Archive

  • Eiopa to receive more powers - insurers to pay?

    28 August 2014

    The European Commission's recent proposals to increase the power and change the funding sources of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority have raised more than a few eyebrows. Marcus Alcock reports

  • Will EWIs make internal models redundant?

    26 August 2014

    The UK's Prudential Regulation Authority continues to press ahead with the use of early warning indicators. Here Simon Yeung examines their usefulness in the face of criticism that they could in effect make internal models themselves surplus to requirements.

  • Leading the underwriting pack

    12 August 2014

    As one of the lead insurers for the tragic MH17 plane crash, German insurer Allianz has continued to make the headlines in recent weeks. Here Carsten Scheffel, CEO of Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty in London, talks to Marcus Alcock about the insurer's thoughts on integrated underwriting, Solvency II preparedness, and new areas of risk

  • Economic scenario generators: a means to many ends

    08 August 2014

    ESGs are widely used in capital calculations and enterprise risk management. Hal Pedersen and Stephen Sonlin explain how these critical tools work and what to look for in a good one

  • Could the ILS market see a dead cat bounce?

    31 July 2014

    The pricing of catastrophe bonds is picking up after a sustained and dramatic slump. But could it just be a summer lull before the action resumes in the autumn? Christopher Cundy asks market observers what they make of the recent trend

  • UK insurers rush 'own interpretation' of Solvency II rules

    29 July 2014

    The Association of British Insurers has compiled a confidential paper setting out the industry's reading of the Solvency II rules in a number of contentious areas, prompting an update from the regulator saying where they have got it wrong. Hugo Coelho reports

  • Optimising the capital structure

    24 July 2014

    By analysing the economic capital structure of European insurers, it is possible to gain a sense of their weaknesses and how they are likely to optimise their capital structure prospectively under Solvency II, according to Philippe Picagne and Raymond Tam

  • Solvency II reporting: is six months into four weeks really possible?

    22 July 2014

    With deadlines for submitting information to regulators coming thick and fast over the next year to 18 months, typical insurer regulatory reporting cycles are being shrunk drastically. Incremental change is unlikely to deliver the necessary time savings, says John Rowland

  • Going off-trail on internal models

    17 July 2014

    Over the past three years, about one in three UK insurers intending to build an internal model have scrapped their plans. More could follow before April next year, when the formal applications are due. Hugo Coelho investigates.

  • Protecting the diversification credit through driver-based dependency modelling

    15 July 2014

    For many insurers, the credit for diversification in their solvency capital has become essential to the viability of the business. But justifying the credit, both internally and to regulators, is becoming more difficult. Paul O'Connor describes how driver-based modelling can help