The Effect of Risk-Based Capital on Investment Returns of Insurance Companies in Kenya

Abstract

This paper focuses on analyzing the effect of risk-based capital on investment returns of insurance companies in Kenya. The study population comprised of 63 insurance companies licensed by Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA). A longitudinal (panel) design was used to describe the association amongst variables on the study duration. Moreover, secondary data was collected from the insurance companies’ annual returns submitted to IRA for five-year duration (2014-2018), which yielded adequate data points for each insurance company deeming it viable. Risk-based capital was determined by the standard formulae as per the risk-based supervision model. It was a composition of operational risk charge, market risk charge, insurance risk charge, credit risk capital charge, and an adjustment which considered the lossabsorbing capacity of technical provisions and deferred taxes. Investment returns in insurance companies was calculated using the investment income ratio. Test of normality, linearity, multicollinearity, and independence were conducted and were found suitable for linear regression to be conducted. Linear regression was used to evaluate the nature of the relationship between the variables based on the hypothesis in the study and at a significance level of 5%. Coefficient of determination ( ) was derived to show how the model fits the data. The study findings revealed a positive and significant relationship between risk-based capital and investment returns, thus allowing investment portfolio managers in the insurance industry to justify their investments in high risk areas that may attract a high capital charge.