Section A Flashcards
When is the least squares method appropriate?
When random year to year fluctuations in loss experience are significant
Give 3 possible ways to manage the reserves if losses come higher than expected
- Reduce the reserve by the additional amount (Budgeted loss method, cov<var>var)</var>
- Don’t change the reserve (Bornhuetter Ferguson, cov = var)</var>
Explain why it’s difficult to compute Q(x) and we use L(x) instead
The best linear approximation of Q(x) is better because:
- Easier to compute
- Easier to understand and explain
- Less dependent on the underlying distribution (this is why it’s difficult to compute Q(x)
Give the formulas used in Brosius
LS : a + xb where b = (xy bar - x bary bar)/(x squared bar - x bar squared) and a = y bar -x barb OR
LS : ZX/d +(1-Z)y bar and Z = b/c and c = y bar/x bar
CL : X/d (LS with a = 0)
BL : y bar (LS with b =0)
BF : x + q*U OR
BF : a + X (LS with b =1)
Is the Benktander method superior to BF and CL
Lower MSE (if p is included within 2c*)
Better approximation to the exact Bayesian procedure
Superior to CL b/c gives more weight to the a priori expectation of ultimate losses
Superior to BF b/c gives more weight to actual loss experience
Formula for benktander
U(GB) = X + q*U(BF) U(BF) = X + q*U(0)
Express Benktander as a credibility weighting system
U(GB) = pU(CL)+qU(BF)
What is the credible loss ratio claims reserve?
Credibility weight of CL and BF with %reported calculated differently.
R=z*R(ind)+R(coll)
Express the Z for Neuhauss, Benktander and Optimal credibility
Z(NW) = p*ELR Z(GB) = p ***we weight ultimate claim amounts here Z(OPT) = p/(p + p^1/2)
How to calculate R ind and R coll
R(ind) = C/p*q R(coll) = (EP*m)*q
How to get ELR (m) and respective p’s?
Calculate the loss ratio by column (sum of incremental claims/EP) and sum all loss ratios.
To get your p’s you need to look at sum of m’s over the ELR
What is the Z that minimizes MSE (R)?
z = (p/q)*(Cov(C,R) + pqVar(U - bc))/(Var(C)+p^2Var(U - bc))
What is the MSE formula
E(alpha2Ui)(Z^2/p+1/q+(1-Z)^2/t)q^2
Characteristics of Hurlimanns Method
- based on full dev triangle (rather than latest AY)
- requires a measure of exposure (as CC)
- relies on loss ratios (rather than link ratios)
- credibility weighting between two extreme positions
Clarks assumption
- Incremental losses are iid (one period does not affect the surrounding periods, emergence pattern is the same for all AYs)
- Var of incremental losses is proportional to the expected incremental losses and the var/mean ratio is fixed and known
- Variance estimates are based on an approximation to the rao-cramer lower bound
Formula for residual
r = (ci - ui)/(ui*sigma^2)^1/2
Formula for sigma^2
1/(n-p)*sum of (ci-ui)^2/ui
where n: nb of points in triangle and p: number of parameters (LDF = 2+AYs CC=3)
How to test for assumptions using normalized residuals
- Against ui: test for var/mean ratio being constant
- Against age: test for growth curve appropriate for all AYs
- Against CY: test that there are no CY effects - one period does not affect the other
Give two growth functions
Weibull 1- e^-(x/w)^teta
Loglogistic: x^w /(x^w + teta^w)
Ultimate loss estimate - clarks method
CC: EPELR
ELR = sum of losses/sum of used up p (EP(G(x))
LDF: Paid to date/G(x)
LDF - truncated: Paid to date/G’(x) where G’(x) = G(x)/G(TP)
Reserve estimate - clarks method
CC: EPELR(1-G(x))
CC - truncated: EPELR(G(TP)-G(x))
ELR = sum of losses/sum of used up p (EP(G(x))
LDF: Paid to date(1/G(x) - 1)
LDF - truncated: Paid to date(1/G’(x)-1) where G’(x) = G(x)/G(TP)
How to chose the best set of parameters for your data
Maximize the MLE: l = sum of ci*ln(ui)-ui over the triangle
Data advantages to use Clark’s growth function
- Works with data that is not at the same maturity as prior year
- Works with data for only the last few diagonals
- Naturally extrapolates pas the end of the triangle
- Naturally interpolates between the ages in the analysis
Advantages of using parameterized curves to describe the loss emergence patterns
- Only 2 parameters to estimate
- Can use data from triangles with different dates
- Final pattern is smooth