Valuation and hedging of the ruin-contingent life annuity (RCLA)

This paper analyzes a novel type of mortality contingent-claim called a ruin-contingent life annuity (RCLA). This product fuses together a path-dependent equity put option with a "personal longevity" call option. The annuitant's (i.e. long position) payoff from a generic RCLA is \$1 of income per year for life, akin to a defined benefit pension, but deferred until a pre-specified financial diffusion process hits zero. We derive the PDE and relevant boundary conditions satisfied by the RCLA value (i.e. the hedging cost) assuming a complete market where No Arbitrage is possible. We then describe some efficient numerical techniques and provide estimates of a typical RCLA under a variety of realistic parameters. The motivation for studying the RCLA on a stand-alone basis is two-fold. First, it is implicitly embedded in approximately \$1 trillion worth of U.S. variable annuity (VA) policies; which have recently attracted scrutiny from financial analysts and regulators. Second, the U.S. administration - both Treasury and Department of Labor - have been encouraging Defined Contribution (401k) plans to offer stand-alone longevity insurance to participants, and we believe the RCLA would be an ideal and cost effective candidate for that job

Annuities and their Derivatives: The Recent Canadian Experience

This chapter surveys recent developments within the Canadian “income annuity” marketplace. We start by computing the Money’s Worth Ratio (MWR) using a unique dataset which includes a decade of Canadian annuity payouts. We then move-on to discuss the Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit (GLWB) product which has recently become available in Canada. This important innovation is extremely popular and shares many characteristics with a conventional income annuity. Finally, we conclude with thoughts on the optimal product allocation within the context of the Canadian retirement portfolio

Credit Implications of the Payout Annuity Market

Our paper will examine the growth prospects and accompanying risks for the insurance industry in the payout annuity marketplace. By answering market demands in the payout annuity market and providing equity market participation with downside protection over the life of an annuitant, an insurance company exposes itself to a number of risks. We examine potential risk management solutions, including reinsurance, insurance securitization and self-insurance by the pool participants