Archive

  • Legal & General appoint new private markets CIO

    21 June 2024

    Gareth Mee to become CIO following merger of AM affiliates

  • How low and how long?

    14 November 2019

    Low interest rates are here to stay, might be the only consensus in the insurance investment market right now. But how low and how long will they stay remains an unanswered question. A panel of two economists and a consultant tried to provide some answers. Vincent Huck reports

  • Insurers are increasingly considering sub-investment grade assets

    06 November 2019

    EY’s Gareth Mee says asset allocation is the best shield for life firms in the low rates environment

  • UK government announces second sale of student loan book

    12 October 2018

    First sale was completed in December 2017 and raised £1.7bn

  • Insurers' shift into private credit sparks evolution in internal rating capabilities

    04 June 2018

    With insurers showing greater appetite for private credit, authorities are keen to ensure firms are applying robust credit risk assessments – but the lack of rating agencies in the space is giving regulators and insurers a headache. Asa Gibson reports.

  • IFoA observes common practices on private credit allocation

    21 November 2017

    A working group hosted by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) has issued guidance for insurers on investing in private credit under the constraints of Solvency II.

  • Private debt blues

    19 July 2017

    Private debt seems the perfect fit for insurance investors with its long-term horizon, better-than-average returns and graspable risk for those used to dealing with fixed income. Yet the regulatory stance on the asset has not been overly clear so far. Sarfraz Thind reports

  • PRA rejects market gripes over NNEG standards

    06 July 2017

    Regulator stands by its 'effective value' methodology to measure embedded value of no negative equity guarantees in restructured equity release mortgages

  • UK student loan book: a political risk worth taking?

    03 March 2017

    The UK government has structured a tranche of the 2002 to 2006 student loan book to make it attractive to insurance investors. Insurers are wary of political risks, however. Callum Tanner reports

  • Hot property: ground rents

    15 February 2017

    Ground rents offer insurers a way to diversify their real asset portfolios, with a low risk profile and relatively attractive yields. But market access and Solvency II treatment are significant barriers. Asa Gibson reports.