Deposit Insurance as Private Club : Is Germany a Model?

The author describes, and evaluates the deposit insurance scheme set-up by private commercial banks in Germany in 1975. The scheme's funding, and management are completely private, with no pubic supervision. Where other schemes rely on monitor...

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Main Author: Beck, Thorsten
Format: Policy Research Working Paper
Language:English
en_US
Published: World Bank, Washington, DC 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2001/02/1047384/deposit-insurance-private-club-germany-model
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/19705
id okr-10986-19705
recordtype oai_dc
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Foreign Institution
institution Digital Repositories
building World Bank Open Knowledge Repository
collection World Bank
language English
en_US
topic ACCOUNTABILITY
ACCOUNTING
ADVERSE SELECTION
AGENTS
AUDITING
AUDITS
BALANCE SHEET
BANK ASSETS
BANK CRISES
BANK FAILURE
BANK INSOLVENCY
BANK MONITORING
BANK RUNS
BANK SUPERVISION
BANKING CRISES
BANKING CRISIS
BANKING SECTOR
BANKING SERVICES
BANKING SYSTEM
BANKRUPTCY
BANKS
CLEARING HOUSES
COINSURANCE
COMMERCIAL BANKS
COOPERATIVE BANKING
COOPERATIVE BANKS
CORPORATE EQUITY
CORPORATE SECTOR
COUNTRY COMPARISONS
DEPOSIT INSURANCE
DEPOSIT INSURANCE SCHEMES
DEPOSITOR PROTECTION
DEPOSITORS
DEPOSITS
ECONOMIC GROWTH
ENTREPRENEURS
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK
EXPLICIT COVERAGE
FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW YORK
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
FINANCIAL STABILITY
FOREIGN CURRENCY DEPOSITS
GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION
INSOLVENT BANKS
INSPECTIONS
INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT
INSURANCE SYSTEM
INTERNATIONAL BANKING
INVESTMENT BANKING
LAWS
LENDER OF LAST RESORT
LIQUIDITY
MARKET DISCIPLINE
MARKET VALUE
MORAL HAZARD
MORTGAGE BANKS
PREMIUMS
PRIVATE BANKS
PRIVATIZATION
PRUDENTIAL REGULATION
PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AND SUPERVISION
PUBLIC REGULATION
RATES
REGIONAL BANKS
RESCUE
RISK DIVERSIFICATION
RISK FACTORS
RISK PREMIUM
RISK TAKING
SAFETY
SAVINGS
SAVINGS BANKS
SECURITIES
SHAREHOLDERS
STOCK PRICES
SUBORDINATED DEBT
SYSTEMIC RISK
TRANSPARENCY
spellingShingle ACCOUNTABILITY
ACCOUNTING
ADVERSE SELECTION
AGENTS
AUDITING
AUDITS
BALANCE SHEET
BANK ASSETS
BANK CRISES
BANK FAILURE
BANK INSOLVENCY
BANK MONITORING
BANK RUNS
BANK SUPERVISION
BANKING CRISES
BANKING CRISIS
BANKING SECTOR
BANKING SERVICES
BANKING SYSTEM
BANKRUPTCY
BANKS
CLEARING HOUSES
COINSURANCE
COMMERCIAL BANKS
COOPERATIVE BANKING
COOPERATIVE BANKS
CORPORATE EQUITY
CORPORATE SECTOR
COUNTRY COMPARISONS
DEPOSIT INSURANCE
DEPOSIT INSURANCE SCHEMES
DEPOSITOR PROTECTION
DEPOSITORS
DEPOSITS
ECONOMIC GROWTH
ENTREPRENEURS
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK
EXPLICIT COVERAGE
FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW YORK
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
FINANCIAL STABILITY
FOREIGN CURRENCY DEPOSITS
GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION
INSOLVENT BANKS
INSPECTIONS
INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT
INSURANCE SYSTEM
INTERNATIONAL BANKING
INVESTMENT BANKING
LAWS
LENDER OF LAST RESORT
LIQUIDITY
MARKET DISCIPLINE
MARKET VALUE
MORAL HAZARD
MORTGAGE BANKS
PREMIUMS
PRIVATE BANKS
PRIVATIZATION
PRUDENTIAL REGULATION
PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AND SUPERVISION
PUBLIC REGULATION
RATES
REGIONAL BANKS
RESCUE
RISK DIVERSIFICATION
RISK FACTORS
RISK PREMIUM
RISK TAKING
SAFETY
SAVINGS
SAVINGS BANKS
SECURITIES
SHAREHOLDERS
STOCK PRICES
SUBORDINATED DEBT
SYSTEMIC RISK
TRANSPARENCY
Beck, Thorsten
Deposit Insurance as Private Club : Is Germany a Model?
geographic_facet Europe and Central Asia
Germany
relation Policy Research Working Paper;No. 2559
description The author describes, and evaluates the deposit insurance scheme set-up by private commercial banks in Germany in 1975. The scheme's funding, and management are completely private, with no pubic supervision. Where other schemes rely on monitoring by depositors to decrease moral hazard problems, the German scheme relies on peer monitoring by its member banks. The system has weathered several small bank crises, but has not yet been exposed to a major bank failure, or a systemic crisis. To what extent can it serve as a model for other countries? The success of the German scheme has to be judged against an institutional environment that fosters contract enforcement, and the rule of law, and discourages corruption. In a country with weaker institutions, the voluntary membership might quickly lead to adverse selection, with strong banks leaving the scheme. The high coverage limit might induce bank managers, and owners to abuse the scheme. Banks might intentionally under-fund the scheme, counting on additional government resources in times of crisis. And the secrecy of funds might decrease fund managers' accountability in societies with little transparency, and much corruption. In Germany's highly concentrated commercial banking sector, the small number of banks facilitates a club atmosphere, and quick resolution of banking crises. But it could also prevent the entry of new, innovative market participants, so that the club becomes a cartel. Germany's anti-bankruptcy bias might help prevent moral hazard, but can also stifle entrepreneurship. There is a tradeoff between the efficiency gain of a privately run deposit insurance scheme, and its potentially negative impact on competition, and entrepreneurship. Although the scheme cannot easily be transplanted to developing countries, it offers lessons for other economies. Schemes with a club-like character, reinforce peer monitoring, and minimize the risk of free riding. Risk-based premiums, based on auditing by the deposit insurance scheme, create a healthy link between the protection an insurance offers, and the moral hazard it aims to prevent. One compromise might be a combination of ex-ante funding, that guarantees credibility, with depositors, and ex-post bank funding, that gives banks an incentive to monitor one another to minimize costs.
format Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper
author Beck, Thorsten
author_facet Beck, Thorsten
author_sort Beck, Thorsten
title Deposit Insurance as Private Club : Is Germany a Model?
title_short Deposit Insurance as Private Club : Is Germany a Model?
title_full Deposit Insurance as Private Club : Is Germany a Model?
title_fullStr Deposit Insurance as Private Club : Is Germany a Model?
title_full_unstemmed Deposit Insurance as Private Club : Is Germany a Model?
title_sort deposit insurance as private club : is germany a model?
publisher World Bank, Washington, DC
publishDate 2014
url http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2001/02/1047384/deposit-insurance-private-club-germany-model
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/19705
_version_ 1764440406513156096
spelling okr-10986-197052021-04-23T14:03:44Z Deposit Insurance as Private Club : Is Germany a Model? Beck, Thorsten ACCOUNTABILITY ACCOUNTING ADVERSE SELECTION AGENTS AUDITING AUDITS BALANCE SHEET BANK ASSETS BANK CRISES BANK FAILURE BANK INSOLVENCY BANK MONITORING BANK RUNS BANK SUPERVISION BANKING CRISES BANKING CRISIS BANKING SECTOR BANKING SERVICES BANKING SYSTEM BANKRUPTCY BANKS CLEARING HOUSES COINSURANCE COMMERCIAL BANKS COOPERATIVE BANKING COOPERATIVE BANKS CORPORATE EQUITY CORPORATE SECTOR COUNTRY COMPARISONS DEPOSIT INSURANCE DEPOSIT INSURANCE SCHEMES DEPOSITOR PROTECTION DEPOSITORS DEPOSITS ECONOMIC GROWTH ENTREPRENEURS ENTREPRENEURSHIP EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK EXPLICIT COVERAGE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW YORK FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FINANCIAL STABILITY FOREIGN CURRENCY DEPOSITS GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION INSOLVENT BANKS INSPECTIONS INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT INSURANCE SYSTEM INTERNATIONAL BANKING INVESTMENT BANKING LAWS LENDER OF LAST RESORT LIQUIDITY MARKET DISCIPLINE MARKET VALUE MORAL HAZARD MORTGAGE BANKS PREMIUMS PRIVATE BANKS PRIVATIZATION PRUDENTIAL REGULATION PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AND SUPERVISION PUBLIC REGULATION RATES REGIONAL BANKS RESCUE RISK DIVERSIFICATION RISK FACTORS RISK PREMIUM RISK TAKING SAFETY SAVINGS SAVINGS BANKS SECURITIES SHAREHOLDERS STOCK PRICES SUBORDINATED DEBT SYSTEMIC RISK TRANSPARENCY The author describes, and evaluates the deposit insurance scheme set-up by private commercial banks in Germany in 1975. The scheme's funding, and management are completely private, with no pubic supervision. Where other schemes rely on monitoring by depositors to decrease moral hazard problems, the German scheme relies on peer monitoring by its member banks. The system has weathered several small bank crises, but has not yet been exposed to a major bank failure, or a systemic crisis. To what extent can it serve as a model for other countries? The success of the German scheme has to be judged against an institutional environment that fosters contract enforcement, and the rule of law, and discourages corruption. In a country with weaker institutions, the voluntary membership might quickly lead to adverse selection, with strong banks leaving the scheme. The high coverage limit might induce bank managers, and owners to abuse the scheme. Banks might intentionally under-fund the scheme, counting on additional government resources in times of crisis. And the secrecy of funds might decrease fund managers' accountability in societies with little transparency, and much corruption. In Germany's highly concentrated commercial banking sector, the small number of banks facilitates a club atmosphere, and quick resolution of banking crises. But it could also prevent the entry of new, innovative market participants, so that the club becomes a cartel. Germany's anti-bankruptcy bias might help prevent moral hazard, but can also stifle entrepreneurship. There is a tradeoff between the efficiency gain of a privately run deposit insurance scheme, and its potentially negative impact on competition, and entrepreneurship. Although the scheme cannot easily be transplanted to developing countries, it offers lessons for other economies. Schemes with a club-like character, reinforce peer monitoring, and minimize the risk of free riding. Risk-based premiums, based on auditing by the deposit insurance scheme, create a healthy link between the protection an insurance offers, and the moral hazard it aims to prevent. One compromise might be a combination of ex-ante funding, that guarantees credibility, with depositors, and ex-post bank funding, that gives banks an incentive to monitor one another to minimize costs. 2014-08-26T19:20:17Z 2014-08-26T19:20:17Z 2001-02 http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2001/02/1047384/deposit-insurance-private-club-germany-model http://hdl.handle.net/10986/19705 English en_US Policy Research Working Paper;No. 2559 CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/ World Bank, Washington, DC Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper Publications & Research Europe and Central Asia Germany