The Value of Curiosity
Liane Hirner, CFRO of VIG, has a strong belief in the merits of listening. It is a trait that has helped her navigate the shifts seen in life insurance in recent years, including macro volatility and the advent of trends like PE and asset intensive reinsurance.
Alexandra Jour-Schroeder: a new dawn for EU insurance investment
Europe has an €800bn economic investment gap. Alexandra Jour-Schroeder, Deputy Director-General of DG FISMA, European Commission, says European insurers are going to get more opportunities to bridge this.
Japan’s AIR makeover
The Japanese FSA’s nuanced overhaul of its asset intensive reinsurance rules has been welcomed by participants as keeping a key capital-management tool intact for the country’s life insurers. So what do the new rules say?
Sweden a shining star in Europe’s insurance market
The Swedish insurance market is a model in innovation, investment and healthy risk-appetite. Countries around Europe are looking to see what they can learn from their Nordic neighbour, as Magnus Vesterlund, Chief Economist at Svensk Försäkring discusses.
The European consolidation wave
It has been long talked about but consolidation could be coming to Europe in a big way as participants from Viridium and Frankfurter Leben discussed at Life-Re Europe.
The Regulators Angle
Regulatory certainty is key to a flourishing life reinsurance market. At Life-Re Europe, regulators showed receptivity to this newly emerging market development.
The PRA’s funded re clampdown
Has the PRA crashed the funded re market? That is the question many are asking following its recent proposal to hit the UK’s funded re business with a 10% capital charge.
Europe Resetting the Life Reinsurance Space
Luca Tres, Head of Strategic Risk and Capital Life Solutions, EMEA, Guy Carpenter, says convergence of rules is necessary to move the European life-re market forward.
EIOPA: Driving European harmonisation
Dimitris Zafeiris, Head of Risks and Financial Stability Department at EIOPA, explains the key challenges the market faces, including PE and insurance, macro threats as well as life reinsurance in Europe.
Netherlands: A longevity model
The 2023 Netherlands Future of Pensions Act, which required all Dutch defined benefit pensions schemes to move to a defined contribution model by 1 January 2028, has been a major catalyst for what is now one of the biggest longevity risk transfer markets in Europe.
RGA’s asset intensive insight
RGA remains one of the few reinsurers to have transacted an asset intensive reinsurance deal in Europe. As Executive Vice Presidents Cormac Galvin, Head of EMEA, and Jonathan Porter, Global Chief Risk Officer, discuss, shifting life markets mean this is a long-term growth business.
Italy: Private equity can be a force for good
Italy has experienced one of the more negative episodes in the private equity-insurance saga in recent times. Despite this, PE can play a constructive role in the market, says Rita Laura D’Ecclesia, Member of the Board of Directors at the country’s regulator, IVASS.
Hungary: The regulator’s angle
Hungary has been focused on growing its life market – and according to Koppány Nagy, the National Bank of Hungary’s (MNB) director for Insurance, Pension Funds and Intermediaries Supervision, there is an upward trend being observed.
Switzerland: Exploring reinsurance
Switzerland has been at the vanguard of Europe’s asset intensive investigations. Daniel Weijand, Supervisory Policy & Legal Expertise at the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, FINMA, gives his take on where the market might be headed next.
Poland: Mass lapse potential
Poland is exploring the use of new techniques for its life insurance markets. But the make-up of the country’s life products means it will not be pushing into reinsurance anytime soon, the financial regulator, the KNF, says.
Germany: All about consolidation
Germany could be on the cusp of a consolidation boom, after the path was cleared for a significant back-book transaction this year. Analysts believe deals of about €25 billion will hit the market in 2026.
