Pension Institutions and Annuities in Denmark
This paper considers the overall structure of the Danish pension system, reviews the relative role of different types of pension institutions, and discusses their asset allocation strategies and investment performance. The paper also examines the r...
Main Authors: | , |
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Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2012
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2007/12/8877300/pension-institutions-annuities-denmark http://hdl.handle.net/10986/7605 |
Summary: | This paper considers the overall
structure of the Danish pension system, reviews the relative
role of different types of pension institutions, and
discusses their asset allocation strategies and investment
performance. The paper also examines the regulation and
supervision of providers of pension services, the growing
reliance on risk-based supervision, and the application of
the so-called contribution principle. The Danish pension
system includes a modest universal social pension with a
supplement for low-income pensioners and near universal
participation in occupational and personal pensions that are
primarily based on defined contribution plans. The annuity
market is well developed: 50 percent of annual contributions
are allocated to the purchase of deferred annuities, while
immediate annuities are also purchased at or even after
retirement. However, detailed comprehensive data on the rate
of annuitization are lacking. Distinct features of the
Danish pension system include the widespread use of profit
participating contracts with minimum guaranteed benefits and
regular provision of bonuses, covering both the accumulation
and payout phases, and extensive use of group deferred
annuity contracts. A new traffic light system with periodic
stress testing has resulted in greater emphasis on asset
liability matching and hedging strategies by pension
institutions and a shift in investment policies in favor of
foreign bonds and long-term swap contracts. |
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