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Insurer Reserve Error and Executive Compensation

Author

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  • David L. Eckles
  • Martin Halek

Abstract

This article investigates incentives of insurance firm managers to manipulate loss reserves in order to maximize their compensation. We find that managers who receive bonuses that are likely capped or no bonuses tend to over‐reserve for current‐year incurred losses. However, managers who receive bonuses that are likely not capped tend to under‐reserve for current‐year incurred losses. We also find that managers who exercise stock options tend to under‐reserve in the current period.

Suggested Citation

  • David L. Eckles & Martin Halek, 2010. "Insurer Reserve Error and Executive Compensation," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 77(2), pages 329-346, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jrinsu:v:77:y:2010:i:2:p:329-346
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1539-6975.2009.01328.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Li‐Ming Han & Richard MacMinn, 2006. "Stock Options and the Corporate Demand for Insurance," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 73(2), pages 231-260, June.
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    5. Beaver, William H. & McNichols, Maureen F. & Nelson, Karen K., 2003. "Management of the loss reserve accrual and the distribution of earnings in the property-casualty insurance industry," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 347-376, August.
    6. Petroni, K & Beasley, M, 1996. "Errors in accounting estimates and their relation to audit firm type," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(1), pages 151-171.
    7. Gaver, Jennifer J. & Paterson, Jeffrey S., 2004. "Do insurers manipulate loss reserves to mask solvency problems?," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 393-416, September.
    8. Holthausen, Robert W. & Larcker, David F. & Sloan, Richard G., 1995. "Annual bonus schemes and the manipulation of earnings," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 29-74, February.
    9. Ke, Bin & Petroni, Kathy & Safieddine, Assem, 1999. "Ownership concentration and sensitivity of executive pay to accounting performance measures: Evidence from publicly and privately-held insurance companies," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 185-209, December.
    10. Jouahn Nam & Jun Wang & Ge Zhang, 2008. "Managerial Career Concerns and Risk Management," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 75(3), pages 785-809, September.
    11. Healy, Paul M., 1985. "The effect of bonus schemes on accounting decisions," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 7(1-3), pages 85-107, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Han, Sangyong & Lai, Gene C. & Ho, Chia-Ling, 2018. "Corporate transparency and reserve management: Evidence from US property-liability insurance companies," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 379-392.
    2. Dorothea Diers & Martin Eling & Christian Kraus & Andreas Reuß, 2012. "Market-consistent embedded value in non-life insurance: how to measure it and why," Journal of Risk Finance, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 13(4), pages 320-346, August.
    3. repec:zbw:bofrdp:2015_015 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Gaganis, Chrysovalantis & Hasan, Iftekhar & Pasiouras, Fotios, 2016. "Regulations, institutions and income smoothing by managing technical reserves: International evidence from the insurance industry," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 59(PA), pages 113-129.
    5. Fiordelisi, Franco & Meles, Antonio & Monferrà, Stefano & Starita, Maria Grazia, 2013. "Personal vs. Corporate Goals: Why do Insurance Companies Manage Loss Reserves?," MPRA Paper 47867, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. repec:bof:bofrdp:urn:nbn:fi:bof-201508181354 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. repec:zbw:bofrdp:urn:nbn:fi:bof-201508181354 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Jill Bisco & Kathleen McCullough & Hugo Moises Montesinos Yufa & Eleanor Tice Sirmans, 2023. "The impact of monitor choice on insurer loss reserves," Risk Management and Insurance Review, American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 26(1), pages 83-105, March.
    9. Sebastiano Mazzù & Stefano Monferrà & Maria Grazia Starita, 2015. "Does Corporate Governance Affect Earnings Management? Evidence from the US P&C Insurance Industry," Journal of Financial Management, Markets and Institutions, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 2, pages 203-224, December.
    10. Yi-hsun Lai & Wen-chang Lin & Liang-wei Kuo, 2018. "Forestalling capital regulation or masking financial weakness? Evidence from loss reserve management in the property–liability insurance industry," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 50(2), pages 481-518, February.
    11. Fang Sun & Xiangjing Wei, 2019. "Property-Liability Insurers’ Discretionary and Nondiscretionary Loss Reserve Error: Relation with Investor Sentiment," Review of Pacific Basin Financial Markets and Policies (RPBFMP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 22(03), pages 1-20, September.
    12. Kexing Ding & Baruch Lev & Xuan Peng & Ting Sun & Miklos A. Vasarhelyi, 2020. "Machine learning improves accounting estimates: evidence from insurance payments," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 1098-1134, September.
    13. Jiyeon Yun & James M. Carson & David L. Eckles, 2023. "Executive compensation and corporate risk management," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 90(2), pages 521-557, June.
    14. Yu-Luen Ma & Nat Pope, 2020. "The impact of Sarbanes–Oxley on property-casualty insurer loss reserve estimates," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 45(2), pages 313-334, April.

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