• Disintermediation risk refers to the possibility that policyholders may cancel a policy due to rising interest rates. If interest rates rise too quickly, then policyholders may cancel their policies faster than expected, which could result in cash flow liabilities exceeding returns on investment assets. Alternatively, during extended periods of low interest rates, when policy relinquishment rates tend to decrease, insurers face the risk that investment returns will decline to the point where they cannot service current liabilities. In either case, the sensitivity of investment income and political commitment to changes in interest rates can have a significant impact on the cost of equity.