Corporate liquidity: evidence from the United Kingdom life insurance industry

Abstract

This study analyses the extent and effects of macroeconomic and firm-specific factors on insurer liquidity in the context of UK life companies with panel data for the period 1985 to 2002. Ordinary least squares regressions, static and dynamic panel data models are estimated. Econometric tests indicate a preference for the random effects estimation procedure over other alternatives. The results indicate that the life office liquidity is an increasing function of equity returns, free asset ratio, termination rate, and claims ratio and a decreasing function of pension reserves-to-total reserves. Also, it is found that mutual companies tend to hold more liquid assets than do stock companies.