Patpatia's detailed survey of insurer asset management tracks the variety of approaches being used to combat the low-rate environment. Insurers are outsourcing more and expecting a wider range of services from third-party asset managers. Sarfraz Thind sifts through the data
Increased competition, compressed spreads on debt, construction risk and regulatory charges are just some of the factors that have helped to crimp progress on an ambitious programme of infrastructure investment that six UK insurers committed to in 2013. Mark Nicholls explains
Prepare for a very bumpy ride in the markets over the next few weeks, Kerry Craig advises
Group head of investments at Ageas, Wim Vermeir, talks to Hugo Coelho about the pluses and minuses of investing in infrastructure loans, including proposals to revise the capital charges under the impending Solvency II regime
The vast bulk of LV='s assets are managed externally and produce solid returns but, as it looks for extra yield, the UK's largest friendly society is building up its commercial mortgage investments. Mike Leonard, investment solutions manager, talks to IAR
Insurers' investment in infrastructure has stalled in the face of legal uncertainties over long-term commitments, proposed Solvency II capital charges that seem too high to the industry and growing competition for infrastructure assets. Sarfraz Thind explains
After decades of a bond bull market and six years of central bank liquidity measures, is the fixed-income bubble bursting? Prashant Sharma examines what this would mean for insurers' portfolios, historically heavily weighted towards this asset class?
German insurers are struggling to meet guaranteed rates on life insurance products when returns on traditional investment assets are so paltry. How big a drain on capital is the mismatch producing and what's being done to ease this? Sarfraz Thind explains
Andreas Gruber, CIO of Allianz, handles one of the biggest insurance investment portfolios in the world. Here he talks to Sarfraz Thind about the structure used to support multiple regions and assets, the attractions of illiquid assets and being ready for when the bubble bursts at the end of quantitative easing
The safe haven status of Europe and deregulation at home are major spurs; London is a favoured target. Joe Valente explains
The 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
The 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