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Valuation of life insurance surrender and exchange options

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  • Nordahl, Helge A.

Abstract

In this paper I analyze two American-type options related to life and pension insurance contract. I use Monte Carlo simulations combined with the Longstaff and Schwartz approach for the valuation of American options to find the value of a typical surrender option. I find that the values may be much lower than previously indicated. This reduction of value is due to a different treatment of bonuses, limiting the customers' ability to forecast the return of their policies. The numerical results show that the value may be higher than the corresponding surrender option.

Suggested Citation

  • Nordahl, Helge A., 2008. "Valuation of life insurance surrender and exchange options," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 909-919, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:insuma:v:42:y:2008:i:3:p:909-919
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Martin Eling & Michael Kochanski, 2013. "Research on lapse in life insurance: what has been done and what needs to be done?," Journal of Risk Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 14(4), pages 392-413, August.
    2. Weinert, Jan-Hendrik, 2017. "The fair surrender value of a tontine," ICIR Working Paper Series 26/17, Goethe University Frankfurt, International Center for Insurance Regulation (ICIR).
    3. Guglielmo D'Amico & Montserrat Guillen & Raimondo Manca & Filippo Petroni, 2017. "Multi-state models for evaluating conversion options in life insurance," Papers 1707.01028, arXiv.org.
    4. Boyer, M. Martin & Stentoft, Lars, 2013. "If we can simulate it, we can insure it: An application to longevity risk management," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 35-45.
    5. Feodoria, Mark & Förstemann, Till, 2015. "Lethal lapses: How a positive interest rate shock might stress German life insurers," Discussion Papers 12/2015, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    6. Su, Karen C., 2010. "The conversion option in life insurance," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 437-442, June.
    7. Kochanski, Michael, 2010. "Solvency capital requirement for German unit-linked insurance products," German Risk and Insurance Review (GRIR), University of Cologne, Department of Risk Management and Insurance, vol. 6(2), pages 33-70.

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