Loss prediction in a linear model under a linear constraint

Loss reserving is an important subject of actuarial mathematics. It aims at the prediction of future losses caused by claims which have incurred in the past but have not yet been closed. The problem of predicting such losses is particularly important in liability insurance. In the present paper we study conjoint prediction of paid and incurred losses in a linear model with a linear constraint which is intended to reduce the gap between the predictors of ultimate paid and incurred losses. We thus present an application to actuarial mathematics of the general result established by Kloberdanz and Schmidt (AStA Adv. Stat. Anal. 92:207–215, 2008).     

Nonparametric Testing for Asymmetric Information

Asymmetric information is an important phenomenon in many markets and in particular in insurance markets. Testing for asymmetric information has become a very important issue in the literature in the last two decades. Almost all testing procedures that are used in empirical studies are parametric, which may yield misleading conclusions in the case of misspecification of either functional or distributional relationships among the variables of interest. Motivated by the literature on testing conditional independence, we propose a new nonparametric test for asymmetric information, which is applicable in a variety of situations. We demonstrate that the test works reasonably well through Monte Carlo simulations and apply it to an automobile insurance dataset and a long-term care insurance (LTCI) dataset. Our empirical results consolidate Chiappori and Salanié’s findings that there is no evidence for the presence of asymmetric information in the French automobile insurance market. While Finkelstein and McGarry found no positive correlation between risk and coverage in the LTCI market in the United States, our test detects asymmetric information using only the information that is available to the insurance company, and our investigation of the source of asymmetric information suggests some sort of asymmetric information that is related to risk preferences as opposed to risk types and thus lends support to Finkelstein and McGarry.     

Statistical concepts of a priori and a posteriori risk classification in insurance

Everyday we face all kinds of risks, and insurance is in the business of providing us a means to transfer or share these risks, usually to eliminate or reduce the resulting financial burden, in exchange for a predetermined price or tariff. Actuaries are considered professional experts in the economic assessment of uncertain events, and equipped with many statistical tools for analytics, they help formulate a fair and reasonable tariff associated with these risks. An important part of the process of establishing fair insurance tariffs is risk classification, which involves the grouping of risks into various classes that share a homogeneous set of characteristics allowing the actuary to reasonably price discriminate. This article is a survey paper on the statistical tools for risk classification used in insurance. Because of recent availability of more complex data in the industry together with the technology to analyze these data, we additionally discuss modern techniques that have recently emerged in the statistics discipline and can be used for risk classification. While several of the illustrations discussed in the paper focus on general, or non-life, insurance, several of the principles we examine can be similarly applied to life insurance. Furthermore, we also distinguish between a priori and a posteriori ratemaking. The former is a process which forms the basis for ratemaking when a policyholder is new and insufficient information may be available. The latter process uses additional historical information about policyholder claims when this becomes available. In effect, the resulting a posteriori premium allows one to correct and adjust the previous a priori premium making the price discrimination even more fair and reasonable.     

基于Copula-EVT模型的巨灾再保险定价

基于巨灾损失具有厚尾分布的特征,采用POT极值模型分别估计两个保险标的的边缘分布,并用二元Copula函数刻画这两个标的的关联性,同时应用Monte Carlo模拟方法估算巨灾再保险的纯保费。通过对洪水损失数据的实证分析表明:Clayton Copula函数能较好地反映两标的间的相关结构;起赔点的设定是影响纯保费的重要因素,且起赔点按条件分位点取值更优更合理。研究结果对保险人开发多元保险标的的巨灾再保险具有重要的参考价值。     

Bayesian modelling of health insurance losses

The purpose of this paper is to build a model for aggregate losses which constitutes a crucial step in evaluating premiums for health insurance systems. It aims at obtaining the predictive distribution of the aggregate loss within each age class of insured persons over the time horizon involved in planning employing the Bayesian methodology. The model proposed using the Bayesian approach is a generalization of the collective risk model, a commonly used model for analysing risk of an insurance system. Aggregate loss prediction is based on past information on size of loss, number of losses and size of population at risk. In modelling the frequency and severity of losses, the number of losses is assumed to follow a negative binomial distribution, individual loss sizes are independent and identically distributed exponential random variables, while the number of insured persons in a finite number of possible age groups is assumed to follow the multinomial distribution. Prediction of aggregate losses is based on the Gibbs sampling algorithm which incorporates the missing data approach.     

Beta kernel quantile estimators of heavy-tailed loss distributions

In this paper we suggest several nonparametric quantile estimators based on Beta kernel. They are applied to transformed data by the generalized Champernowne distribution initially fitted to the data. A Monte Carlo based study has shown that those estimators improve the efficiency of the traditional ones, not only for light tailed distributions, but also for heavy tailed, when the probability level is close to 1. We also compare these estimators with the Extreme Value Theory Quantile applied to Danish data on large fire insurance losses.     

