Private credit losses could hit European insurers harder than banks, ECB warns

Private credit losses could hit European insurers and pension funds harder than banks, the European Central Bank (ECB) has said after simulating a “severe” shock to the market

Insurance assets managed by external managers reach $5.5trn

Insurance assets managed by external managers rose to $5.5trn in 2025, according to research from Clearwater Analytics and DCS Financial Consulting, a 23% YOY increase worth around $1trn

EU insurers propose rule changes to boost VC investments

European insurers have proposed several rule changes that would help to boost their own venture capital (VC) investments

Japan’s life insurers’ use of reinsurance more than doubles

Japan’s life insurers have increasingly relied on reinsurance in recent years, with the overall cession rate as a percentage of total gross premium written for the segment rising to more than 24% in 2023 and 2024 from just under 10% in 2020, according to a new AM Best report

US insurance tycoon sentenced for 12 years for $2bn fraud

North Carolina investment firm founder, Greg Lindberg, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for siphoning more than $2bn in reserves backing insurance policies and using the proceeds to fund jets, mansions and a 214-foot yacht

Nationwide to reinsure $16bn in fixed universal life policies With MassMutual

MassMutual has entered into an agreement with Nationwide for the reinsurance of a block of fixed universal life with secondary guarantees (ULSG) policies representing nearly $6bn of statutory reserves

Total assets of China’s insurers and insurance asset managers rise by 2.8% to RMB 42.5trn

Total assets of China’s insurance companies and insurance asset management companies amounted to RMB 42.5trn as of the end of Q1 2026, up by 2.8% from the beginning of the year, new figures published by the National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA) have revealed

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Annuity providers kept almost two thirds of investments in the UK in 2024

Bulk and individual annuity providers increased their UK investments by £22bn to £201bn in 2024, according to data from the Association of British Insurers (ABI)

a.s.r. becomes first Dutch insurer to have climate targets approved by the SBTi

a.s.r.’s climate targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)

Nordic coalition urges EU to rethink opposition to Arctic oil/gas drilling

More than a dozen Nordic investors and financial institutions have urged the EU not to drop its opposition to new oil and gas drilling in the Arctic

CCC report provides insurers with strong evidence base to strengthen climate risk frameworks

The UK’s Climate Change Committee (CCC) has published its latest assessment of the UK’s climate adaptation and readiness, warning that climate impacts are escalating faster than the country’s ability to manage them

The Expert View

Following Aon’s Insurance Investment Consultancy of the Year award win at the latest Insurance Asset Management Awards, Editor, Adam Cadle, gathers the latest thoughts from partners, Geoff Bauer and Lin Qu, about the insurance investment space

Sustainability stays strong in emerging debt markets

In an otherwise ugly environment for bond issuers and investors, the future for emerging market debt looks unquestionably green

Beyond US exceptionalism

The case for diversifying globally and across strategies with alternative credit

Bond investors need to understand the volatility cycle

Fixed income markets have become increasingly volatile, a trend that looks set to continue. Investors need to adapt themselves

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Setting a New Standard for Benchmarking Private Infrastructure Debt

As private infrastructure debt evolves, confidence comes from evidence. infraMetrics® uses real asset-level data to deliver credit insights and market-based curves where comparables are limited. A benchmark that guides insurers and investors through the uncertainties of today’s macro environment.

Navigating credit markets

Adam Cadle speaks to Jon Mawby, Head of Investment Grade Credit at Pictet Asset Management, about navigating the credit markets given yields have fallen to low levels over the past decades, whilst interest rate duration risk has continued to rise.

Opportunities in alternative fixed income

Adam Cadle speaks to Frank Meijer, Head of Alternative Fixed Income at Aegon Asset Management, about the key opportunities within the alternative fixed income space and how insurers can access these.

Why are government bonds so important when thinking about climate change?

Adam Cadle speaks to Dr Laura Ryan, Head of Research, Ardea Investment Management, about the importance of government bonds and climate change, and how the scope of impact and potential for change couldn't be greater

Expert Views

How can we rethink insurance investment to solve the complexity challenge?

The model of insurance investing has been upended since the financial crisis by a confluence of challenges. New assets, strategies and partnerships have the potential to help insurers cut through this complexity and deliver sustainable solutions

Expert Views

New Rules, New opportunities: A return to European ABS for insurers?

At the height of the global financial crisis, insurance company investors withdrew from the securitised debt market and sold down their asset-backed securities (ABS) holdings. But a decade on, new regulation offers the potential for securitised debt to re-emerge as an attractive investment opportunity for Solvency II-regulated insurers, believes James King, Fund Manager at M&G Investments

Schroders Global Investor Insights Survey