Reinsurance News
Life reinsurance news
Life reinsurance industry news, analysis and insights.
Our life reinsurance market news stories cover happenings in the life reinsurance industry, people moves, new company launches, life reinsurance company results, product innovation and more.
U.S life/annuity market posts 25% drop in pre-tax earnings for 2018: A.M. Best
19th June 2019
The majority of U.S life/annuity companies posted favourable operating results in 2018, according to A.M. Best, but statutory pre-tax operating gains declined by 25%, the largest drop in five years. The rating agency observed that pre-tax operating earnings for the sector declined from $63.7 billion in 2017 to $47.8 billion in ... Read the full article
Climate action needed to limit fallout for life re/insurers: Swiss Re
17th June 2019
Unless further action is taken, the effects of climate change are likely to have “significant consequences” for life and health re/insurers, who will have to deal with increase risks from heatwaves, floods, droughts, fires and vector-borne diseases. This is according to a new report from Swiss Re, which linked climate change ... Read the full article
New tech enables L&H re/insurers to improve risk selection: Tony Laudato, Hannover Re
10th June 2019
The growing influence of advanced technology is enabling life and health insurers and reinsurers to improve the efficiency and robustness of the risk selection process, according to Tony Laudato, a Vice President (VP) at reinsurance giant Hannover Re. The rise of technology and its increased focus on the risk transfer industry ... Read the full article
Need to adapt is testing L&H re/insurers’ reluctance to change, says Hannover Re’s Tony Laudato
23rd May 2019
The historical reluctance of life and health (L&H) re/insurers to change is starting to shift as boards and senior management increasingly understand the necessity of adapting and embracing new technological advances, says Tony Laudato, a Vice President at Hannover Re. “Life insurance companies are very reluctant to change, a lot of ... Read the full article
Leap Life announces digital insurance platform, backed by RGAX
2nd May 2019
Leap Life, an insurtech company backed by RGAX, the transformation unit of Reinsurance Group of America (RGA), has announced the launch of its personalised digital life insurance platform. The platform aims to predict an applicant’s chances of getting approved, using a matching algorithm that optimises need, health and financial fit to ... Read the full article
Premiums, income up at RGA in Q1 2019
30th April 2019
Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) increased its net premiums to $2.7 billion in the first-quarter of 2019 when compared with the prior year quarter, as net income jumped to $169.5 million. The global life reinsurer saw its net premiums increase 6% in the quarter, with adverse net foreign currency effects of ... Read the full article
Global life reinsurers poised for growth as U.S market slows: A.M. Best
25th April 2019
Growth in the U.S life reinsurance market has been challenged due to limited growth by direct writers, but opportunities have taken shape in emerging markets, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, according to A.M. Best. Five carriers account for the vast majority of assumed business and continue to dominate the U.S life ... Read the full article
Aon adds SCOR’s Alexander as Head of Life Reinsurance broking for Australia, NZ
11th April 2019
Aon has named Danny Alexander as its new Head of Life Reinsurance broking for Australia and New Zealand, as the firm looks to strengthen its reinsurance offering in the region. Alexander was most recently working at reinsurer SCOR in Sydney, Australia where he was Head of Client Solutions focused on the ... Read the full article
No-deal Brexit may reduce UK life insurers’ capital and profits: Moody’s
2nd April 2019
Moody’s Investors Service expects UK life insurers to experience reduced capital and profits in the event of a no-deal Brexit scenario, as well as more limited growth prospects. The rating agency considers UK life players as particularly exposed to a no-deal outcome given their high asset leverage, their significant exposure to ... Read the full article
Hannover Re sets up life reinsurance vehicle Kubera, closes first deal
11th March 2019
Reinsurance giant Hannover Re has established a new Bermuda-domiciled Class C reinsurance vehicle named Kubera Insurance (SAC) Ltd., registering the vehicle in October 2018 before receiving a licence for it in December. The Kubera vehicle appears to have been established specifically for Hannover Re's U.S life reinsurance business to enter into ... Read the full article
China’s interest rate reforms to support life re/insurers: Swiss Re
22nd January 2019
Reforms to China’s interest rate regime are expected to help kick-start the savings-based life insurance products segment in the country and support the development of re/insurers’ asset management capabilities, according to a report from Swiss Re Institute. Analysts predict that China’s current two-track interest rate system will become uniform by the ... Read the full article
KBRA stable on U.S life as industry approaches slowdown
4th January 2019
Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA) has maintained a stable outlook for the U.S life re/insurance industry despite signs that the market may be approaching a slowdown in profitability. In recent years, KBRA suggested that the macroeconomic environment has generally been supportive of the U.S life industry, while rising rates have offset ... Read the full article
Swiss Re takes further investment in ReAssure from MS&AD
20th December 2018
Global reinsurance firm Swiss Re has taken a further minority investment from insurance holding company MS&AD into ReAssure, taking the Japanese firms stake to 25%. MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings Inc (MS&AD) already holds around 15% of the shares in Swiss Re's UK closed life book consolidator ReAssure, having bought into ... Read the full article
Barents Re to target life expansion and bonds opportunities
14th December 2018
Specialist reinsurance firm Barents Re has identified Life reinsurance in emerging markets as a key area of expansion for the company, as well as further opportunities in its established Bonds lines. Speaking with Global Banking & Finance Review, President and CEO of Barents Re Gerardo Garcia noted that the Life and ... Read the full article
Unified Life to reinsure all life & health policies of Midwest Holding business
7th December 2018
Midwest Holding Inc. has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, American Life & Security Corp., has entered into an Assumption and Indemnity Reinsurance Agreement with Texan re/insurer Unified Life Insurance Company. The agreement will see Unified Life take on 100% of the liabilities and obligations of all American Life’s life, annuity ... Read the full article