A new methodology for calculating policy reserves for life insurance policies has taken effect. The new methodology grew out of the 2009 National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) revisions to the Model Standard Valuation Law. Dubbed Principle-Based Reserving (PBR), the law was to take effect on the first day of the next calendar year if 42 states enacted the revisions by July 1st. The threshold was passed in 2016 and as of today, 46 states have adopted the revised laws.
Insurance companies are required to set aside reserves to pay future claims, and the reserve requirements are specified by state regulation and laws. The current method of reserving will remain unchanged for in force business, as PBR only affects policies issued on or after January 1, 2017. However, life insurers will have three years to implement the new methodology. Currently, the requirements will be altered for life insurance policies only, but over time they are expected to apply to other products as well.
According to information provided by the NAIC (1), the new approach will lessen the need for changes to regulations and laws as new products are introduced. Under the new methodology, states would “establish principles upon which reserves are to be based rather than specific formulas.” Under the current formula, the risks, liabilities and obligations are not always correctly “reflected,” and “for some products this leads to excessive conservatism in reserve calculations, for others it results in inadequate reserves.” A study by the NAIC disclosed the new method will lower reserves for competitive level premium term insurance. Universal life policies with secondary guarantees will see both “higher and lower reserve requirements,” which was not unexpected, “given the variations in company interpretations of the reserve requirements for this product type that were in effect when this study was done.” Per the study, reserves for most other products, including current assumption universal life and whole life, will remain relatively unchanged.
Reserve requirements are only one of the many factors affecting the pricing of life insurance. Others factors include mortality expenses and investment returns, along with overhead expenses, other than reserving.
While it remains to be seen exactly how pricing will be affected, the NAIC believes the “right sizing” of reserves will benefit consumers since holding higher reserves tends to increase costs, and holding reserves that are too low puts the consumer at risk. The new regulations will also allow for the introduction of new products that could offer multi-benefits and more flexibility for consumers.
For those of us managing in force life insurance, the new methodology will change little, though new and replacement products going forward may be more or less attractive because of pricing changes.
1.) PBR Educational Brief, June 21,2013, The National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and The Center for Insurance Policy and Research
Hello Mike,
There is certainly no shortage of activity out there!
It seems the supervision of in-force policies involves the same issues for us as before, including continued use/abuse of “Special Purpose Vehicles” (who came up with that terminology?) by certain carriers “domiciled” in Iowa & and elsewhere as well as new excuses for withholding in-illustrations.
Lowering reserves for level term insurance seems to reinforce the seemingly unpublished figures verifying term products usually are not in force at death and low-risk products for the carriers on average. The lack of claims is reinforced by historical / insane renewal premiums after the guaranteed period plus increasing use of substandard permanent options for conversion. That being said — are there credible industry percentages as to actual claims paid with term products?
In summary, it appears GUL is the primary candidate for premium increases, term will become even more profitable for carriers, and UL/IUL/WL will go on down the road as before subject to interest rates.
Thanks,
Bill
Bill Miller
Miller & Associates
Wichita, Kansas
316-204-7998
millbilljr@gmail.com
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This issue is somehow alarming. Thank you for posting and I should be telling this to my aunties.