Aleph / David Merkel on covered bonds
Aleph blog explains covered bonds, proposed to save the mortgage market.
It is not a passthrough, it is a bond. The covered bond buyers do not receive the principal and interest from the security held by the bank, the bank receives it. The covered bondholder (in absence of default) receives timely payment of interest at the stated rate, and principal at maturity. Only in default does the value of the security for collateral matter. If the collateral is insufficient to pay off principal and interest, the covered bondholders are general creditors for the difference.