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  5. Insurance Shocks
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Insurance Shocks

Paper Session

Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM (EST)

Loews Philadelphia Hotel, Commonwealth Hall A2
Hosted By: American Finance Association
  • James Choi, Yale University

Homeowners Insurance and the Transmission of Monetary Policy

Jakob Ahm Sorensen
,
Bocconi University
Christian Kubitza
,
European Central Bank
Dominik Damast
,
Luiss Guido Carli University

Abstract

We document a novel transmission channel of monetary policy through the homeowners insurance market. On average, contractionary monetary policy shocks result in higher homeowners insurance prices. Using granular data on insurers' balance sheets, we show that this effect is driven by the interaction of financial frictions and the interest rate sensitivity of investment portfolios. Specifically, rate hikes reduce the market value of insurers' assets, tightening insurers' balance sheet constraints and increasing their shadow cost of capital. These frictions in insurance supply amplify the effects of monetary policy on real estate and mortgage markets by making housing less affordable. We find that monetary policy shocks have a stronger impact on home prices and mortgage applications when local insurers are more sensitive to interest rates. This channel is particularly pronounced in areas where households face high climate risk exposure. Our findings highlight the role of insurance markets in amplifying macroeconomic shocks and the interconnections between homeowners insurance, residential real estate, and mortgage lending.

From Long to Short: How Interest Rates Shape Life Insurance Markets

Derek Wenning
,
Indiana University
Ziang Li
,
Imperial College London

Abstract

This paper investigates how interest rate fluctuations shape life insurance markets, focusing on the liability adjustments insurers employ to manage interest rate risk. After the 2008 Financial Crisis, insurers exposed to high interest rate risk -- such as those offered variable annuities with minimum return guarantees pre-2008 -- shifted their product portfolios toward short-duration policies to hedge against rising duration gaps. Using a combination of theoretical and empirical analysis, we show that this liability rebalancing led to sizable contractions in both the supply of long-duration life insurance products and the aggregate life insurance market. Our findings reveal that interest rate risk can significantly influence financial intermediaries' liability choices, which in turn shape the composition and availability of financial products.

Strategic Claim Payment Delays? Evidence from Property and Casualty Insurance

Chotibhak Jotikasthira
,
Southern Methodist University
Anastasia Kartasheva
,
University of St. Gallen
Christian Lundblad
,
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Tarun Ramadorai
,
London School of Economics and Imperial College London

Abstract

It is well-known that insurers raise premiums after adverse events. We show that they also slow the pace of claim payments, potentially imposing high state-contingent costs on loss-making clients. In addition, payment adjustments also occur after adverse shocks in unrelated business lines. These shifts increase unpaid losses - a substantial liability on insurers' balance sheets - augmenting liquidity analogously to interest-free credit. Slowdowns are more prevalent among insurers with lower capital or liquidity, who serve clients less likely to file regulatory complaints. This evidence aligns with insurers' strategic financial considerations, though whether they constitute formal delays in the legal sense remains an open question.

Discussant(s)
Benjamin Keys
,
University of Pennsylvania
Ishita Sen
,
Harvard University
Alexandru Barbu
,
INSEAD
JEL Classifications
  • G2 - Financial Institutions and Services