News round-up - 26 February 2021
Aflac, L&G, ABI, PIMCO, Metlife IM, Phoenix Group
Aflac, L&G, ABI, PIMCO, Metlife IM, Phoenix Group
Financial market volatility will continue to hit investment income, insurer says
Finnish insurer on road to investment carbon neutrality
Financial results show drops in regular investment income but gains in portfolio value
Specialist underwriter benefitting from buying brokers The Judge Group
Reinvestment yield from class more than double of that from core fixed income
BaFin's top insurance regulator predicts more insurers will face "intensive supervision" from COVID-19
US underwriters account for 8% of all investments in the sector
NN IP's own emerging market funds are yet to become impact funds
Italian insurer's injections will go into socially useful economic activities across Europe
CEO plans reducing footprint further in 2021
Total returns fall from 3% to 2.8% during 2020
ABI commissioned report suggests changes to MA and risk margin frameworks
Affiliate under pressure from parent, Insurance Asset Risk understands
Bavarian insurer says co-operation will help fuel general account
UK insurer to sell its French insurance and asset management operations
Daniel McHugh to take over from Mark Versey, who was promoted to CEO in January
Asset manager attended 6.8% more meetings last year voting on ESG and human rights concerns
M&G; ASR; Axa IM; Barings; Berkshire Hathaway; Climate Action 100; Aviva Investors
Focus on more diverse investments as solvency ratio veers between extremes
Continues work to decrease carbon footprint
Avoided many 'fallen angels' and impairments
Re-risking general account not on agenda, CFO says
External and total assets both sit at record high
Annual results showed increase in illiquids allocation
Two economists from the French regulators highlight role of investments in insurers' insolvency
CNP Assurances's CAC 40 hedge has a strike 45% below current value
The 3% allocation to alternatives generated almost as much as the dropped income in FI
Market timing in both bonds and shares helped French group's portfolio
Insurance Asset Risk is pleased to announce the winners of its 2021 Awards
Few issues seem to raise more ire in the green movement than fossil fuel investment. Anthony Minopoli, CIO at Knights of Columbus, explains why divesting from fossil fuels is not the answer to the climate change issue right now. Part one of a two-part interview by Sarfraz Thind.
Lars Haram, chief investment officer at Oslo Pensjonsforsikring, discusses climate change, how the insurer sold its direct holdings in oil and gas and why focusing solely on renewables is not the right approach. Interview by Vincent Huck
Voya IM winning a mandate with Assurant last year in the middle of the pandemic may have left many 'green with envy'.
Lars Haram, chief investment officer at Oslo Pensjonsforsikring, discusses the insurer's unique position as one of the most solvent in Europe. He discusses how it can afford to take more risk, and how it "got lucky" in pandemic times. Interview by Vincent Huck
Insurance Asset Risk's outlook survey discovered that sustainability is the overarching theme that will influence insurance investor behavior—not just this year but for the next decade and probably beyond. Yet, some are more prepared than others. Sarfraz Thind reports
Hong Kong's life insurers face the ongoing challenge of unearthing long-dated assets to match long-dated liabilities - a task set to get harder under the planned risk-based capital rules. David Walker discusses the options with investment professionals at insurers confronting the challenge head-on
Respondents to Insurance Asset Risk's outlook survey seem more at the mercy of the financial gods than ever before. Most agree that while the pandemic rages, 2021 will be a damn hard year to predict. Sarfraz Thind reports
While activism used to go against businesses, there is a lot more collaboration these days, and understanding between protagonists, as David Walker finds out
Carlos Montalvo Rebuelta analyses EIOPA's advice to the European Commission on the Solvency II 2020 review, highlighting the points of contention between regulators and policy makers