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The challenge of hedging under the volatility adjustment
29 April 2015The multiple factors used to calculate the Solvency II risk-free rate when using the volatility adjustment (VA) render it almost impossible to hedge perfectly while maintaining capital efficiency, but that in turn creates an opportunity for value-added asset-liability management, says Paul Fulcher
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Private equity seen as giving insurers best returns
27 April 2015The latest GSAM survey casts light on the asset classes insurers favour over the next 12 months, where they see the best returns, differences between CIOs and CFOs and the impact of regulation on investment decisions
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Matching adjustment details challenge UK insurers
22 April 2015The matching adjustment is currently the biggest issue for UK insurer asset portfolios before Solvency II comes into force next year. Among the key issues are equity release, FX hedges and collateral. Sarfraz Thind reports
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Friends Life CIO values his investment banking skills
13 April 2015At Friends Life Robert Groves has brought an innovative approach to the role of CIO from his previous career in banking. Right now his biggest challenges are ensuring Friends Life's assets are eligible for the matching adjustment and sourcing higher-yielding investments, as Sarfraz Thind explains
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Insurers see the gold in green
09 April 2015Green bonds are looking increasingly attractive to insurance companies which want to meet their risk and return objectives while producing a positive environmental or social impact. But there are concerns about the definition and capacity of the market, as Mark Nicholls explains
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Navigating the hard realities of policy divergence
31 March 2015The European Central Bank (ECB) unleashing quantitative easing just as the US Federal Reserve sits at the cusp of tightening is causing global currency spasms and market angst. Iain Stealy describes how insurance companies investing in bonds might react to these developments
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Insurers stick with bonds despite ECB buying spree
26 March 2015The launch of QE has sent bond yields tumbling but duration mismatches and capital charges on alternatives discourage reallocation, explains Hugo Coelho
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How insurers can make fixed income work harder
18 March 2015Diversifying portfolios into new sectors and markets within fixed income is just one approach that can help insurance companies squeeze out better returns in an environment dominated by low yields and tighter capital demands from regulators, argues Euan MacLaren
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European insurers should not settle for less than nothing
12 March 2015Moving along the yield curve may offer increased yield and dramatically expand the universe of investible instruments for insurers, Eugene Dimitriou and Michael Story explain.
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Asset diversification gains in popularity among insurers
05 March 2015The benefits of diversification under Solvency II are becoming clearer. But should insurers try to reap these benefits with in-house solutions or the help of external multi-asset funds? Sarfraz Thind reports