Analysis

• Three insurers' investment chiefs walked into a bar...

  19 October 2020

  With social distancing in mind, Insurance Asset Risk cancelled the proverbial bar, inviting the capital and investment heads at Poste Vita, Cattolica, L&G Capital, and Aviva Investors to an online cuppa, instead, at the magazine's virtual European conference. David Walker sat in on the discussion about their investment plans, views on BTPs, and future allocations

  

• USA insurers Q3 investments: dare to dream

  14 October 2020

  Second quarter insurance results were not quite as savage as many had been predicting earlier in the year. With Q3 looming on the horizon what risks can the industry expect to face up to and are we out of the woods yet? Sarfraz Thind reports

  

• Prudential's CIO on running the biggest show in town

  07 October 2020

  In the first of a two-part interview, Tim Schmidt, CIO of the biggest insurance portfolio in the USA, talks about steering Prudential Financial through the most devastating crisis of recent times. Despite headwinds, he remains optimistic of the company's ability to withstand challenges ahead - By Sarfraz Thind

  

• Convertible bonds shine in COVID-19 induced volatility

  30 September 2020

  Market turbulences in H1 2020 may have hit hard the asset side of insurers' balance sheet, but some assets thrive in muddy waters. David Turner looks at convertible bonds.

  

• IAR Americas: Round the world of credit

  28 September 2020

  Insurers examine the impact of COVID-19 on different asset classes in the credit and structured bond universe and how they feel about future performance, during a panel discussion at Insurance Asset Risk Americas. Compiled by Stephanie Harris

  

• Q&A with Boulder County commissioner Elise Jones

  25 September 2020

  Boulder County, one of the 64 counties of the USA state of Colorado, issued a proclamation calling on insurers to stop underwriting and investing in activities perpetuating fossil fuel extraction. County commissioner, Elise Jones, talks about what the jurisdiction is trying to achieve and the lack of political leadership on climate at the USA federal level. Interview by Vincent Huck

  

• The art of liquidity stress testing

  23 September 2020

  Panellists at the Insurance Asset Risk 2020 Americas event discuss the ins and outs of liquidity stress testing, from the design of the test to the use of the results. Compiled by Stephanie Harris

  

• CIOs turn from managing investments to managing expectations

  22 September 2020

  A panel of chief investment officers told the audience of Insurance Asset Risk's 2020 Americas event that their job coming out of the COVID-19 crisis will be as much about managing expectations of how much their investment portfolios can actually deliver, as it is about managing the investments themselves. Compiled by Stephanie Harris

  

• Sustainability - the external asset managers' view

  16 September 2020

  Research by Insurance Asset Risk, sponsored by JP Morgan Asset Management, has revealed the sometimes-challenging relationships between insurers and their external asset managers, as well as were both players complement each other. JPMAM's Mark Oldcorn and Jennifer Wu comment on some of the findings. Interview by Vincent Huck

  

• Stress-tested: How COVID-19 put insurers' investments under pressure

  14 September 2020

  The impact of the pandemic on insurers' claims remains unknown, and estimates vary widely. However, market turbulence in H1 has clearly impacted the asset side of insurers' balance sheets. Already, though, underwriters are looking ahead and rethinking investment decisions and ensuring resilience. Vincent Huck surveys the damage done and the plans afoot