Universiẗat, Diss., 2007--Köln.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, 1980. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-06, page: 2795.

In recent years, new regulations and stronger competition have further increased the importance of stochastic asset-liability management (ALM) models for life insurance firms. However, the often complex nature of life insurance contracts makes modeling to a challenging task, and insurance firms often struggle with models quickly becoming too complicated and inefficient. There is therefore an interest in investigating if, in fact, certain traits of financial ratios could be exposed through a more efficient model. In this thesis, a discrete time stochastic model framework, for the simulation of simplified balance sheets of life insurance products, is proposed. The model is based on a two-factor stochastic capital market model, supports the most important product characteristics, and incorporates a reserve-dependent bonus declaration. Furthermore, a first approach to endogenously model customer transitions is proposed, where realized policy returns are used for assigning transition probabilities. The model's sensitivity to different input parameters, and ability to capture the most important behaviour patterns, are demonstrated by the use of scenario and sensitivity analyses. Furthermore, based on the findings from these analyses, suggestions for improvements and further research are also presented. / Införandet av nya regelverk och ökad konkurrens har medfört att stokastiska ALM-modeller blivit allt viktigare för livförsäkringsbolag. Den ofta komplexa strukturen hos försäkringsprodukter försvårar dock modelleringen, vilket gör att många modeller anses vara för komplicerade samt ineffektiva, av försäkringsbolagen. Det finns därför ett intresse i att utreda om egenskaper hos viktiga finansiella nyckeltal kan studeras utifrån en mer effektiv och mindre komplicerad modell. I detta arbete föreslås ett ramverk för stokastisk modellering av en förenklad version av balansräkningen hos typiska livförsäkringsbolag. Modellen baseras på en stokastisk kapitalmarknadsmodell, med vilken såväl aktiepriser som räntenivåer simuleras. Vidare så stödjer modellen simulering av de mest väsentliga produktegenskaperna, samt modellerar kundåterbäring som en funktion av den kollektiva konsolideringsgraden. Modellens förmåga att fånga de viktigaste egenskaperna hos balansräkningens ingående komponenter undersöks med hjälp av scenario- och känslighetsanalyser. Ytterligare undersöks även huruvida modellen är känslig för förändringar i olika indata, där fokus främst tillägnas de parametrar som kräver mer avancerade skattningsmetoder.

