Fast simulation for multifactor portfolio credit risk in the t-copula model

We present an importance sampling procedure for the estimation of multifactor portfolio credit risk for the t -copula model, i.e, the case where the risk factors have the multivariate t distribution. We use a version of the multivariate t that can be expressed as a ratio of a multivariate normal and a scaled chi-square random variable. The procedure consists of two steps. First, using the large deviations result for the Gaussian model in Glasserman, Kang, and Shahabuddin (2005a), we devise and apply a change of measure to the chi-square random variable. Then, conditional on the chi-square random variable, we apply the importance sampling procedure developed for the Gaussian copula model in Glasserman, Kang, Shahabuddin (2005b). We support our importance sampling procedure by numerical examples.