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Solvency II data requirements have global implications
25 February 2015The last-minute rush to comply with the impending new EU regulatory framework has drawn in insurers and asset managers outside Europe as these firms hasten to revamp their data management, governance and monitoring systems. John Legrand explains
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Insurers still face barriers to investing in infrastructure debt
17 February 2015Standardised reporting, documentation and benchmarks, coupled with credit enhancements and more flexible regulation, would make this asset class more attractive, argues Patrick Liedtke
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Insurers juggle the attractions and drawbacks of illiquid assets
12 February 2015With quantitative easing reducing the chance of any rise in interest rates soon, insurers are even more interested in higher-yielding illiquid assets to bolster their paltry returns from fixed-income, but Solvency II capital charges remain a problem. Sarfraz Thind reports
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Unit-linked portfolios under Solvency II could offer significant capital benefits
03 February 2015The matching requirements for unit-linked assets and liabilities offer the possibility of both stabilising the economic balance sheet and enhancing the solvency position, argue Sinéad Clarke, Kevin Manning, Scott Mitchell and Eamonn Phelan
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Zurich looks to boost real estate portfolio
29 January 2015Alessandro Bronda, Zurich's real estate investment strategist, tells Marc Jones why the asset class is performing well and why it is an important part of the insurer's overall portfolio.
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Phoenix's Vidur Bahree: putting the house in order
21 January 2015Instilling fresh thinking into the asset strategies of legacy insurers while navigating the global financial crisis has occupied Vidur Bahree for the best part of a decade. He tells Christopher Cundy about the ups, downs and turnarounds.
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Cutting down the hedge: how Emir is hitting insurers
06 January 2015Insurers are grappling with new EU rules which could discourage the use of derivatives at a time when they need them more than ever. Safraz Thind reports.
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Insurance Asset Risk's top stories of 2014
29 December 2014The events of 2014 confirmed that low interest rates and regulatory change remain the top concerns for insurers, says Christopher Cundy
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Alternative assets move up the London market billing
17 December 2014With the London market likely to soften further in 2015, insurers will increasingly have to look beyond underwriting returns to make a profit, with many expected to revise asset strategies. Christopher Cundy explores
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Fathoming out inflation hedges
10 December 2014The UK has set out a scenario for economic development that could lead to insurers and pension funds taking on a huge amount of inflation risk. Christopher Cundy reports