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Business and Economics > Insurance

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Cover IMF Working Papers
Implementing Risk-Based Solvency for Insurers—Lessons from Kenya, Mexico, and South Africa
Peter Windsor
,
Suzette J Vogelsang
,
Christiaan Henning
,
Kerwin Martin
,
Elias Omondi
,
Gerardo Rubio
, and
Jooste Steynberg
International standards and best practice supports the implementation of a risk-based solvency regime in the regulation and supervision of insurers. Several emerging market and developing economies are transitioning to such a solvency regime or planning to do so. This paper discusses Kenya, Mexico, and South Africa’s journey to putting in place a risk-based solvency regime which had several common elements notwithstanding significantly different insurance sectors. The transition was a multi-year project requiring dedicated additional resources; restructuring of the regulator, including redesigning supervisory processes and tools and upgrading information technology systems; and significantly greater coordination between the regulator and the insurance industry.
Keywords:
Insurance; Risk-based Solvency; Risk-based supervision; solvency regime; Penetration rate; RBS project; solvency assessment; RBS implementation; supervision of insurer; Insurance companies; Solvency; Financial statements; Africa; Global
Cover Staff Climate Notes
Climate Change and Select Financial Instruments: An Overview of Opportunities and Challenges for Sub-Saharan Africa
Anna Belianska
,
Nadja Bohme
,
Kailhao Cai
,
Yoro Diallo
,
Saanya Jain
,
Mr. Giovanni Melina
,
Ms. Pritha Mitra
,
Mr. Marcos Poplawski Ribeiro
, and
Solo Zerbo
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is the region in the world most vulnerable to climate change despite its cumulatively emitting the least amount of greenhouse gases. Substantial financing is urgently needed across the economy—for governments, businesses, and households—to support climate change adaptation and mitigation, which are critical for advancing resilient and green economic development as well as meeting commitments under the Paris Agreement. Given the immensity of SSA’s other development needs, this financing must be in addition to existing commitments on development finance. There are many potential ways to raise financing to meet adaptation and mitigation needs, spanning from domestic revenue mobilization to various forms of international private financing. Against this backdrop, S SA policymakers and stakeholders are exploring sources of financing for climate action that countries may not have used substantially in the past. This Staff Climate Note presents some basic information on opportunities and challenges associated with these financing instruments.
Keywords:
Climate finance; sub-Saharan Africa; climate change; mitigation; adaptation; concessional finance; green bonds; blue bonds; sustainability bonds; debt for climate swaps; carbon credits; climate insurance; climate funds; forest conservation; green development; IMF staff Climate note; IMF staff Climate Note 2022/009; solo Zerbo; SSA policymaker; SSA government; crowding out SSA project; Climate policy; Greenhouse gas emissions; Insurance; Global; Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
South Africa: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note on Insurance Sector - Regulation and Supervision
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
The South African insurance sector is large, complex, internationally active, and competitive. Supported by high penetration and density of insurance products, the insurance sector has grown to account for 18 percent of the financial sector in South Africa. The industry hosts an unusually diverse range of business models, including traditional participation focused models, bank-led conglomerates, asset management focused groups, and technology driven new entrants. Even among large insurers, risk profiles vary significantly, which is unique relative to other major insurance markets. Most large insurance groups are actively expanding their business both regionally and globally.
Keywords:
IMF-World Bank Financial Sector Assessment Program; solvency assessment; FSAP's finding; B. solvency requirement; life insurer; Insurance companies; Insurance; Stress testing; Financial Sector Assessment Program; Solvency; Africa
Cover Policy Papers
2021 Comprehensive Surveillance Review— Background Paper on The Surveillance Priority Confronting Risks and Uncertainties
International Monetary Fund. Strategy, Policy, & Review Department
The coverage of risks has become more systematic since the Global Financial Crisis (GFC): staff reports now regularly identify major risks and provide an assessment of their likelihood and economic impact, summarized in Risk Assessment Matrices (RAM). But still limited attention is paid to the range of possible outcomes. Also, risk identification is useful only so much as to inform policy design to preemptively respond to relevant risks and/or better prepare for them. In this regard, policy recommendations in surveillance could be richer in considering various risk management approaches. To this end, progress is needed on two dimensions: • Increasing emphasis on the range of potential outcomes to improve policy design. • Encouraging more proactive policy advice on how to manage risks. Efforts should continue to leverage internal and external resources to support risk analysis and advice in surveillance.
