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UK insurers rush 'own interpretation' of Solvency II rules
29 July 2014The 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
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Beleaguered German insurers off the hook for reserve sharing
03 July 2014The government is looking at reforms to counteract the continuing low interest rate environment. Hugo Coelho investigates
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Hedge funds bring risk and return to reinsurance business
24 June 2014Hedge funds are changing the nature of reinsurance. The heavy emphasis on investment returns might serve them well in declining reinsurance markets, but there are risks involved with this approach. Sarfraz Thind reports
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Insurance asset managers grapple with Solvency II challenges
06 June 2014Solvency 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
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Coping with the inflation conundrum
28 May 2014The 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
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With changing market dynamics, insurers can profit in fixed income
07 May 2014They 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
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Diversification and caution characterise insurers' 2014 asset strategies
05 March 2014Another 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
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FCA dices with actuaries in annuity profits probe
14 February 2014The UK's Financial Conduct Authority wants to make the annuity markets more competitive, but tackling excess profitability and price differentiation may be a bigger challenge than it thinks. Christopher Cundy reports
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To call or not to call? Transition to Solvency II poses debt questions for insurers
07 February 2014Morgan Stanley analysis of Solvency II's capital grandfathering rules suggests some insurers' bonds may not be redeemed at first call. But insurers will have to balance their capital needs against their reputation in the debt markets
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ERM basics: Proxy techniques enable risk-based decision making
08 January 2014Proxy 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