IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/aea/aecrev/v97y2007i3p973-983.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Regulation, Capital, and the Evolution of Organizational Form in US Life Insurance

Author

Listed:
  • George Zanjani

Abstract

This paper studies the association between regulation and the organizational form of new life insurers between 1900 and 1949. The mutual form was popular in states with low initial capital requirements for mutual companies and differentially higher requirements for stock companies, but was rarely used elsewhere. This suggests that entrepreneurs took a "path of least resistance" when choosing organizational form and that the mutual's disadvantage in raising capital contributed to its decline–a decline that accelerated as states raised requirements and eliminated the aforementioned differentials. Contrary to previous analysis, the paper finds little evidence connecting other regulations to mutual decline. (JEL G21, L51, N21, N22)

Suggested Citation

  • George Zanjani, 2007. "Regulation, Capital, and the Evolution of Organizational Form in US Life Insurance," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(3), pages 973-983, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:97:y:2007:i:3:p:973-983
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/aer.97.3.973
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/aer.97.3.973
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: http://www.aeaweb.org/aer/data/june07/20040720_data.zip
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: http://www.aeaweb.org/aer/data/june07/20040720_app.pdf
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to AEA members and institutional subscribers.
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gentry, William M., 1994. "Taxes, financial decisions and organizational form : Evidence from publicly traded partnerships," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(2), pages 223-244, February.
    2. Lowry, Michelle, 2003. "Why does IPO volume fluctuate so much?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(1), pages 3-40, January.
    3. Choe, Hyuk & Masulis, Ronald W. & Nanda, Vikram, 1993. "Common stock offerings across the business cycle : Theory and evidence," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 3-31, June.
    4. Krupa S. Viswanathan & J. David Cummins, 2003. "Ownership Structure Changes in the Insurance Industry: An Analysis of Demutualization," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 70(3), pages 401-437, September.
    5. Damodaran, Aswath & John, Kose & Liu, Crocker H., 1997. "The determinants of organizational form changes: evidence and implications from real estate," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 169-192, August.
    6. Hansmann, Henry, 1985. "The Organization of Insurance Companies: Mutual versus Stock," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 1(1), pages 125-153, Spring.
    7. Graham, John R. & Harvey, Campbell R., 2005. "The long-run equity risk premium," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 2(4), pages 185-194, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Martin Eling & David Pankoke, 2016. "Costs and Benefits of Financial Regulation: An Empirical Assessment for Insurance Companies," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 41(4), pages 529-554, October.
    2. Dionne, Georges & Harrington, Scott, 2017. "Insurance and Insurance Markets," Working Papers 17-2, HEC Montreal, Canada Research Chair in Risk Management.
    3. John E. Murray, 2011. "Asymmetric Information and Countermeasures in Early Twentieth‐Century American Short‐Term Disability Microinsurance," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 78(1), pages 117-138, March.
    4. Subramanian, Ajay & Wang, Jinjing, 2021. "Capital, aggregate risk, insurance prices and regulation," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 156-192.
    5. Lazzari, Valter & Vena, Luigi, 2025. "Enterprise value and risk taking in the banking industry: Cooperatives vs. corporations," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(PA).
    6. Braun, Alexander & Schmeiser, Hato & Rymaszewski, Przemysław, 2015. "Stock vs. mutual insurers: Who should and who does charge more?," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 242(3), pages 875-889.
    7. Patricia Born & M. Martin Boyer, 2011. "Claims‐Made and Reported Policies and Insurer Profitability in Medical Malpractice," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 78(1), pages 139-162, March.
    8. Laux, Christian & Muermann, Alexander, 2010. "Financing risk transfer under governance problems: Mutual versus stock insurers," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 333-354, July.
