Analysis

• Inside the mind of a responsible investor

  19 August 2020

  The head of responsible investment at a European insurer reveals to Insurance Asset Risk the internal politics of the decision-making process and challenges in promoting sustainability internally. Interview by Vincent Huck

  

• 'What if?' Sensitivity tests put to the test

  17 August 2020

  European insurers provide important details on the impact of different scenarios, often negative, on their solvency coverage. This gives valuable insight and market intelligence, but work is still needed on what insurers publish, David Walker finds

  

• Regulators have the sustainability power

  12 August 2020

  JP Morgan Asset Management and Insurance Asset Risk have joined forces to understand what lies under the bonnet of insurers' responsible investment announcements. Findings were compiled in a report. We present some of the key high- level discoveries, with part one focusing on regulation. Vincent Huck reports

  

• Lloyd's - an investor in all but name?

  10 August 2020

  The 330-year-old institution might have made its name with insurance, but in recent years its investments, with the help of third-party asset managers, have countered heavy losses from the liability side of the balance sheet. Is the old dog learning new tricks, David Walker asks

  

• Storebrand: Fighting fires in the Amazon

  05 August 2020

  It's the climate at stake, Storebrand AM's CEO Jan Erik Saugestad says. The Norwegian insurance asset manager is part of a coalition which aims to hold climate-unfriendly governments accountable. Scoring a success in Brazil's Amazon fires battle last month is just the start, says its CEO. Interview by Sarfraz Thind

  

• EU recovery deal hailed by insurers, but concerns over its 'greeness' plagues some

  03 August 2020

  Investors breathed a sigh of relief when the €750bn EU recovery deal was reached after five days of tense negotiations. Although it will go a long way for the stability of Europe's economy, some lamented EU leaders had missed an opportunity to advance the issue of sustainability. Stephanie Harris takes the pulse of insurers and their asset managers

  

• ESG's negative impact on returns - myth or reality?

  29 July 2020

  A growing number of insurers have announced new or upgraded sustainable investment strategies in recent years. JP Morgan Asset Management (JPMAM) and Insurance Asset Risk have joined forces to investigate the drivers behind insurers' sustainable strategies. Vincent Huck reports on the high-level key findings

  

• Mortgages - safe as houses, or 'waiving' goodbye to repayment returns?

  27 July 2020

  Home loans have proved popular with Europe's insurers, to the tune of €237bn invested in 2019, but that was in the good times. As many underwriters holding them are forced to delay collecting repayments amid COVID-19, some are re-running stress tests on their portfolios, David Walker finds

  

• Comment: Global insurance CIOs well-positioned to weather COVID-19 storms

  23 July 2020

  Many insurers had already reduced portfolio risks in view of expensive valuations and anticipated credit cycle concerns, with the events of 2020 enabling accelerated decision making to capitalise on market dislocations, Etienne Comon writes on the back of Goldman Sachs Asset Management's annual insurance asset management survey.

  

• Comment: Where eagles dare

  21 July 2020

  On the back of five months of research on insurers' sustainable investment strategies, Vincent Huck reflects on the state of ESG integration at insurers, and why it's time for investors to 'dare'