Solvency requirements for pension annuities

Abstract

This paper deals with solvency requirements for life annuities portfolios and funded pension plans. Particular emphasis is devoted to longevity risk, i.e. the risk arising from uncertainty in future mortality trends. This risk must be faced by insurance companies and pension plans that have guaranteed lifelong payoffs.Solvency is investigated referring to immediate annuities, and hence the so-called decumulation phase is addressed. To assess solvency, assets are compared with the random present value of liabilities. Several requirements are considered, each leading to a required asset level that must be financed both with premiums (or contributions) and capital allocation.