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Life insurance convexity

Author

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  • Kubitza, Christian
  • Grochola, Nicolaus
  • Gründl, Helmut

Abstract

Life insurers sell savings contracts with surrender options, which allow policyholders to prematurely receive guaranteed surrender values. These surrender options move toward the money when interest rates rise. Hence, higher interest rates raise surrender rates, as we document empirically by exploiting plausibly exogenous variation in monetary policy. Using a calibrated model, we examine the impact of surrender options on insurers’ liquidity and portfolio rebalancing during an interest rate rise. We show how asset sales result from insurer balance sheet dynamics and explore their interaction with investment strategies and surrender value guarantees.

Suggested Citation

  • Kubitza, Christian & Grochola, Nicolaus & Gründl, Helmut, 2025. "Life insurance convexity," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:178:y:2025:i:c:s0378426625001220
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2025.107502
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    JEL classification:

    • G22 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies
    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • G52 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - Insurance

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