The value of the CDS depend a lot on who contracts them

Sir Henny Sender in “CDS derivatives are blamed for role in bankruptcy filings” April 17 reports on how this type of instrument changes the behavior of creditors. One way I have found useful explaining the pro and con of the CDS is with a simile to life insurance.

Supposed Henny Sender took out a life insurance for a million quid to take care of her loved ones in case anything would happen to her. That should be a quite good responsible and tranquilizing thing to do. Now imagine instead that many of Henny Sender’s extended family and friends and even some total strangers took out million quid life insurance policies on her. Not so tranquiliz, baning eh?