State-backed UK terrorism reinsurer Pool Reinsurance Co. Ltd. is "very confident" that its members will vote in favor of fundamental changes to how it is run. The changes, which include shifting to catastrophe treaty-style reinsurance coverage from the current facultative model, are part of Pool Re's remit to return more risk to the private insurance market, which is a condition of its unlimited guarantee from the UK government. Pool Re is classified as an arms-length body of the UK Treasury department."The government support for the scheme ... sits as a cornerstone for...

Mergers and acquisitions in the UK insurance industry saw a rise in 2023, contrasting with a broader slowdown in deal activity across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence data, "there were 156 acquisitions of UK insurance targets last year, up from 130 in 2022."While deal numbers across EMEA decreased, the UK stood out as the most active M&A market in the region. The main driver behind the UK's volume was broker M&A, with a large number of small brokers and larger groups pursuing buy-and-build strategies. Notable deals included...

According to estimates from S&P Global Market Intelligence, individual annuity direct premiums and considerations surged by 21.8% in 2023, marking a third straight year of double-digit growth. The most substantial annual growth rate for this product category since 2002."A resilient domestic economy, rising interest rates, and ample supply of attractive products led to outsized expansion in individual annuities during a year of otherwise mixed growth in business volumes for the US life insurance industry." - S&P Global Market IntelligenceThe top six individual entities...

Florida domestic residential property insurers saw a positive financial turnaround in 2023 after seven years of struggling. According to an analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence, the group of around 50 insurers reported a net income of $147.3 million for the year, marking a significant improvement from previous years of losses exceeding $1 billion.One of the key factors contributing to this improvement was a notable increase in investment income and better underwriting results. Additionally, the industry benefited from a mild hurricane season and saw a rise in...

Property and casualty insurers doing business in California will be able to expand their use of catastrophe modeling under a new proposal from the state regulator. The California Department of Insurance is proposing that insurers be permitted to use catastrophe models that include wildfire, terrorism, and flood lines for both homeowners and commercial insurance lines.The proposal, which is the second element of the regulator's Sustainable Insurance Strategy introduced by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, aims to revise what can be included in catastrophe modeling. This...

Amidst persisting volatility in capital markets, insurers in the Asia-Pacific region are facing uncertainties over earnings, prompting them to actively manage their investments. According to S&P Global Ratings analysts, 98% of rated insurers in Asia-Pacific have a stable outlook, but the ongoing market fluctuations are impacting profitability.Lead analyst Wenwen Chen highlighted that insurers in the region are reassessing risk-return balances and becoming more selective due to credit stresses, particularly in real estate and alternative investments. Chen also noted that...

Shares of Heritage Insurance Holdings and American Coastal Insurance Corp., two Florida-based homeowners' insurers, have experienced significant increases in their stock prices as a result of strategic shifts and favorable weather conditions. Heritage Insurance Holdings' share price has surged by 115.9% to $7.86, while American Coastal Insurance Corp. has seen a remarkable 438.1% increase to $10.60.Heritage Insurance Holdings announced a strategic focus on commercial lines and the excess and surplus market, leading to its stock price rise. Similarly, American Coastal...

Japanese life insurers Dai-ichi Life Holdings Inc., T&D Holdings Inc., and Japan Post Insurance Co. Ltd. are all making significant progress towards achieving their annual profit forecasts for the fiscal year ending March 30, 2024.Dai-ichi Life Holdings Inc. reported a remarkable 42.1% year-over-year growth in net income, attributing the increase to various positive factors. The company stated, "The improvement in T&D Holdings' nine-month profit was largely due to a 'reactionary decline' in large temporary valuation losses related to Fortitude, a foreign reinsurance...

State insurance regulators are willing to work with the federal government but continue to maintain that they are best positioned to oversee the industry. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is prioritizing mitigation to deal with the impacts of a changing climate. Insurers must be ethical and transparent in how they utilize artificial intelligence so as to not perpetuate bias.Connecticut Insurance Commissioner Andrew Mais, in his capacity as both president of the NAIC and a state regulator, discussed various pressing issues including the role of...

Mutual of Omaha Insurance Co. has announced its plans to explore the formation of a mutual insurance holding company (MIHC), as confirmed in its 2023 annual statement. The company stated that it is undertaking this exploration to fully understand the structure's requirements and potential consequences, without establishing a specific timeline for the process.The potential MIHC formation would enable Mutual of Omaha to maintain its policyholder ownership structure while enhancing its access to external sources of capital. This move reflects the company's strategic...

