Modified Reserve Methods
Definition of "Modified reserve methods"
Accounting procedures that defer the full funding of a life insurance net level premium reserve to accommodate the policy acquisition cost in the early years of a policy. First-year policy expenses, such as agent commission, medical examination, and premium tax, often result in little of the premium remaining for the premium reserve required under full valuation reserve standards. In such cases, the difference comes out of the insurer's surplus account. To avoid this, two types of modified reserve methods are used: (1) the full preliminary term reserve valuation method, and (2) the modified preliminary term reserve valuation method, better known as the commissioners' reserve valuation method. The full preliminary term method does not require any terminal reserve at the end of the first year and in effect accounts for reserves like term insurance during this period. This leaves more of the premium available to cover acquisition cost and first-year claims. In subsequent years, for reserve accounting purposes, the policy is considered to have been issued one year later than its actual date on an insured who was one year older than his actual age. This results in stepping up additions to the premium reserve, eventually making up for the first year's shortfall.
The commissioners' reserve valuation method limits first-year expenses and thus the amount of deferred funding of policy reserves. Policies whose premiums fall below a certain level can be accounted for under the full preliminary term method. For policies with premiums above that level, the full preliminary term method is modified by a limitation on the amount of expenses that can be used in figuring the schedule of deferred reserve funding.
Popular Insurance Terms
Protection under an insurance policy. In property insurance, coverage lists perils insured against, properties covered, locations covered, individuals insured, and the limits of ...
Monetary sums attached to an insurance company's assets, as listed on the annual statement. ...
Difference between the yield on earning assets and the cost of interest-bearing liabilities. ...
Difference between the actual mortality experience and the expected mortality experience. In statistical terms, this is known as the deviation of the actual (X) from the expected (X). The ...
Coverage that indemnifies a third party lender if a customer refuses to repay a loan made on a faulty product and the dealer who arranged the loan refuses to correct the fault. This ...
One of two basic types of funding instruments for pensions or employee benefits, in which responsibility for plan assets is vested in a trustee. The other type is known as an insured plan, ...
Professional designation awarded by the American College. In addition to professional business experience in financial planning, recipients are required to pass national examinations in ...
Rules that apply to employee distributions (see rollover and withholding rules for qualified plan distributions: payment paid to employee) and that also apply to distributions to surviving ...
Coverage in automobile insurance providing protection in the event of physical damage (other than collision) or theft of the insured car. For example, fire damage to an insured car would be ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.