September 2020

UK. Aon warns longevity risk has not gone away with COVID-19 deaths

Insurance and reinsurance broker and risk advisory Aon has warned today that re/insurers and pension funds need to avoid over-reacting to how inclusion of COVID-19 deaths changes recognised mortality models, saying that “longevity risk has not gone away.” Once excess deaths are added into the mortality models for the United Kingdom it may produce an unrealistic fall in life expectancy, Aon warns. Insurance and reinsurance companies, as well as pension schemes and funds, factor life expectancy into their calculations...

EU financial regulators asses risks to the financial sector after the outbreak of COVID-19 and call for enhanced cooperation

The impact of the crisis on EU banks’ asset quality is a key concern as significant uncertainty about the timing and size of a recovery persists. The ESAs see a risk of decoupling of financial market performance from the underlying economic activity, and , a prolonged lower for longer interest rate environment which is expected to weigh on the profitability and solvency of financial institutions, as well as contributing to the build-up of valuation risks. Directly following the COVID-19...

US. The crisis of multiemployer pension plans: Where do we go from here?

It is no secret that many multiemployer pension plans are struggling – paying out substantially more in benefits to retirees than the income they are receiving. Without legislative action, many are expected to go bankrupt in the next 5 to 15 years, leaving current retirees and active employees without the retirement income they expected. To understand where we go from here, let’s first explore the history of multiemployer plans, then look at potential avenues for reform. How...

UK:Workers ‘more at risk’ as they want to work past retirement date

A global retirement survey conducted in 15 countries by Aegon has revealed that workers in Britain could be exposed to lifestyle-changing financial risk later in life as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the survey, workers in the UK are less likely to want to retire earlier than planned but almost a third of them have no back-up plan in case they are unable to do so due to ill health. Only about 30% have a...

The use of technology and innovative approaches in disaster and risk management: a characterization of Caribbean countries’ experiences

The application of technologies, research, development, promotion of innovative approaches and local knowledge to confront complex issues posed by hazards are important components of managing disaster risks and guiding informed decision-making. Hence commitments to support and enhance access to technologies and to foster innovative approaches to risk reduction, preparedness and resilient recovery are essential requirements for the management of current and future disasters in the Caribbean subregion. Considering the importance of Disaster and Risk Management (DRM), the aim...

UK. £2.5trn of pension assets at risk from scammers

Up to £2.5 trillion of pension assets are at risk of being lost to scammers, according to a new report. The research from The Police Federation and The People’s Pension concluded that greater powers are needed to help prevent transfers to suspected scam schemes. As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to cause a rise in pension fraud, the research from workplace pension provider The People’s Pension and policing think tank the Police Foundation, found that from 13 pension providers alone,...

August 2020

Chilean Central Bank Measures Reduce Banks’ Risks from Pension Withdrawal

Following congressional approval of a bill to allow Chileans to withdraw up to 10% of their holdings from private pension funds, for the first time the Chilean Central Bank announced a program on July 30 to conduct repos with pension funds to purchase up to USD10 billion in senior bank bonds. This will allow pensions funds to maintain their investment positions and help reduce pressures that the pension fund withdrawal process would have likely generated on bank bonds and...

Risks That Can Derail Retirement

The day you retire, a weight on your shoulders seems to remove itself as you no longer need to work to survive. The years of punching a clock, worrying about losing a job and making uncomfortable small talk with that guy from accounting are over. But, among the bliss that is your 20-year vacation, there is a list of risks that retired individuals face more now than when they were working. Economic risks These may feel obvious to some....

Defined Benefit Pension Schemes in the UK: Asset and Liability Management

By Philippe-N. Marcaillou The goal of Asset-Liability Management (ALM) of a Defined Benefit Pension Scheme (DB) is to properly manage the risks related to variation in its building blocks on both sides of the balance sheet whilst maintaining the same expected return. This book provides a step-by-step methodology to maximize the complete restructuring and monitoring of the ALM of DB schemes. It is a product of the author's 25 years of experience and technical knowledge in ALM of...

AIG expands pension risk transfer reinsurance activities in Q2

American International Group (AIG), the global insurance and reinsurance player, has expanded its activities in the pension risk transfer space during the second-quarter of this year. Reporting its results recently, AIG highlighted the Life and Retirement business segment as one experiencing strong premium growth. AIG explained that its Life and Retirement division recorded income of $881 million, down $168 million compared to the prior year quarter driven by private equity losses, continued spread compression on the investment portfolio and...