LONGEVITY RISK

  1. The risk by which a pension fund or life insurance company might be exposed due to higher-than-expected payout ratios. This occurs because of the rising life expectancy trends among policy holders and pensioners, which leads to having a higher payout levels than what a firm or fund initially accounts for. The plans that are vulnerable to highest levels of longevity risk are defined-benefit pension plans and annuities that assures lifetime benefits for plan or policy holders.
  2. The peril that the money a person saves for retirement might not be sufficient to sustain them because of increased life expectancy.