Keywords:
baseline policy advice; fund surveillance; risk analysis; risk identification; policy recommendation; Insurance; Contingency planning; Natural disasters; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Accounting Standards and Insurer Solvency Assessment
Peter Windsor
,
Jeffery Yong
, and
Michelle Chong-Tai Bell
The paper explores the use of accounting standards for insurer solvency assessment in the context of the implementation of IFRS 17. The paper is based on the results of a survey of 20 insurance supervisors. Overall, IFRS 17 is a welcome development but there will be challenges of implementation. Not many insurance supervisors currently intend to use IFRS 17 as a basis for solvency assessment of insurers. Perceived shortcomings can be overcome by supervisors providing clear specifications where the principles-based standard allows a range of approaches. Accounting standards can provide a ready-made valuation framework for supervisors developing new solvency frameworks.
Keywords:
WP; insurance contract; insurance supervisor; impact study; insurance liability; measurement approach; solvency position; Insurers; Supervisors; IFRS; IFRS 17; Solvency; Capital; Supervision; accounting practice; International Financial Reporting Standards; Insurance companies; Accounting standards; Insurance; Global; Africa
Cover Policy Papers
Building Resilience in Developing Countries Vulnerable to Large Natural Disasters
International Monetary Fund. Strategy, Policy, &amp
,
Review Department
,
International Monetary Fund. Western Hemisphere Dept.
, and
International Monetary Fund. Asia and Pacific Dept
This paper discusses how countries vulnerable to natural disasters can reduce the associated human and economic cost. Building on earlier work by IMF staff, the paper views disaster risk management through the lens of a three-pillar strategy for building structural, financial, and post-disaster (including social) resilience. A coherent disaster resilience strategy, based on a diagnostic of risks and cost-effective responses, can provide a road map for how to tackle disaster related vulnerabilities. It can also help mobilize much-needed support from the international community.
Keywords:
PP; country; country effort; lending toolkit; executive board assessment; disaster-vulnerable country; donor country; climate funds; Natural disasters; Insurance; Disaster aid; Climate change; Fiscal space; Caribbean; Pacific Islands
Cover IMF Working Papers
The Impact of Community Based Health Insurance Schemes on Out-of-Pocket Healthcare Spending: Evidence from Rwanda
Andinet Woldemichael
,
Daniel Gurara
, and
Abebe Shimeles
Achieving universal health coverage, including financial risk protection and access to quality essential health-care services, is one of the main Sustainable Development Goals. In low-income countries, innovative and affordable health financing systems are key to realize these goals. This paper assesses the impacts of Community-Based Health Insurance Scheme in Rwanda on health-related financial risks using a nationally representative household survey data collected over a ten-year period. We find that the scheme significantly reduce annual per capita out-of-pocket spending by about 3,600 Rwandan Franc (about US$12) or about 83 percent of average per capita healthcare expenditure compared to the baseline level in 2000.The impacts however favor the rich as compared to the poor. The program also reduces the incidence of catastrophic healthcare spending significantly.