基于GB2分布的贝叶斯相依性准备金评估模型

非寿险精算的核心问题之一是对未决赔款准备金进行准确评估。非寿险未决赔款准备金评估通常使用增量赔款或累积赔款的流量三角形数据。在未决赔款准备金评估中,多条业务线的流量三角形数据之间通常存在一定的相依关系,这种相依关系对保险公司总准备金的评估结果具有重要影响。从本质上看,未决赔款准备金是一个随机变量,其损失分布存在一定的多样性。因此,在未决赔款准备金的评估中选择合适的分布至关重要。GB2分布是一种包含四个参数的连续型分布,具有灵活的密度函数,分布形状更加灵活,许多常见分布都是它的特例,适宜处理不同特点的未决赔款流量三角形数据。为了考虑不同业务线之间的相依关系对未决赔款准备金评估结果的影响,本文基于GB2分布建立了一种相依性准备金评估模型,该模型首先假设不同业务线的增量赔款服从GB2分布,并在分布的期望中引入事故年和进展年作为解释变量,引入日历年随机效应描述各条业务线之间的相依关系;然后借助贝叶斯HMC方法进行参数估计和未决赔款准备金预测,最后给出了总准备金的预测分布和评估结果。本文将该方法应用到两条业务线的流量三角形数据进行实证研究,并与现有其他方法进行了比较。实证研究结果表明,基于GB2分布的相依性准备金评估模型对未决赔款准备金的尾部风险和不确定性的考虑更加充分,更加适用于评估具有厚尾或者长尾特征的准备金数据。     

Adjustments for reporting delays and the prediction of occurred but not reported events

We consider delays that occur in the reporting of events such as cases of a reportable disease or insurance claims. Estimation of the number of events that have occurred but not yet been reported (OBNR events) is then important. Current methods of doing this do not allow random temporal fluctuations in reporting delays, and consequently, confidence or prediction limits on OBNR events tend to be too narrow. We develop an approach that uses recent reporting data and incorporates random effects, thus leading to more reasonable and robust predictions     

On Loss Distributions from Installment-Repaid Loans

The banks have been accumulating huge data bases for many years and are increasingly turning to statistics to provide insight into customer behaviour, among other things. Credit risk is an important issue and certain stochastic models have been developed in recent years to describe and predict loan default. Two of the major models currently used in the industry are considered here, and various ways of extending their application to the case where a loan is repaid in installments are explored. The aspect of interest is the probability distribution of the total loss due to repayment default at some time. Thus, the loss distribution is determined by the distribution of times to default, here regarded as a discrete-time survival distribution. In particular, the probabilities of large losses are to be assessed for insurance purposes.     

Integrated statistical and decision models for multi-stage health care audit sampling

Health care audits are crucial in managing the government insurance programs that are estimated to have losses amounting to billions of dollars every year. Statistical methods such as sampling have long been used to handle their size and complexity. Sampling from health care claims data can benefit from multi-stage approaches, especially when the evaluation of the tradeoffs between precision and cost is important. The use of decision models could facilitate health care auditors and policy makers make the best use of these sampling outputs. This paper proposes an integrated multi-stage sampling and decision-making framework that enables auditors address the tradeoffs between audit costs and expected overpayment recovery. We illustrate the framework and discuss insights utilizing a variety of overpayment scenarios for payment populations including U.S. Medicare Part B claims payment data.     

Kernel density estimation for heavy-tailed distributions using the champernowne transformation

When estimating loss distributions in insurance, large and small losses are usually split because it is difficult to find a simple parametric model that fits all claim sizes. This approach involves determining the threshold level between large and small losses. In this article, a unified approach to the estimation of loss distributions is presented. We propose an estimator obtained by transforming the data set with a modification of the Champernowne cdf and then estimating the density of the transformed data by use of the classical kernel density estimator. We investigate the asymptotic bias and variance of the proposed estimator. In a simulation study, the proposed method shows a good performance. We also present two applications dealing with claims costs in insurance.     

