In the framework of collective risk theory, we consider a compound Poisson risk model for the surplus process where the process (and hence ruin) can only be observed at random observation times. For Erlang(n) distributed inter-observation times, explicit expressions for the discounted penalty function at ruin are derived. The resulting model contains both the usual continuous-time and the discrete-time risk model as limiting cases, and can be used as an effective approximation scheme for the latter. Numerical examples are given that illustrate the effect of random observation times on various ruin-related quantities.

In classical risk theory, the infinite-time ruin probability of a surplus process C_t is calculated as the probability of the process becoming negative at some point in time. In this paper, we consider a relaxation of the ruin concept to the concept of bankruptcy, according to which one has a positive surplus-dependent probability to continue despite temporary negative surplus. We study the resulting bankruptcy probability for the compound Poisson risk model with exponential claim sizes for different bankruptcy rate functions, deriving analytical results, upper and lower bounds as well as an efficient simulation method. Numerical examples are given and the results are compared with the classical ruin probabilities. Finally, it is illustrated how the analysis can be extended to study the discounted penalty function under this relaxed ruin criterion.

Assume that the surplus process of an insurance company is described by a general Lévy process and that possible dividend pay-outs to shareholders are restricted to random discrete times which are determined by an independent renewal process. Under this setting we show that the optimal dividend pay-out policy is a band-policy. If the renewal process is a Poisson process, it is further shown that for Cramér–Lundberg risk processes with exponential claim sizes and its diffusion limit the optimal policy collapses to a barrier-policy. Finally, a numerical example is given for which the optimal bands can be calculated explicitly. The random observation procedure studied in this paper also allows for an interpretation in terms of a random walk model with a certain type of random discounting.

We consider a two-dimensional optimal dividend problem in the context of two insurance companies with compound Poisson surplus processes, who collaborate by paying each other's deficit when possible. We study the stochastic control problem of maximizing the weighted sum of expected discounted dividend payments (among all admissible dividend strategies) until ruin of both companies, by extending results of univariate optimal control theory. In the case that the dividends paid by the two companies are equally weighted, the value function of this problem compares favorably with the one of merging the two companies completely. We identify the optimal value function as the smallest viscosity supersolution of the respective Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation and provide an iterative approach to approximate it numerically. Curve strategies are identified as the natural analogue of barrier strategies in this two-dimensional context. A numerical example is given for which such a curve strategy is indeed optimal among all admissible dividend strategies, and for which this collaboration mechanism also outperforms the suitably weighted optimal dividend strategies of the two stand-alone companies.

Let X _i (i=1,2, …) be a sequence of subexponential positive independent and identically distributed random variables. In this paper, we offer two alternative approaches to obtain higher-order expansions of the tail of and subsequently for ruin probabilities in renewal risk models with claim sizes X _i . In particular, these emphasize the importance of the term for the accuracy of the resulting asymptotic expansion of . Furthermore, we present a more rigorous approach to the often suggested technique of using approximations with shifted arguments. The cases of a Pareto type, Weibull and Lognormal distribution for X _i are discussed in more detail and numerical investigations of the increase in accuracy by including higher-order terms in the approximation of ruin probabilities for finite realistic ranges of s are given.