制度）在资本市场中的作用     

Efficient risk allocation within a non-life insurance group under Solvency II Regime

Intra-group transfers are risk management tools that are usually widely used to optimise the risk position of an insurance group. In this paper, it is shown that premium and liability transfers could be optimally made in such a way as to reduce the amount of Technical Provisions and Minimum Capital Requirement for the entire insurance conglomerate. These levels of required capital represent the minimal amount that needs to be held by the insurance group without regulator intervention, according to the Solvency II regulation. We assume that only proportional risk transfers are feasible, since such transfers are not difficult to administer for a large scaled insurance group, as is always the case. In addition, any risk shifting should be made for commercial purposes in order to be considered acceptable by the local regulators that impose restrictions on how much the assets within an insurance group are fungible. Our numerical examples illustrate the efficiency of the optimal proportional risk transfers which can easily be implemented, in terms of computation, in any well-known solver even for an insurance conglomerate with many subsidiaries. We found that our proposed optimal proportional allocations are more beneficial for large insurance group, since the relative reduction in capital requirement tends to be small, whereas the gain in absolute terms is quite significant for large scaled insurance group.     

Ein zweidimensionales Durationskonzept

The German proposal for a Solvency II-compatible standard model for the life insurance branch calculates the risk capital that is necessary for a sufficient risk capitalisation of the company at hand. This capital is called ‘‘target capital’’ or Solvency Capital Requirement (SCR for short). For this to achieve it is applied the book value of the actuarial reserve onto the well-known market value formula getting the market value (or present value) by means of the classical duration concept as a global approach (cf. the documentation of the standard model of the GDV p. 26). This formula takes into account the impact of the interest rate but leaves aside all the other actuarial assumptions. In particular, the influence of the biometrical assumptions is not considered. This is at least one reason, why this ansatz is – at the time being – no more compatible with the Solvency II requirements and thus does no more satisfy its own entitlements. In the work at hand it is proposed and worked out a concept that overcomes this drawback. The result is a formula with the help of which the present value of the actuarial liabilities is calculated from their book value in fact by taking into account the interest rate as well as the biometrical assumptions. It is to be remarked that the proposed two-dimensional duration concept may be developed completely along the lines given by the classical one-dimensional analogue leaving some arbitraries only on determining the biometrical gauge, i.e., the mapping of the vector that represents the formula of the active lives remaining onto its average value. For this to achieve one has to consider the underlying business in force. The superordinate relevance of such a two-dimensional ansatz lies in the fact that the developments of the project Solvency II during the last months have shown that its success depends crucially on the availability of efficient and well-elaborated approximation procedures.     

On the modelling of nested risk-neutral stochastic processes with applications in insurance

We propose a modelling framework for risk-neutral stochastic processes nested in a real-world stochastic process. The framework is important for insurers that deal with the valuation of embedded options and in particular at future points in time. We make use of the class of State Space Hidden Markov models for modelling the joint behaviour of the parameters of a risk-neutral model and the dynamics of option market instruments. This modelling concept enables us to perform non-linear estimation, forecasting and robust calibration. The proposed method is applied to the Heston model for which we find highly satisfactory results. We use the estimated Heston model to compute the required capital of an insurance company under Solvency II and we find large differences compared to a basic calibration method.     

Dependent interest and transition rates in life insurance

For market consistent life insurance liabilities modelled with a multi-state Markov chain, it is of importance to consider the interest and transition rates as stochastic processes, for example in order to consider hedging possibilities of the risks, and for risk measurement. In the literature, this is usually done with an assumption of independence between the interest and transition rates. In this paper, it is shown how to valuate life insurance liabilities using affine processes for modelling dependent interest and transition rates. This approach leads to the introduction of so-called dependent forward rates. We propose a specific model for surrender modelling, and within this model the dependent forward rates are calculated, and the market value and the Solvency II capital requirement are examined for a simple savings contract.