Accounting and Actuarial Smoothing of Retirement Payouts in Participating Life Annuities

45 Pages Posted: 19 May 2014 Last revised: 28 Jun 2023

See all articles by Raimond Maurer

Raimond Maurer

Goethe University Frankfurt - Finance Department

Olivia S. Mitchell

University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School; University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School, Pension Research Council; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Ralph Rogalla

Goethe University Frankfurt - Department of Finance; St. John's University - Tobin College of Business - School of Risk Management, Insurance, and Actuarial Science

Ivonne Siegelin

Goethe University Frankfurt

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: May 2014

Abstract

Life insurers use accounting and actuarial techniques to smooth reporting of firm assets and liabilities, seeking to transfer surpluses in good years to cover benefit payouts in bad years. Nevertheless, these techniques been criticized as they make it difficult to assess insurers' true financial status. We develop stylized and realistically-calibrated models of participating lifetime annuities, an insurance product that pays retirees guaranteed lifelong benefits along with variable non-guaranteed surplus. Our goal is to illustrate how accounting and actuarial techniques for this type of financial contract shape policyholder wellbeing, along with insurer profitability and stability. Smoothing adds value to both the annuitant and the insurer, so curtailing smoothing could undermine the market for long-term retirement payout products.

Suggested Citation

Maurer, Raimond and Mitchell, Olivia S. and Rogalla, Ralph and Rogalla, Ralph and Siegelin, Ivonne, Accounting and Actuarial Smoothing of Retirement Payouts in Participating Life Annuities (May 2014). NBER Working Paper No. w20124, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2438545

Raimond Maurer (Contact Author)

Goethe University Frankfurt - Finance Department ( email )

Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 3
House of Finance
Frankfurt, 60323
Germany

Olivia S. Mitchell

University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School ( email )

Philadelphia, PA 19104-6365
United States

University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School, Pension Research Council ( email )

3302 Steinberg Hall-Dietrich Hall
3620 Locust Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6302
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Ralph Rogalla

Goethe University Frankfurt - Department of Finance ( email )

House of Finance
Grueneburgplatz 1
Frankfurt am Main, Hessen 60323
Germany

St. John's University - Tobin College of Business - School of Risk Management, Insurance, and Actuarial Science ( email )

101 Astor Place
New York, NY 10003
United States

Ivonne Siegelin

Goethe University Frankfurt ( email )

Grüneburgplatz 1
Frankfurt am Main, 60323
Germany

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