L. Kryzanowski et Gs. Roberts, CAPITAL FORBEARANCE - DEPRESSION-ERA EXPERIENCE OF LIFE-INSURANCE COMPANIES, Canadian journal of the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada, 15(1), 1998, pp. 1-16
The multinational Sun Life Assurance Company was insolvent at marker v
alues in the 1930s as a result of a diminution in the value of its hea
vy investment in common stocks. Many of its competitors were also inso
lvent when their asset portfolios are marked to market. industry-wide
forbearance in the form of regulatory accounting window dressing misre
presented true technical solvency and helped Sun Life and a number of
its major competitors to remain in business during the Depression year
s. We conclude that widespread capital forbearance, and nor portfolio
diversification explains the survival of many large financial institut
ions in the 1930s.