The Fragility of Market Risk Insurance
Variable annuities, which package mutual funds with minimum return guarantees over long horizons, accounted for $1.5 trillion or 35% of U.S. life insurer liabilities in 2015. Sales decreased and fees increased during the global financial crisis, and insurers made guarantees less generous or stopped offering guarantees to reduce risk exposure. These effects persist in the low interest rate environment after the global financial crisis, and variable annuity insurers suffered large equity drawdowns during the COVID-19 crisis. We develop and estimate a model of insurance markets in which financial frictions and market power determine pricing, contract characteristics, and the degree of market completeness.
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Copy CitationRalph Koijen and Motohiro Yogo, "The Fragility of Market Risk Insurance," NBER Working Paper 24182 (2018), https://doi.org/10.3386/w24182.
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Published Versions
Ralph S.J. Koijen & Motohiro Yogo, 2022. "The Fragility of Market Risk Insurance," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 77(2), pages 815-862, April. citation courtesy of
RALPH S.J. KOIJEN & MOTOHIRO YOGO, 2022. "The Fragility of Market Risk Insurance," The Journal of Finance, vol 77(2), pages 815-862.