Background. In average hypertensive patients m China, approximately 3-4 major cardiovascular disease (CVD) events can be prevented in 100 treated with anti-hypertensive drugs for 5 years. Previous cross-sectional studies in healthy individuals showed that their willingness to payout of pocket for anti-hypertensive drugs dropped substantively after they were informed of the quantitative benefits, harms and costs of the treatment. These findings suggest, importantly, that patients should be provided with evidence and engaged in decision making for such conditions as hypertension in order to make decisions that will satisfy patients. This large effect of evidence-informed decision making found in the cross-sectional study has, however, not been confirmed in more rigorous studies and in diagnosed hypertensive patients in the country. We therefore conducted this randomized controlled trial to assess the effect of individualized, evidence-based counseling on medicine-using behaviors of hypertensive patients. / Methods. This is a randomized controlled trial with 210 patients with mild hypertension and free of CVD recruited in two primary care centers in Shenzhen, China. Individualized, evidence-based counseling on antihypertensive treatment and general counseling on lifestyle modifications (103 patients) were compared with general counseling alone (107 patients). The counseling was provided face-to-face and reinforced by a telephone call a week later. The key information provided in the intervention group included the lO-year CVD risk estimated based on an individual's risk factors, individualized benefit expressed in the absolute risk reduction, side effects, and costs of antihypertensive drugs. Medication use and good adherence at 6-month follow up were used as the primary outcomes. / Results. At baseline, the mean age of patients was 54.3 (SD=7.8) years, 49% were men, 62.4% were currently taking antihypertensive medicines which was all covered by health insurance. The overall attrition rate was 8.6%. At six months, the rate of medication use was marginally higher in the intervention group than that in the control group (65.0% vs 57.9%; odds ratio (OR) = l.35, 95% confidence interval (Cl): [0.77, 2.36]; P value= 0.290). The rate of good adherence in the intervention group was also slightly higher than that in the control group (43.7% vs 40.2%; OR= 1.15, 95% Cl: [0.67, 2.00]; P value= 0.607). The difference in medication use and good adherence between the intervention and control groups was however not statistically significant. The results remained unchanged in multivariate and sensitivity analyses. / Conclusions. The individualized, evidence-based counseling made little difference to the use of and adherence to anti-hypertensive medications in insured patients with mild hypertension in China. The lack of effect of informed decision making is likely a result of persistence of entrenched practice in particular for insured clinical conditions. The finding of this study raises important questions as to whether insurance policies and clinical guidelines reflect the true needs and opinions of the patients, and about the usefulness of informing and engaging patients in decision-making under such circumstances. / 背景：對100 例一般中國高血壓患者，進行持續5 年的降壓藥物治療，可預防心腦血管事件3-4 例。健康人群中進行的橫斷面調查結果顯示，研究對象在獲得降塵藥物治療量化的收益、副作用和花費的信息後，其支付意願明顯下降。此結果的重要提示是，應向患者提供此類信息，並且患者參與自身的醫療決策，使其能夠做出符合其價值觀等的決定。然而，目前尚未在中國開展相闊的隨機對照試驗。上述知情決策的顯著效果亦尚未在患者中得到證實。在此項隨機對照試驗中，我們蚣評價個體化、循證諮詢對高血壓患者服藥情況的影響。 / 方法：這是一項雙中心的隨機對照試驗。研究共納入輕度高血壓患者210例，這些患者均無心腦血管病。干預組患者(共103 例)接受關於降壓藥物的個體化、循證諮詢和生活習慣調整的一般諮詢，對照組患者(共107 例)僅接受一般諮詢。我們為每組患者均提供當面諮詢，並於一周後通過電話進行加強。為干預組患者提供的主要信息包括:基於每例患者危險因素評估的10 年心血管病風險，降塵藥物治療的收益、副作用及花費。其中收益以絕對風險降低表示。以諮詢結束後六個月時患者服藥和良好依從性作為主要結局指標。 / 結果：基線調查中，患者的平均年齡為54. 3 (標準差為7.8) 歲，有49% 的患者為男性， 62. 峭的患者目前正在服用降塵藥物，所有患者的降塵藥物花費均由醫療保險全部或部分支付。研究中總失訪率為8.6% 。諮詢結束後六個月，干預組患者整體服藥率較對照組患者稍高(干預組65.0% 對照組57.9%比值比:1.35，95%可信區問: [0.77 ，2.36];p=0.290) 。干預組患者中，良好依從性的比例亦稍高於對照組(干預組43.7%，對照組40.2%:比值比:1.15 , 95%可信區問: [0.67，2.00]; p= 0.607)。在多因素分析和敏感性分析中，上述結果均無顯著變化。 / 結論：個體化、循證諮詢並未明顯改變中國醫療保險覆蓋下輕度高血壓患者的服藥情況。知情決策無明顯效果很可能由固定化的醫療實踐導致，這種情況對醫療保險覆蓋的治療尤其突出。此研究的發現還引出了兩個重要問題:現行的醫療保險制度和臨床指南是否反映患者的真實需要和想法，患者知情並參與決策是否必要。 / Di, Mengyang. / Thesis Ph.D. Chinese University of Hong Kong 2015. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-139). / Abstracts also in Chinese; some appendixes in Chinese. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on 06, October, 2016). / Di, Mengyang. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only.

Thesis (PhD (Accounting))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African long-term insurance industry is currently believed to be at an important crossroads in its existence. The industry is haunted by concerns about high cost structures, a lack of transparency in disclosure to policyholders, unfulfilled expectations of policyholders and the proliferation of available investment vehicles in the market. These concerns are exerting pressure on the existing products and practices of South African long-term insurers. The audits of these insurers are of a complex and high-risk nature as a result of the complexity of their operations and, in particular, the highly complex actuarial valuation process in respect of policy liabilities. The prevailing auditing standards in South Africa require auditors to include policy liabilities in the ambit of their audit opinions. Recent investigations into failed long-term insurers and their audits, including those of local Fedsure Life, British Equitable Life Assurance Society and Australian HIH Insurance, demonstrate the high risk involved in the audits of long-term insurers. Against this background, the objective of this research was to develop a best practice framework for the formulation of overall audit strategies for policy liabilities arising under insurance contracts and the related earnings of listed South African long-term insurers. To justify the focus of the research on the abovementioned components of the financial statements of listed South African long-term insurers, a questionnaire was developed and sent to auditors of all long-term insurers listed on the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa for completion. Responses were processed to calculate a Relative Inherent Risk Index specifically developed for use in this research, ranking various industry-specific account balances and classes of transactions on the basis of their potential exposure to inherent risk. The results of this process provided significant support for the hypotheses that policy liabilities and the related earnings are potentially exposed to the highest levels of inherent risk. The remainder of the research consequently focused on these components. A further very comprehensive questionnaire was developed to collect data with respect to respondents’ views of potential best practices for the audit of various aspects relating to policy liabilities arising under insurance contracts and the related earnings of listed South African long-term insurers, on the basis of their extensive experience in the industry. This questionnaire was sent to experienced auditors responsible for the audits of the five largest listed long-term insurers in South Africa for completion. Responses were received from four of the five potential respondents, resulting in an 80% response rate, enabling meaningful analysis and interpretation of the data. Responses were analysed, interpreted and documented in the form of a detailed best practice framework for the formulation of overall audit strategies for policy liabilities arising under insurance contracts and the related earnings. The lack of a fifth response was compensated for by a review of the research findings by experienced auditors of Deloitte and the provision of their opinions thereon. Deloitte was selected for this purpose as the fact that this auditing firm is the only one of the so-called “Big Four” auditing firms that does not act as auditor of one of the selected target long-term insurers, resulted in the initial exclusion of the firm’s views from the research. The framework was updated to reflect these opinions and now incorporates input from all of the so-called “Big Four” auditing firms. The framework provides a comprehensive discussion of all possible types of audit procedures that may be relevant to the audit of all aspects of policy liabilities arising under insurance contracts and the related earnings of listed South African long-term insurers. As no such framework existed prior to this research, the development thereof made a significant contribution to existing knowledge. This contribution is the result of, inter alia, the method followed in designing the framework, resulting in it representing a synthesis of, inter alia, the following: • existing international and limited local guidance for auditors and, in particular, auditors of long-term insurers, customised for the South African environment; • best practices currently in use on the audits of listed South African long-term insurers; and • views of experienced practitioners on the abovementioned types of best practices that might not be employed at the moment, but that should, in their views, be employed in future. The valuable contribution of this research to existing knowledge is clear from the fact that numerous publications in popular professional as well as accredited academic journals, plus a paper delivered at a conference have resulted from it (refer to the source list and Appendix A). Furthermore, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants has approved a project to update existing South African guidance for auditors of long-term insurers on the basis of the findings of this research.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universiẗat Köln, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. xxv-xxxvii).

