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Analysis of Systemic Risk in the Insurance Industry

Author

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  • Catherine Bobtcheff

    (Toulouse School of Economics, 21 allée de Brienne, Toulouse Cedex 6 31015, France)

  • Thomas Chaney

    (Toulouse School of Economics, 21 allée de Brienne, Toulouse Cedex 6 31015, France)

  • Christian Gollier

    (Toulouse School of Economics, 21 allée de Brienne, Toulouse Cedex 6 31015, France)

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss the systemic relevance of the insurance sector. Systemic risk is defined as the propensity of a financial institution to be undercapitalised when the financial system as a whole is undercapitalised. By the law of large numbers, traditional lines of insurance with idiosyncratic non-catastrophic risks cannot be systemic. On the contrary, undiversified insurers specialised in activities whose insured risks are highly correlated with GDP are systemic. In the life insurance sector, some contractual clauses such as unhedged minimum guarantees and free options to surrender raise the chance of systemic relevance. On the contrary, life insurers satisfying the classic solvency capital requirements contribute to the liquidity of financial markets thanks to the long-termist approach of their portfolio management. Finally, using historical data in the U.S. on the contribution of different sectors to the aggregate volatility of the economy, we show that investment banking is almost twice as volatile as aggregate GDP, while insurance is one fifth as volatile as aggregate GDP. The insurance sector thus appears to be a stabilising force of the economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Catherine Bobtcheff & Thomas Chaney & Christian Gollier, 2016. "Analysis of Systemic Risk in the Insurance Industry," The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics (The Geneva Association), vol. 41(1), pages 73-106, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:pal:genrir:v:41:y:2016:i:1:p:73-106
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    Cited by:

    1. Eckert, Christian & Gatzert, Nadine & Heidinger, Dinah, 2020. "Empirically assessing and modeling spillover effects from operational risk events in the insurance industry," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 72-83.
    2. Gollier, C., 2015. "Long-term savings: the case of life insurance in France," Financial Stability Review, Banque de France, issue 19, pages 129-136, April.
    3. Fabiana Gómez & Jorge Ponce, 2018. "Systemic Risk and Insurance Regulation †," Risks, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-12, July.
    4. Billette de Villemeur, Etienne & Leroux, Justin, 2019. "Tradable climate liabilities: A thought experiment," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1-1.
    5. Fabiana Gómez & Jorge Ponce, 2018. "Systemic risk and insurance regulation," Documentos de trabajo 2018003, Banco Central del Uruguay.

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