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On the carrying out of Reversionary Transactions by Life Assurance Companies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

James R. Macfadyen*
Affiliation:
The Legal and General Life Assurance Society

Extract

Some years ago I had the honour of reading before this Institute a paper which, though mainly devoted to a study of surrender values, treated such surrender values as purchases by life offices of reversions. On that occasion I stated that sound British companies could well afford to repurchase their own acceptances at 6 or even at 5 per-cent. Subsequent experience has done much to confirm me in the opinion then expressed, but I did not then, nor do I now assert that offices should on such terms purchase other reversions than their own policies; and I trust it will not be thought wasting your time, if I preface this paper by enumerating a few considerations which seem to indicate that the present market price of reversions gives, comparatively, a return none too high to an investor. Such market rate I take to be 5 per-cent in the case of an investor who does not stand, or, what is the same thing, arrives at his price as if he did not intend to stand, any risk of loss, whether through longevity of life tenant or death of reversioner.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Institute and Faculty of Actuaries 1878

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References

page 386 note * Even when the policy is opened with third parties, this loss may arise unless all risks whatever be covered in the policy from the first. The ordinary clause protecting an innocent holder of a policy from loss, provided that on hearing of the transgression of conditions, he informed the office, and paid such extra premium as the Directors might consider reasonable, would he of little use in the case, when, say, the life assured volunteered for the War in the East, and got killed before the policyholder knew of his breach of contract.

page 386 note † With reference to this point, we beg leave to refer our readers to Mr. Sprague's statement, vol. xviii p. 248.—Ed. J.I.A.