Last September, the UK pension risk transfer (PRT) market received a new entrant in the form of M&G, the ninth insurer to enter the space; its inaugural transactions were with its own pension fund, and an unnamed external scheme. Then, this month, one entered, and one exited.
Insurers are favouring funded re as it helps firms manage the market and longevity risks associated with writing bulk purchase annuity (BPA) business by reducing capital charges and therefore making PRT deals more competitive.
Unsurprisingly, given its growth and potential for capital optimisation, UK regulators have been carefully watching the increased use of funded re. In June 2023, the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) sent a “Dear CRO’ letter to heads of risk at UK life insurers.
The letter outlined the regulator’s two main concerns from a sectoral review which it had carried out.
“One of the key risks arising in funded re is that firms recapture sub-optimal portfolios with depressed values and with limited ability to be transformed effectively to the firms’ preferred portfolio,” the PRA letter said.
Post a comment
Related Posts
Credit and Liquidity Risk Back in Focus but Life Settlement Market Looks to 2025 With Optimism
The Office of Financial Research in the US published its 2024 Annual Report to Congress…
To Buy-Out, or Not To Buy-Out?
The total surplus of the approximately 5,000 defined benefit (DB) pension schemes in the UK…
Latest Version of NCOIL Life Settlements Model Act Provides Welcome Update to Outdated Processes
Ask any life settlement broker or provider about the administrative processes involved in completing a…
Taking the Next Steps to Better Serve the Life Settlement Market
Established in 1994, the Life Insurance Settlement Association (LISA) is the oldest and largest trade…
