Analysis

• International capital standards: the US's chorus of disapproval

  16 May 2019

  Development of the global insurance capital standard (ICS) has always been controversial. But the level of ire expressed by the US government, regulators and insurers at this week's NAIC conference was unprecedented. Sarfraz Thind reports

  

• German life insurers relish €4.5bn-plus saving on ZZR contributions

  14 May 2019

  The revised methodology for calculating Germany's special interest rate reserves is saving billions for the country's life insurers. David Walker reports

  

• The European insurance businesses ripe for M&A

  13 May 2019

  Analysis of solvency and financial condition reports by Insurance Risk Data has revealed dozens of insurers with small, loss-making lines that might be ideal targets for M&A. David Walker and Christopher Cundy explain

  

• The CRO and pianist who hits all the right notes

  09 May 2019

  Justin Skinner is chief risk officer at Vitality, the pioneering life and health insurer. He talks to Ronan McCaughey about his career, the risk management challenges associated with technology – and Queen's greatest hits

  

• Glyphosate, opioids and talc - candidates for the next asbestos?

  07 May 2019

  Claims relating to asbestos exposure caused a catastrophic level of losses for the insurance industry. What is the potential for the scenario to be repeated by other chemicals and compounds? Paul Walsh reports

  

• Lloyd’s culture risks sabotaging its transformation plan

  03 May 2019

  Lloyd’s “bold new strategy” to transform the 330-year-old insurance market by targeting efficiency and technology innovation could fall flat because of a lack of talent, the timeline for execution and the challenge of appeasing different stakeholders. Ronan McCaughey explains

  

• Decoding IFRS 17 from an investment perspective

  30 April 2019

  Efforts by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) to clarify the definition of investment components within an insurance contract have been welcomed by some stakeholders. However, others argue a new proposal from the board could spark confusion. Cintia Cheong explains

  

• LDTI: a challenge even for the most well-prepared

  25 April 2019

  The US long-duration targeted improvements (LDTI) accounting change is one of the most complex accounting developments ever to hit the US insurance industry. EY's Evan Bogardus and Chad Runchey tell Sarfraz Thind about the implications of the new standard and - why it is so taxing for insurers

  

• Top technology tools for actuaries

  23 April 2019

  The actuarial world may sometimes be perceived as a stolid profession, but the development and integration of new technologies means the sector is moving apace. A survey by the US Society of Actuaries highlights the key technology trends in the business. Sarfraz Thind explains

  

• Six ingredients needed for an effective consumer risk metric

  18 April 2019

  How should insurers communicate the risks and benefits of their products to potential retail customers? A recent paper from the UK Institute and Faculty of Actuaries investigated this question and came up with some surprising results. Christopher Cundy explains