Solvency II will impact how insurers manage their assets, but the effects will depend on their size and the business mix. Christopher Cundy and Hardeep Dhillon report from InsuranceERM's Insurance Asset Risk conference
The development of inflation or disinflation in different markets is a critical driver of corporate performance, rather than simply a tactical investment issue, as the case of P&C insurers shows. Etienne Comon explains
They buy in bulk, their size gives them clout with large fixed-income asset managers and their buy-and-hold outlook insulates them from market swings, as Douglas Niemann explains
China Life's outsourcing of a $3.2bn investment mandate and a loosening of strict regulations has kickstarted interest in managing China's insurance assets. Hardeep Dhillon reports
Revisions to the UK's legislation around annuities is causing insurers to rethink investment strategies. Hardeep Dhillon examines the impact on sterling capital markets and demand for assets
Another year of weak yields from bonds is prompting some insurers to continue diversifying their investment portfolios. But with predictions of weaker equity markets and continuing low interest rates, others are battening down the hatches. Jamie Bullen and Christopher Cundy report
Proxy techniques, such as least squares Monte Carlo, allow faster analysis of risks and for many insurers they have become essential tools for aiding decision making, as Brian Robinson explains
Friends Life is now directly investing in both infrastructure and commercial real estate debt after awarding combined mandates of £1bn this year. Jamie Bullen asks chief investment officer Mark Versey what lies behind this new strategy
Infrastructure investments provide a great match for insurers' liabilities, but Solvency II's crude view of the investment risk means money is not flowing as fast as it could. Milliman and JP Morgan Asset Management set out the justification for a review
The traditional bond markets are no longer satisfying insurers' desire for a secure, stable investment income. Portfolios need to be developed to include other new core asset classes and there are opportunities aplenty for the more nimble insurers, says Yasheen Rajan.
While bond lending may not provide huge amount of returns, in the current low yield environment that little extra could come handy for insurers. David Turner reports
An easing of geopolitical tensions combined with encouraging economic factors suggest a good year ahead for emerging markets, but will insurers take the bait? Stephanie Harris and Vincent Huck report