How suitable are equity release mortgages as investments for pension funds?

Buckner, Dean; Dowd, Kevin; Hulley, Hardy

Abstract

This article examines the claim that equity release mortgages, the U.K. equivalent of reverse mortgages in the U.S., are suitable investments for pension funds. We present valuation, stress test and scenario analysis results that suggest that equity release mortgages are unsuitable for pension funds because: (i) they bear returns that are typically below the risk-free rate; (ii) they are not hedges for annuity books, let alone good hedges; and (iii) they are heavily exposed to house price risk, which annuity books are not. Our results suggest that equity release mortgages meet none of these criteria to be suitable for pension funds and are almost entirely dominated by risk-free government bonds. We offer an explanation for why investors appear to be unaware of the low returns on equity release mortgages.

Citation

Buckner, D., Dowd, K., & Hulley, H. (2024). How suitable are equity release mortgages as investments for pension funds?. Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, https://doi.org/10.1057/s41288-024-00316-1

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 12, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Mar 24, 2024
• Publication Date: Mar 24, 2024
• Deposit Date: Mar 25, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 25, 2024
• Journal: The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice
• Print ISSN: 1018-5895
• Electronic ISSN: 1468-0440
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41288-024-00316-1
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2346345