My thesis investigated the life insurance industry prior to the financial crisis, as well as the vulnerabilities of the industry post-crisis. My studies have collectively affirmed that significant risks still remain and may pose detrimental effects to life insurers, perhaps forcing them to face insolvency if these risks occur together. Vulnerabilities, such as longevity risk, the interest rate environment, guarantees, and regulatory shortfalls, during the post-criss period have been largely overlooked. With lifespans increasing and interest rates remaining at unprecedented low levels, the life insurance market is exceptionally vulnerable and must be carefully evaluated with respect to its susceptibilities and investment approaches. As life insurance companies assume more risk, their derisking strategies, such as the use of reinsurance captives, are also associated with risks that are not well understood. Further research is necessary to analyze the performances of life insurers that are greatly intertwined with the banking industry and have heavily invested in securitization products.
This study continues the existing line of research into the generation of asset price bubbles in experimental markets. It breaks new ground by examining the impact of news that traders receive during the experimental sessions. It examines whether positive news would increase the magnitude of bubble formation in an experimental market. The outcome of the experiment showed that there were significant differences between the mean trading prices resulting from positive and neutral news. In addition, the survey questions noted several differences in responses that hint at the motivations behind the behavior that caused the formation of the bubbles. These findings suggest that traders in experimental markets are more influenced by news than by rational calculations of fundamental value.