June 11, 2026

FHLB as a Strategic Lever for Insurance Balance Sheets

By Matt Reilly, Head of lnsurance Solutions

Insurers are increasingly active participants in the Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) system, both in terms of membership and balance sheet engagement. What was once viewed primarily as a supplemental funding source has evolved into a multi purpose financial tool, supporting liquidity management, funding efficiency, and asset liability strategies across the insurance industry. 

Insurers now represent a meaningful and growing segment of the FHLB membership base, accounting for approximately 10% of total members, but 27% of advances (Figure 1). This disproportionate use of advances underscores the system’s strategic relevance within insurance balance sheets.

Insurers are deploying FHLB capacity in distinct ways. For some, advances serve as a source of secured financing, supporting asset acquisition, portfolio construction, and duration positioning. For others, access to the FHLB functions primarily as a liquidity backstop, providing balance sheet flexibility during periods of stress or market dislocation. Advances may also serve as an efficient complement to broader hedging or interest rate management strategies, allowing insurers to align asset and liability profiles without relying solely on unsecured markets.

These strategies are reflected in how insurers pledge collateral and utilize borrowing capacity. Variations in liability structure, investment strategy, and liquidity tolerance drive differences in levels of collateral posting, advance utilization rates, and overcollateralization across insurer segments. In the sections that follow, we examine these dynamics to better understand how insurers incorporate FHLB capacity into their broader balance sheet frameworks.

 

Continue reading Conning’s Viewpoint, “FHLB as a Strategic Lever for Insurance Balance Sheets."

 

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