Browse Research

Viewing 1401 to 1425 of 7690 results
2010
In this paper, we argue that a distinction exists between risk measures and decision principles. Though both are functionals assigning a real number to a random variable, we think there is a hierarchy between the two concepts. Risk measures operate on the first “level”, quantifying the risk in the situation under consideration, while decision principles operate on the second “level”, often being derived from the risk measure.
2010
Grouping does not produce a wide range of betas. Consequently, cross-sectional tests of the CAPM are bound to lack power. This paper provides a simple way to alleviate the problem by repackaging the data with zero-weight portfolios.
2010
In Gzyl and Mayoral (2008) we developed a technique to solve the following type of problems: How to determine a risk aversion function equivalent to pricing a risk with a load, or equivalent to pricing different risks by means of the same risk distortion function. The information on which the procedure is based consists of the market prices of the risk.
2010
Abstract This article examines the calibration of a real parametric catastrophe bond (CAT bond) for earthquakes sponsored by the Mexican government, which is of a high interest as it delivers several policy-relevant findings. The results demonstrate that a combination of reinsurance and CAT bond is optimal in the sense that it provides coverage for a lower cost and lower exposure at default than reinsurance itself.
2010
Enterprise risk management (ERM) has been the topic of increased media attention in recent years. Many organizations have implemented ERM programs, consulting firms have established specialized ERM units, and universities have developed ERM-related courses and research centers. Despite the heightened interest in ERM by academics and practitioners, there is an absence of empirical evidence regarding the impact of such programs on firm value.
2010
It has become standard practice in the cross-sectional asset pricing literature to evaluate models based on how well they explain average returns on size-B/M portfolios, something many models seem to do remarkably well. In this paper, we review and critique the empirical methods used in the literature.
2010
Microstructure noise in security prices biases the results of empirical asset pricing specifications, particularly when security-level explanatory variables are cross-sectionally correlated with the amount of noise.
2010
We analyze theoretically and empirically the implications of information asymmetry for equilibrium asset pricing and portfolio choice. In our partially revealing dynamic rational expectations equilibrium, portfolio separation fails, and indexing is not optimal. We show how uninformed investors should structure their portfolios, using the information contained in prices to cope with winner’s curse problems.
2010
We examine discounted penalties at ruin for surplus dynamics driven by a general spectrally negative Lévy process; the natural class of stochastic processes which contains many examples of risk processes which have already been considered in the existing literature. Following from the important contributions of [Zhou, X., 2005. On a classical risk model with a constant dividend barrier. North Am. Act. J.
2010
Although the insurance industry is less affected than the banking industry, the credit crisis has revealed room for improvement in its risk management and supervision. Based on this observation, we formulate ten consequences for risk management and insurance regulation. Many of these reflect current discussions in academia and practice, but we also add a number of new ideas that have not yet been the focus of discussion.
2010
We consider probabilistic approaches and stress tests as methods for regulators to set the minimum solvency margin for insurers. Each method has advantages and disadvantages. We assess the implications of the global financial crisis for each method, concentrating on life insurers. We have concerns that the probabilities used in probabilistic approaches are not robust.
2010
The financial crisis has led to controversial discussions about the capital base of the European insurance industry. Dividend cuts have been suggested to preserve capital. However, some observers seem to fear that investors could interpret a reduction of dividends as a sign of future problems.
2010
The article analyses implications for risk management in insurance arising from the current financial crisis. After a brief comparison of the insurance to the banking world, we discuss the root causes of the current financial crisis with a particular focus on risk management and incentives. Against the backdrop of this discussion, lessons are derived from an insurance risk management point of view.
2010
We examine the ingredients of Solvency II, namely its free capital, provision and solvency capital requirement. They are of course linked by the accounting equality but we claim that they should be more deeply related to each other since solvency naturally should require positivity of available capital. Taken in general, this condition indeed almost dictates a formula to derive provision from free capital.
2010
We extend the classical analysis on optimal insurance design to the case when the insurer implements regulatory requirements (Value-at-Risk). Presumably, regulators impose some risk management requirement such as VaR to reduce the insurers’ insolvency risk, as well as to improve the insurance market stability.
2010
This paper examines the effectiveness of using a hedging strategy involving a basis derivative instrument to reduce the negative financial consequences of weather-related risks. We examine the effectiveness of using this basis derivative strategy for both summer and winter seasons, using both linear and nonlinear hedging instruments and the impacts of default risk and perception errors on weather hedging efficiency.
2010
A current research stream in the portfolio allocation literature develops models that take into account the asymmetric nature of asset return distributions. Our paper contributes to this research stream by extending the Krokhmal, Palmquist, and Uryasev approach.
2010
This article analyses weather risk hedging efficiency in three European countries using weather derivatives traded at Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and explores the potential of weather derivatives as a new investment asset to further diversify investors’ portfolios. The results document that the CME European weather contracts are generally effective in hedging the temperature risk in the three European countries.
2010
This article examines the calibration of a real parametric catastrophe bond (CAT bond) for earthquakes sponsored by the Mexican government, which is of a high interest as it delivers several policy-relevant findings. The results demonstrate that a combination of reinsurance and CAT bond is optimal in the sense that it provides coverage for a lower cost and lower exposure at default than reinsurance itself.
2010
Surety bonds are instruments used in public and private procurement to avoid the problem of contractor bankruptcy. A surety company issuing such a bond guarantees to either finish the project itself or pay the bond to the procurement agency in case of contractor's bankruptcy. This situation is analysed under the assumption that the bond is either priced fairly, or a risk loading that is proportional to the money at risk is imposed.
2010
The German Environmental Liability Law (ELL) of 1991 has introduced far-reaching civil liability for environmental damages with the aim of increasing firms' efforts to prevent accidents. Previous studies find poor evidence that this goal has actually been achieved. One and a half decades after the introduction of that law, we undertake a new attempt to investigate the impact of the ELL on accident prevention.
2010
Climate change is a major issue of unprecedented proportions that will have far-reaching impacts on society and the economy, as the phenomenon will trigger an increase in flooding, drought and other natural disasters. For the insurance industry, climate change poses a great risk to management because an increase in natural disasters will lead to an increase in insurance payments.
2010
Insurance is all about risk management and risk mitigation. A significant component of this risk equation is an ability to manage the variability of weather events. Climate modelling has shown that it only takes small changes in the mean climate to generate large changes in extreme weather.
2010
We study multiline insurance companies with limited liability. Insurance premiums are determined by no-arbitrage principles. The results are developed under the realistic assumption that the losses created by insurer default are allocated among policyholders following an ex post, pro rata, sharing rule. In general, the ratio of default costs to expected claims, and thus the ratio of premiums to expected claims, vary across insurance lines.
2010
Value-at-Risk (VaR) has become a standard measure for risk management and regulation. In the case of a two-parameter distribution, a common method among practitioners is first to calculate the daily VaR and then to apply it to a longer investment horizon by using the Square Root Rule (SRR). We show that the SRR is theoretically incorrect and propose a correct measure.