Published in:Columbia Business School Research Paper ; No. 17-109
Extent:
1 Online-Ressource (52 p)
Language:
English
DOI:
10.2139/ssrn.3074825
Identifier:
Origination:
Footnote:
Nach Informationen von SSRN wurde die ursprüngliche Fassung des Dokuments December 14, 2018 erstellt
Description:
We investigate the impact of recurring fair value versus amortized cost measurement for accounting recognition purposes on the timeliness of insurers' other-than-temporary (OTT) impairments of non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities (NAMBS) around the 2007–2009 financial crisis. Unlike largely predetermined amortized cost measurement, recurring fair value measurement requires firms to invest in information and control systems to assess relevant economic conditions and estimate fair values quarterly. We expect these systems discipline insurers' OTT impairments. Exploiting statutory requirements that PC (life) insurers measure securities with NAIC designations from 3 to 5 at fair value (amortized cost) and disclose security-level accounting information, we predict and find that PC insurers record timelier OTT impairments of the same NAMBS with NAIC designations of 3 to 5 than life insurers. We predict and find weaker evidence of spillover effects to the timeliness of OTT impairments of the same NAMBS with NAIC designations of 1 or 2