Equity-linked pension schemes with guarantees

This paper analyses the relationship between the level of a return guarantee in an equity-linked pension scheme and the proportion of an investor’s contribution needed to finance this guarantee. Three types of schemes are considered: investment guarantee, contribution guarantee and surplus participation. The evaluation of each scheme involves pricing an Asian option, for which relatively tight upper and lower bounds can be calculated in a numerically efficient manner. We find a negative (and for two contract specifications also concave) relationship between the participation in the surplus return of the investment strategy and the guarantee level in terms of a minimum rate of return. Furthermore, the introduction of the possibility of early termination of the contract (e.g. due to the death of the investor) has no qualitative and very little quantitative impact on this relationship. ► We analyse return guarantees relative to investors’ contributions needed to finance the guarantee. ► Three types of pension investment schemes are considered. ► The evaluation of each scheme involves pricing an Asian option. ► Relatively tight upper and lower bounds can be calculated in a numerically efficient manner. ► We draw a number of conclusions pertinent to the design of equity-linked pension schemes.