2.1 Interest change risk


Due to the investment structure and the high proportion of interest bearing titles, the interest rate risk forms a very important component of the financial risks. The following table shows the interest-bearing securities and the average interest coupons arranged by the most important investment categories and their average coupon interest rate on the reporting date.

Average interest coupon

USD

Other

%

2010

2009

2010

2009

2010

2009

Fixed interest securities

 

 

 

 

 

 

High-grade bonds

3.89

4.23

3.90

3.92

5.18

5.64

Bank/company bonds

3.91

3.82

5.26

8.63

4.13

4.36

Emerging markets bonds

5.71

5.97

9.67

12.88

10.06

9.70

High-yield bonds

7.63

8.27

10.07

11.29

5.44

4.30

Other investments

3.48

4.44

0.00

0.00

0.00

1.63

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fixed interest liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

Subordinated liabilities

5.34

5.34

 

 

 

 

Guaranteed interest life insurance

2.71

2.75

 

 

 

 

Long-term policies and life insurance policies with guaranteed interest and profit sharing

Insurance policies with guaranteed interest and additional profit sharing contain the risk that the guaranteed interest rate will not be achieved over a sustained period of time. Capital income produced over and above the guaranteed interest rate will be shared between the policyholder and the insurance company, with the policyholder receiving an appropriate share of the profit. The following table shows the comparison of assets and debts for such insurance policies.

Investments for long-term life insurance policies with guaranteed interest and profit sharing

31 Dec. 2010
€ 000

31 Dec. 2009
€ 000

Annuities

9,440,828

8,220,882

Shares

642,456

392,346

Alternatives

708,594

674,353

Holdings

411,382

680,592

Loans

1,267,004

1,728,081

Real estate

1,107,667

946,261

Liquidity

743,515

1,172,910

Deposits receivable

123,284

121,760

Total

14,444,730

13,937,185

Difference between book value and market value

 

 

Real estate

264,055

361,773

Loans

–27,812

38,695

Provisions and liabilities from long-term life insurance policies with guaranteed interest and profit sharing

31 Dec. 2010

€ 000

31 Dec. 2009

€ 000

Actuarial provision

13,459,346

13,193,063

Provision for profit-unrelated premium refunds

1,869

226

Provision for profit-related premium refunds, i.e. policyholder profit sharing

112,060

146,659

Other technical provisions

23,806

23,451

Provision for outstanding claims

108,309

92,365

Deposits payable

436,200

437,925

Total

14,141,590

13,893,689

The following table shows the structure of the remaining terms of interest bearing securities and loans.

Remaining term

31 Dec. 2010
€ 000

31 Dec. 2009
€ 000

Up to 1 year

810,676

660,875

Of more than 1 year up to 3 years

1,052,770

1,125,700

Of more than 3 years up to 5 years

1,792,639

1,069,452

Of more than 5 years up to 7 years

2,192,915

1,672,212

Of more than 7 years up to 10 years

2,208,519

1,889,945

Of more than 10 years up to 15 years

1,361,612

1,644,980

More than 15 years

1,288,702

1,696,312

Total

10,707,832

9,759,476

The capital-weighted average remaining term of technical liabilities is around 8.0 years (2009: 7.9 years).

Long-term unit-linked and index-linked life insurance policies

In the segment of unit-linked and index-linked life insurance, the interest income and all fluctuations in value of the dedicated investments are reflected in the technical provisions. There is therefore no financial risk from the point of view of the insurer. The following table shows the investment structure of financial investments that are used to cover the technical provisions arising from unit-linked and index-linked life insurance policies.

Investments in unit-linked and index-linked life insurance policies

31 Dec. 2010
€ 000

31 Dec. 2009
€ 000

Share-based funds

988,689

805,713

Bond funds

3,044,113

2,536,917

Liquidity

81,107

86,935

Other investments

78,821

43,987

Total

4,192,730

3,473,553

Long-term health insurance policies

The actuarial interest rate for the actuarial provision in health insurance lines, which is selected depending on the type of life insurance, is 3%. However, this interest rate is not guaranteed and can, upon presentation of proof to the insurance supervisory authority, be reduced to any lower capital income that may be expected. The following table shows the investment structure available to cover insurance liabilities.

Investments for long-term health insurance policies

31 Dec. 2010
€ 000

31 Dec. 2009
€ 000

Annuities

1,238,629

1,203,938

Shares

53,963

58,105

Alternatives

93,450

64,839

Holdings

199,705

8,666

Loans

710,918

693,555

Real estate

318,529

301,341

Liquidity

169,333

275,175

Total

2,784,528

2,605,618

Difference between book value and market value

 

 

Real estate

144,441

116,426

Loans

3,828

–54,466

Provisions and liabilities
from long-term health insurance policies

31 Dec. 2010
€ 000

31 Dec. 2009
€ 000

Actuarial provision

2,533,728

2,373,869

Provision for profit-unrelated premium refunds

16,578

20,252

Provision for profit-related premium refunds, i.e. policyholder profit sharing

44,876

42,224

Other technical provisions

548

596

Provision for unearned premiums

15,914

15,629

Provision for outstanding claims

172,279

166,913

Deposits payable

1,323

1,447

Total

2,785,246

2,620,930

Property and casualty insurance policies

Most property and casualty insurance policies are short-term. The technical provisions are not discounted, meaning that no interest is calculated for the short-term investment. The average terms of interest bearing securities and loans invested to cover technical provisions are shown in the following table.

Remaining term

31 Dec. 2010
€ 000

31 Dec. 2009
€ 000

Up to 1 year

102,103

169,807

Of more than 1 year up to 3 years

182,759

232,867

Of more than 3 years up to 5 years

325,941

270,080

Of more than 5 years up to 7 years

358,017

273,275

Of more than 7 years up to 10 years

570,630

507,728

Of more than 10 years up to 15 years

186,249

293,120

More than 15 years

223,849

335,114

Total

1,949,547

2,081,993

The investment structure in the property and casualty insurance is as follows.

Investments for short-term property
and casualty insurance policies

31 Dec. 2010
€ 000

31 Dec. 2009
€ 000

Annuities

1,606,661

1,451,018

Shares

221,229

140,508

Alternatives

62,332

64,162

Holdings

120,430

215,805

Loans

464,308

521,471

Real estate

384,524

463,290

Liquidity

483,748

551,497

Deposits receivable

13,510

14,389

Total

3,356,743

3,422,140

Difference between book value and market value

 

 

Real estate

332,259

197,569

Loans

3,110

–35,805

Provisions and liabilities from short-term property and casualty insurance policies

31 Dec. 2010
€ 000

31 Dec. 2009
€ 000

Provision for unearned premiums

558,153

516,599

Actuarial provision

37,959

39,837

Provision for outstanding claims

1,871,810

1,746,904

Provision for profit-unrelated premium refunds

30,991

27,011

Provision for profit-related premium refunds, i.e. policyholder profit sharing

7,760

7,682

Other technical provisions

20,032

19,980

Deposits payable

11,701

12,278

Total

2,538,406

2,370,291

The average policy term in property and casualty insurance is between three and five years.

© 2011 BY UNIQA GROUP AUSTRIA