This paper analyzes the characteristics of U.S. insurers for purposes of determining whether they are systemically risky. More specifically, primary factors (size, interconnectedness, and lack of substitutability) and contributing factors (leverage, liquidity risk and maturity mismatch,...

The objective of this paper is to discuss the use of modern frontier efficiency analysis to analyze firm performance in the insurance industry. The objective is to provide the foundations for insurance economists to use in adapting their research to incorporate the frontier efficiency approach....

This research investigates reinsurance counterparty relationships in U.S. property-liability insurance. Counterparty relationships are measured in terms of reinsurance premiums ceded and reinsurance recoverable on paid and unpaid losses. Multiple regression analysis is used to analyze insurer...

This paper uses high frequency market value data on credit default swap spreads and intra-day stock prices to measure systemic risk in the insurance sector. Using the systemic risk measure, we examine the inter-connectedness between banks and insurers with Granger causality tests. Based on...

This paper examines the potential for the U.S. insurance industry to cause systemic risk events that spill over to other segments of the economy. We examine primary indicators that determine whether institutions are systemically risky as well as contributing factors that exacerbate vulnerability...

This paper investigates economies of scope in the US insurance industry over the period 1993-2006. We test the conglomeration hypothesis, which holds that firms can optimize by operating a diversity of businesses, versus the strategic focus hypothesis, which holds that firms can best add value...

This paper examines whether global insurance mergers and acquisitions (M&As) create value for shareholders by conducting an event study of M&A transactions for the period 1990-2006. Insurance acquirers realized small positive cumulative average abnormal returns (CAARs), whereas targets realized...

This study investigates scope economies, organizational form, and insolvency risk for a sample of takaful firms in 19 countries. Firm efficiency is estimated using data envelopment analysis, performance is also gauged using return on equity and return on assets, and insolvency risk is measured...

This chapter analyzes the characteristics of U.S. insurers for purposes of determining whether they are systemically risky. More specifically, primary indicators and contributing factors associated with systemic risk are assessed for the insurance sector. A distinction is made between the core...

In this paper, we study two types of accounting conservatism in the property-liability (P&L) insurance industry – ex-ante and ex-post conservatism. Ex-ante conservatism means that firms over-report liabilities initially, before more detailed information becomes available. In contrast, ex-post...