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
Special insurance that covers warehousers liability to customers whose property is damaged by an insured peril while in the custody of an insured warehouser. Policy deductibles may range ...
Same as term Cost-Of-Living Adjustment: automatic adjustment applied to Social Security retirement payments when the consumer price index increases at a rate of at least 3%, the first ...
Excess coverage for employers who use self insurance for routine workers compensation risks. Many employers consider workers compensation exposure to be routine and predictable and set up a ...
Agents, managers, and office personnel serving in the branches of an insurance company. ...
Costs associated with the selling of a new insurance policy to a policyholder. The costs include the acquisition commission as a percentage of the first year's premium, underwriting ...
Individual action or failure to act as a reasonably prudent person would under similar circumstances, resulting in harm to another. Also called negligence. A reasonably prudent person is ...
Dividends paid historically, currently, and projected. ...
Amount added to the basic premium (expectation of loss) to cover an insurance company's expenses. These expenses include agent commissions, premium taxes, costs of putting a policy on the ...
New pension-accounting rule (Employers Accounting for Post retirement Benefits Other Than Pensions) which mandates that employers that provide post retirement benefits to include life ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.