巨灾、巨灾保险与中国模式

灾害是伴随人类社会发展而不断发展的异常现象,巨灾更以其巨大的破坏力及惨烈后果而给人类社会带来严重的威胁。巨灾不可避免,巨灾损失也不可避免,因此,必须正视巨灾发生及其发展规律,对巨灾损失除建立正常的补偿机制,还有必要建立专门的巨灾保险制度。中国的巨灾保险制度应当根据巨灾种类及相关国情要素体现出自己的特点。     

中国保险公司经济资本估算

如何确定经济资本以弥补潜在的损失是保险公司风险管理中核心的问题之一。文章应用风险度量一致性原则及TailVaR函数定量估算了中国保险公司应具备的经济资本数量。     

Robust optimal investment and proportional reinsurance toward joint interests of the insurer and the reinsurer

In this article, we study a robust optimal investment and reinsurance problem for a general insurance company which holds shares of an insurance company and a reinsurance company. Assume that the claim process described by a Brownian motion with drift, the insurer can purchase proportional reinsurance, and both the insurer and the reinsurer can invest in a risk-free asset and a risky asset. Besides, the general insurance company’s manager is an ambiguity-averse manager (AAM) who worries about model uncertainty in model parameters. The AAM’s objective is to maximize the minimal expected exponential utility of the weighted sum surplus process of the insurer and the reinsurer. By using techniques of stochastic control theory, we first derive the closed-form expressions of the optimal strategies and the corresponding value function, and then the verification theorem is given. Finally, we present numerical examples to illustrate the effects of model parameters on the optimal investment and reinsurance strategies, and analyze utility losses from ignoring model uncertainty.     

Accelerating the premiums for annuities,life annuities and life insurance

Abstract

Since it is well-known that it is inevitable to avoid the risks and changes in personal earnings, the types of annuities, life annuities, life insurance and their payment types are important for individuals, customers and financial institutions. In this study the types of annuities, life annuities and life insurance are discussed and some original payment models have been proposed considering both the annuity-due and annuity-immediate situations in increasing and decreasing case of payments. These suggested payment models that have been proposed have brought innovation to the literature in terms of being original.     

我国保险业与其他产业间的相互作用以及对国民收入的影响——我国保险业的投入产出分析

一、问题的提出及处理方法随着我国经济改革及产业结构调整的深化,保险业近年来发展很快。从统计数据可以看出,保险在防范风险、减灾减损、保障生命财产、促进经济生活正常运行等方面发挥着积极的作用。１９８７年我国保险业的保费总收入为７９．１亿元,占当年ＧＤＰ比...     

Sample Size and Power Calculations for Left-Truncated Normal Distribution

Abstract

Sample size calculation is an important component in designing an experiment or a survey. In a wide variety of fields—including management science, insurance, and biological and medical science—truncated normal distributions are encountered in many applications. However, the sample size required for the left-truncated normal distribution has not been investigated, because the distribution of the sample mean from the left-truncated normal distribution is complex and difficult to obtain. This paper compares an ad hoc approach to two newly proposed methods based on the Central Limit Theorem and on a high degree saddlepoint approximation for calculating the required sample size with the prespecified power. As shown by use of simulations and an example of health insurance cost in China, the ad hoc approach underestimates the sample size required to achieve prespecified power. The method based on the high degree saddlepoint approximation provides valid sample size and power calculations, and it performs better than the Central Limit Theorem. When the sample size is not too small, the Central Limit Theorem also provides a valid, but relatively simple tool to approximate that sample size.     

Estimate for the Finite-time Ruin Probability in the Discrete-time Risk Model with Insurance and Financial Risks

In this article, we consider a discrete-time risk model with insurance and financial risks. We derive some refinements of a general asymptotic formula for the finite-time ruin probability under the assumptions that the net losses follow a common distribution in the intersection between the subexponential class and the Gumbel maximum domain of attraction, and the stochastic discount factors of the risky asset have a common distribution with extended regular variation. The obtained asymptotic upper and lower bounds are transparent and computable.     

变量选择方法在医疗保险赔付评估中的应用

在广义线性模型假设下,采用Lin的医疗费用模型,运用LASSO和SCAD方法对影响医疗费用的因素进行选择,并对两种方法的有效性进行了对比分析,从而得出影响医疗保险赔付的重要因素,解决了高维变量带来的一系列问题。实例分析中,由于两种方法注重的统计性质不同,选择出的解释变量略微不同,但通过分析发现,两种结果都具有良好的解释性,反映了影响医疗保险赔付的重要信息。     

农业指数保险定价模型的研究进展及改进策略

农业指数保险是一种新型的农业保险产品,在农业风险管理中具有独特的优势和应用价值,但同时也在风险建模和费率厘定中面临着一系列挑战,近年来受到业界和学界的广泛关注。区域产量保险和天气指数保险是目前应用最为广泛的两种农业指数保险,它们在风险定价中面临的挑战主要包括经验数据不足、不同风险之间相依关系复杂、普遍存在基差风险等。通过对区域产量风险建模、天气指数构造及其分布拟合、农业相依风险建模、基差风险度量和控制等方面对相关研究成果的系统梳理和评述,指出了现有定价模型存在的不足和未来研究需要重点关注的问题,对于进一步完善农业指数保险的风险建模方法,提高农业指数保险定价结果的合理性和准确性具有重要现实意义。