The treatment of life insurance policies in deceased estates and the effect thereof on marriages in community of property is the cause of various problems for executors. In terms of section 3(3) of the Estate Duty Act 45 of 1955 life insurance policies are deemed to be assets of the deceased. Consequently life insurance policies are reflected in the estate duty addendum of the deceased estate. Life insurance policies however are not always reflected in the liquidation account of the deceased estate as assets, notwithstanding the fact that life insurance policies are deemed to be assets for estate duty purposes. In this regard a distinction should be made between two situations: firstly where life insurance policies are reflected in the liquidation account of the insured estate and secondly where life insurance policies are not reflected in the liquidation account of the insured. For spouses married in community of property this creates a problem especially when you keep in mind that life insurance policies are in many instances a person's biggest monetary asset. When life insurance policies are reflected in the liquidation account of the insured, the surviving spouse has a claim on half of the policy proceeds. When life insurance policies are not reflected in the liquidation account of the insured, the surviving spouse has no claim on the policy proceeds. The problem that arises in this regard is that there is no certainty as to what extent life insurance policies should be included in the calculation of estate duty, and how these policies must be reflected in the estate of the deceased. This uncertainty has been perpetuated by courts. This research will illustrate how the courts came to different conclusions where the facts were more or less similar. / Thesis (LL.M. (Estate Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The treatment of life insurance policies in deceased estates and the effect thereof on marriages in community of property is the cause of various problems for executors. In terms of section 3(3) of the Estate Duty Act 45 of 1955 life insurance policies are deemed to be assets of the deceased. Consequently life insurance policies are reflected in the estate duty addendum of the deceased estate. Life insurance policies however are not always reflected in the liquidation account of the deceased estate as assets, notwithstanding the fact that life insurance policies are deemed to be assets for estate duty purposes. In this regard a distinction should be made between two situations: firstly where life insurance policies are reflected in the liquidation account of the insured estate and secondly where life insurance policies are not reflected in the liquidation account of the insured. For spouses married in community of property this creates a problem especially when you keep in mind that life insurance policies are in many instances a person's biggest monetary asset. When life insurance policies are reflected in the liquidation account of the insured, the surviving spouse has a claim on half of the policy proceeds. When life insurance policies are not reflected in the liquidation account of the insured, the surviving spouse has no claim on the policy proceeds. The problem that arises in this regard is that there is no certainty as to what extent life insurance policies should be included in the calculation of estate duty, and how these policies must be reflected in the estate of the deceased. This uncertainty has been perpetuated by courts. This research will illustrate how the courts came to different conclusions where the facts were more or less similar. / Thesis (LL.M. (Estate Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Univ., Diss.--Köln, 2004. / Literaturverz. S. XXV - XXXVII.

Irish local authorities and their insurer have experienced increasing liability losses during the past ten years. To combat this situation their insurer requested the local authorities to implement a risk management programme. Risk management is aimed at reducing the cost of risk by identifying, evaluating and handling risk by both physical and financial means. As a management function risk management should form part of the formulation of the strategy of the organisation, strategy being a means of setting direction in the long term. Once formulated a strategy must be implemented. This dissertation reviews the methods used by the insurer and the local authorities to implement a risk management programme and establishes the barriers that were faced during the course of implementation and the attempts made to overcome them. It considers the integration of risk management into strategy and recommends a tentative means of overcoming the problems of implementation. / Economics / M. Com. (Business Economics)