Analysis

• Unit-linked portfolios under Solvency II could offer significant capital benefits

  03 February 2015

  The 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

• Zurich looks to boost real estate portfolio

  29 January 2015

  Alessandro 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.

• Phoenix's Vidur Bahree: putting the house in order

  21 January 2015

  Instilling 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.

• Cutting down the hedge: how Emir is hitting insurers

  06 January 2015

  Insurers 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.

• Insurance Asset Risk's top stories of 2014

  29 December 2014

  The events of 2014 confirmed that low interest rates and regulatory change remain the top concerns for insurers, says Christopher Cundy

• Alternative assets move up the London market billing

  17 December 2014

  With 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

• Fathoming out inflation hedges

  10 December 2014

  The 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

• EU insurers search for liquidity in US bond markets

  04 December 2014

  A paucity of appropriate assets is leading European insurers to other markets. But what are the risks in terms of hedging and eligibility for the matching adjustment? Christopher Cundy reports

• The art of asset allocation

  25 November 2014

  Creating an asset allocation policy is only the first step in an insurer's asset management business. Getting the policy implemented is a whole separate challenge. Julian Temes, head of strategy implementation at Zurich, talks to Sarfraz Thind about the nitty gritty of execution.

• Weighing up the capital charges for assets under Solvency II

  19 November 2014

  Gareth Mee runs through the capital charges that will apply to assets commonly held by insurers and explains where internal models could bring a better or worse treatment than the standard formula