Keywords:
WP; normal distribution; sensitivity analysis; Healthcare spending; health insurance; low-income; Rwanda; CBHI scheme; CBHI enrollment; CBHI member household; CBHI effect; CBHI membership rate; Insurance; Income; Consumption; Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Uganda: Technical Assistance Report-Moving Towards Risk-Based Supervision of Insurance in Uganda: Training on Supervision of Reinsurance and Assisting on an Industry Seminar on Risk-Based Supervision
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
This Technical Assistance Report discusses the recommendations made by the IMF mission to assist Uganda in moving toward risk-based supervision of insurance sector. It highlights that under the revised insurance legislation, the Insurance Regulatory Authority of Uganda (IRA) will be requiring nonlife insurers to provide certification for adequacy of technical provisions by an actuary as is currently required for life insurers. When the requirement comes into effect, it will be necessary for it to be supported by guidance from IRA in terms of its expectations for the actuarial reports to be filed. This will ensure consistency in reporting to the IRA and that the reports will provide the information needed by the IRA for supervisory purposes.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; reinsurance; IRA supervision manager; premium; net premium; Uganda insurance market; life insurance insurance premium; reinsurance training; staff of IRA; IRA team; industry IRA Board; Risk-based supervision; Insurance; Insurance companies; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Variance Decomposition Networks: Potential Pitfalls and a Simple Solution
Mr. Jorge A Chan-Lau
Diebold and Yilmaz (2015) recently introduced variance decomposition networks as tools for quantifying and ranking the systemic risk of individual firms. The nature of these networks and their implied rankings depend on the choice decomposition method. The standard choice is the order invariant generalized forecast error variance decomposition of Pesaran and Shin (1998). The shares of the forecast error variation, however, do not add to unity, making difficult to compare risk ratings and risks contributions at two different points in time. As a solution, this paper suggests using the Lanne-Nyberg (2016) decomposition, which shares the order invariance property. To illustrate the differences between both decomposition methods, I analyzed the global financial system during 2001 – 2016. The analysis shows that different decomposition methods yield substantially different systemic risk and vulnerability rankings. This suggests caution is warranted when using rankings and risk contributions for guiding financial regulation and economic policy.
Keywords:
WP; insurance company; life insurance; SHINKONG insurance co Ltd; networks; interconnectedness; systemic risk; regularization techniques; global financial system; variance decomposition; VAR; state bank; partial correlation; BEJNG Co.; SCOR SE; Wells fargo; casualty company Ltd; Erie indemnity Co; Insurance companies; Insurance; Vector autoregression; Commercial banks; Africa; Global; Asia and Pacific
Cover Global Financial Stability Report, April 2016
Global Financial Stability Report, April 2016
Potent Policies for a Successful Normalization
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department

Abstract

The current Global Financial Stability Report (April 2016) finds that global financial stability risks have risen since the last report in October 2015. The new report finds that the outlook has deteriorated in advanced economies because of heightened uncertainty and setbacks to growth and confidence, while declines in oil and commodity prices and slower growth have kept risks elevated in emerging markets. These developments have tightened financial conditions, reduced risk appetite, raised credit risks, and stymied balance sheet repair. A broad-based policy response is needed to secure financial stability. Advanced economies must deal with crisis legacy issues, emerging markets need to bolster their resilience to global headwinds, and the resilience of market liquidity should be enhanced. The report also examines financial spillovers from emerging market economies and finds that they have risen substantially. This implies that when assessing macro-financial conditions, policymakers may need to increasingly take into account economic developments in emerging market economies. Finally, the report assesses changes in the systemic importance of insurers, finding that across advanced economies the contribution of life insurers to systemic risk has increased in recent years. The results suggest that supervisors and regulators should take a more macroprudential approach to the sector.

Keywords:
GFSR; commodity; emerging market economy; monetary policy; reform; financial condition; market liquidity risk; revenue diversification; reform agenda; risk appetite; services market; emerging market economies; heightened market volatility; fiscal policy setting; Emerging and frontier financial markets; Insurance companies; Spillovers; Insurance; Systemic risk; Global; North America; Europe; Middle East; Africa; equity price; equity market spillover; cross-asset correlation; return on equity; index weight; emerging market economy assets; asset portfolio