Shadow banking and life insurance policyholder protection

Abstract

This paper develops a life insurance liability valuation model that integrates the balance-sheet insurer loans with the shadow banking entrusted loans in a premature default risk environment. It is shown that the life insurance policyholder significantly benefits from the entrusted loan activities in a less likely premature default risk environment. The policyholder protection is increased in accord with a high guaranteed interest rate, particularly when the life insurance company has ample access to entrusted loans. The policyholder protection is also significantly increased by a high participation level when the life insurance company ‘shrinks away’ from accessing entrusted loans. Overall, the authors concluded that shadow banking entrusted loans help policyholder protection.