    9. Patricia C. Mosser & Joseph Tracy & Joshua Wright, 2013. "The capital structure and governance of a mortgage securitization utility," Staff Reports 644, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fabrice Roth, 2012. "Crise et régulation des marchés financiers : Quel impact sur les formes mutuelles dans l'assurance ?," Working Papers halshs-00692342, HAL.
    2. Otgontsetseg Erhemjamts & J. Tyler Leverty, 2010. "The Demise of the Mutual Organizational Form: An Investigation of the Life Insurance Industry," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 42(6), pages 1011-1036, September.
    3. Michael O'Connor Keefe & David Gallagher, 2014. "Does the effect of revealed private information on initial public offering (IPO) first trading day return differ by IPO market heat?," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 54(3), pages 921-964, September.
    4. Jay R. Ritter & Ivo Welch, 2002. "A Review of IPO Activity, Pricing, and Allocations," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 57(4), pages 1795-1828, August.
    5. Kelly Nianyun Cai & Xiaoquan Jiang & Hei Wai Lee, 2013. "Debt Ipo Waves, Investor Sentiment, Market Conditions, And Issue Quality," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 36(4), pages 435-452, December.
    6. Johann Burgstaller, 2009. "When and why do Austrian companies issue shares?," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 36(3), pages 229-244, August.
    7. Jakša Krišto & Antti Talonen & Hrvoje Pauković, 2021. "Analysis of community‐owned mutual insurers' prospects of development in CEE countries: Outlining research agenda," Risk Management and Insurance Review, American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 24(3), pages 243-261, September.
    8. Dittmar, Amy K. & Dittmar, Robert F., 2008. "The timing of financing decisions: An examination of the correlation in financing waves," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 59-83, October.
    9. Waqas Mehmood & Rasidah Mohd-Rashid & Abd Halim Ahmad, 2023. "The Variability of IPO Issuance: Evidence from Pakistan Stock Exchange," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 24(5), pages 1025-1040, October.
    10. Divakaruni, Anantha & Jones, Howard, 2021. "Disclosure, Firm Growth, and the JOBS Act," SocArXiv 3zumb_v1, Center for Open Science.
    11. Braun, Alexander & Schmeiser, Hato & Rymaszewski, Przemysław, 2015. "Stock vs. mutual insurers: Who should and who does charge more?," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 242(3), pages 875-889.
    12. Anderson, Christopher W. & Huang, Jian & Torna, Gökhan, 2017. "Can investors anticipate post-IPO mergers and acquisitions?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 496-521.
    13. Hanselaar, Rogier M. & Stulz, René M. & van Dijk, Mathijs A., 2019. "Do firms issue more equity when markets become more liquid?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(1), pages 64-82.
    14. Barclay, Michael J. & Heitzman, Shane M. & Smith, Clifford W., 2013. "Debt and taxes: Evidence from the real estate industry," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 74-93.
    15. Lubos Pastor & Pietro Veronesi, 2003. "Stock Prices and IPO Waves," NBER Working Papers 9858, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Çolak, Gönül & Günay, Hikmet, 2011. "Strategic waiting in the IPO markets," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 555-583, June.
    17. Boyan Jovanovic & Peter L. Rousseau, 2004. "Interest Rates and Initial Public Offerings," NBER Working Papers 10298, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    18. Li, Hui & Liu, Hong & Veld, Chris, 2019. "The effects of bank regulation stringency on seasoned equity offering announcements," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 71-85.
    19. Ljungqvist, Alexander & Boehmer, Ekkehart, 2004. "On the decision to go public: Evidence from privately-held firms," Discussion Paper Series 1: Economic Studies 2004,16, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    20. Leite, Tore, 2007. "Adverse selection, public information, and underpricing in IPOs," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 13(5), pages 813-828, December.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • N21 - Economic History - - Financial Markets and Institutions - - - U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913
    • N22 - Economic History - - Financial Markets and Institutions - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-

    Lists

    This item is featured on the following reading lists, Wikipedia, or ReplicationWiki pages:
    1. Regulation, Capital and the Evolution of Organizational Form in the US Life Insurance (AER 2007) in ReplicationWiki

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:97:y:2007:i:3:p:973-983. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Michael P. Albert (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/aeaaaea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.