Life Insurance Accounting at Current Values: A Danish View

H. Ramlau-Hansen

British Actuarial Journal, 1997, vol. 3, issue 3, 655-673

Abstract: Traditional life insurance accounting standards rely on various types of book and cost values, the result being that the income and balance sheet statements do not necessarily give a true and transparent picture of the result of the life business. As examples, assets are typically stated at a mix of cost, current and amortised cost values, whereas life insurance provisions are calculated according to the approved technical basis. In this paper, it is suggested that this deficiency can be corrected by preparing life insurance accounts at current value. The proposed method implies that the life insurance provisions shall amount to the present value of the company's net liabilities to the policyholders including a provision for future bonus distribution. Moreover, any unrealized investment reserves are thrown into light, and it is shown how a bonus equalization provision at current value may serve as a key indicator of the financial strength of the company. The method has been designed primarily for the Danish market, but aspects of the method should be of relevance more widely. Finally, the results are illustrated by a number of numerical examples.

Date: 1997
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