The Allstate Corp. reported a significant turnaround in its financial performance, with the company marking its first positive pretax net income since Q1'22. In the fourth quarter of 2023, Allstate recorded a net income before taxes of $1.83 billion, a stark improvement from a net loss of $410 million in the same period of 2022. This positive result was driven by rate increases and enhanced property-liability underwriting income and ratios.Analyst Meyer Shields from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods highlighted the effectiveness of the rate increases, stating, "We're still seeing...

Root Inc., an insurance technology company, is planning to expand into new markets with the goal of establishing a nationwide presence for its car, home, and renters lines of business. The company recently reported its best-ever quarter, with CEO Alex Timm expressing confidence in their path to profitability.In an interview with S&P Global Market Intelligence, Timm discussed the company's expansion plans and the key role of technology in enhancing underwriting results and improving unit economics. He mentioned, "We're in 34 markets today and we don't see a reason Root...

The aggregate value of insurance underwriter M&A in North America increased in 2023, marking a positive trend amidst a wider decline in overall dealmaking. According to an analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence, while the level of deal activity in the insurance sector decreased by 2% with 96 transactions in 2023 compared to 98 in 2022, the aggregate transaction value saw a significant uptick to $16.23 billion, a 16.8% increase from the previous year's $13.89 billion.The largest deal of the past year involved Brookfield Reinsurance Ltd.'s planned acquisition of...

Lemonade's stock took a significant hit this week following the release of its earnings report. "What's transpiring here is they still were losing a lot of money," said Kaenan Hertz, Managing Partner at Insurtech Advisors, expressing investor disappointment with the results.In response to the market reaction, Lemonade CFO Tim Bixby stated, "In the company's view, its fourth-quarter 2023 results were arguably one of the best quarters we've had since going public three years ago." Bixby also highlighted that revenue, gross profit, and in-force premium were up year over...

An evolving reporting environment for greenhouse gas emissions is expected to drive the adoption of a key standard for measuring emissions in insurers' underwriting portfolios. The Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) launched the first version of an insurance-associated emissions standard in November 2022, but its adoption has been limited thus far. However, with the introduction of the new accounting standard for climate-related disclosures, IFRS S2, insurers and their clients are now under pressure to provide more information on their emissions. This...

The Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) has announced its plans to release an expanded version of its insurance-associated emissions standard in the first half of 2025. This new version will address areas that were not included in the initial standard, specifically treaty reinsurance and construction all-risk/erection all-risk cover.Marco Tormen, managing consultant at Guidehouse and head of PCAF's activities in Europe and German-speaking countries, highlighted the importance of these two areas in an interview. He stated, "These are two of the most...

The growth of personal auto premiums written through the direct channel has slowed down in recent years, according to a report by S&P Global Market Intelligence. While direct personal auto insurance writers are still growing, their rate of growth is lagging behind that of the traditional market. In 2023, direct channel premiums rose by 10.3%, compared to an 18.7% growth for the rest of the market.The direct channel refers to customers who purchase insurance online, via mobile devices, or by phone, without the involvement of an agent. This channel has been dominated by...

In a recent episode of the ESG Insider podcast, the focus was on how the insurance industry is tackling the dual challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. Rebekah Clement, Corporate Affairs Director at Lloyd's of London, emphasized the importance of considering both issues together, stating, "The two are inextricably linked, and it is so, so important that we're looking at both of them in the round."While the industry has made progress in addressing climate change, there is still work to be done in understanding and addressing biodiversity loss. Clement...

The Cigna Group has announced its plan to sell its Medicare business, a move that industry analysts believe will position the managed care insurer for future acquisitions. The divestiture, in which Cigna will sell its Medicare businesses to Health Care Service Corp. for approximately $3.7 billion, comes at a challenging time for Medicare Advantage as insurers face growing medical costs associated with the plans due to delayed care caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.According to S&P Global Ratings analyst Francesca Mannarino, Cigna's Medicare segment lacked the necessary...

The cyber insurance market is facing significant challenges due to the rapidly evolving information security landscape. In a recent episode of Next in Tech, analysts Thomas Mason, Dan Kennedy, and Scott Crawford discussed the complexities surrounding cyber insurance and the technologies associated with it.Insurers have traditionally played a crucial role in managing risk for businesses. However, the rise of cyberattacks, such as ransomware, has brought about a new kind of existential risk that has forced insurers to reevaluate their strategies. Thomas Mason, one of the...