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Does Distribution Growth Affect the Insurers' Asset Allocation in Life Insurance? The Case of Central Europe

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  • Jiří Šindelář
  • Michal Erben

Abstract

This paper deals with the effects of distribution stress and macroeconomic factors on the composition of life insurance investment portfolios on the Central European market. Using a wide array of variables and the VAR model as our main method, we have found that a strong majority of insurers react to external shocks, induced by high levels of contract turnover or positive changes in macro-variables such as GDP and inflation, by strengthening bond components of their portfolio. The exception is connected to interest rates (two-week repo), which presumably have a negative effect on bond investments. Other components such as shares, funds and cash positions have been affected in a diverse way, yet to a minor extent. This implies that insurers tend to react to external stressors by beefing up the conservative part of their investments, potentially leading to an underperformance of managed assets. As such, our results point to conceivable regulatory implications, which would prevent those secondary negative detriments of life distribution growth (i.e., reselling), which are to be expected on the surveyed market.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiří Šindelář & Michal Erben, 2021. "Does Distribution Growth Affect the Insurers' Asset Allocation in Life Insurance? The Case of Central Europe," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2021(1), pages 20-36.
    • Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlpep:v:2021:y:2021:i:1:id:752:p:20-36
    DOI: 10.18267/j.pep.752
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bijapur, Mohan & Croci, Manuela & Zaidi, Rida, 2012. "Do asset regulations impede portfolio diversification? evidence from European life insurance funds," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 56618, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
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    6. Paul J. M. Klumpes, 2004. "Performance Benchmarking in Financial Services: Evidence from the UK Life Insurance Industry," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 77(2), pages 257-274, April.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Life insurance; life investments; distribution growth; insurance reselling; macroeconomic factors;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C32 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes; State Space Models
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G22 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies

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