Analysis

  • Preserving the diversity

    03 December 2015

    Designing Solvency II to fit the spectrum of EU insurers has not been entirely successful and national supervisors should be mindful of its threats to the business model of mutual firms, says Amice's Silvia Herms

  • Life insurers stuck with the riddle of the risk margin

    01 December 2015

    Of all the innovations of Solvency II, the risk margin threatens to be the most painful for UK life insurers. The transitional benefit will provide relief against it on 1 January, but in the long run it may do more harm than good. Hugo Coelho reports

  • Are the numbers up for operational risk modelling?

    24 November 2015

    The internal model application process and developments in the banking world have posed more questions about the merits of modelling operational risk under Solvency II. Asa Gibson reports

  • Solvency II fuels risk of model convergence

    16 November 2015

    The demands of regulatory approval are creating a lack of diversity in insurance models and driving an increase in systemic risk, according to a joint industry and academic study. Sarfraz Thind reports

  • How a 100% SCR stopped being sufficient capital

    12 November 2015

    Insurers are holding capital buffers larger than the minimum required under Solvency II, but is it the fault of the rules, the regulators or the market? Hugo Coelho reports

  • AM Best shifts cat risk assessment in BCAR update

    10 November 2015

    Interest rate risk and dependence on reinsurance are the other key changes to calculation of insurer credit ratings. Asa Gibson reports

  • Not so much the 'own' risk and solvency assessment

    05 November 2015

    From the size of the stresses to the maximum number of pages of the report, European regulators are becoming prescriptive about how insurers should go about developing ORSAs in preparation for Solvency II. Hugo Coelho reports

  • Avoiding the Solvency II hangover

    03 November 2015

    Risk and capital management activity has boomed thanks to Solvency II, but has the spend created business value? Justin Elks suggests ways to recover from the unpleasant after-effects

  • InsuranceERM/Towers Watson Risk Technology Report

    29 October 2015

    Senior risk and capital executives share their thoughts on risk technology, the pressures the industry faces, downsides of adopting new technology and the future shape of the industry.

  • Spanish life insurers heavily reliant on matching adjustment

    27 October 2015

    Top regulator warns about challenge of reporting and governance requirements, but admits industry is well-capitalised. Hugo Coelho reports