Insights

These views and opinions are those of the authors at the time of writing, may be subject to change, are for informational purposes only, and they should not be construed as investment advice or a recommendation for the purchase or sale of securities by Conning. The information may not be current and Conning has no obligation to provide any updates or changes. Individual portfolio management teams for Conning may have views and opinions and/or make investment decisions that, in certain instance, may not always be consistent with the views and opinions expressed therein. While any third-party data used is considered reliable, its accuracy is not guaranteed.

A.M. Best Interview: Insurers Embrace Liability-Driven Investing 

06/09/2017

In a recent interview with A.M. Best, Conning's, Daniel Mainolfi, said insurers and pension fund managers have become proficient in investing against long-term liabilities, which can reduce overall volatility.


Breaking the Pension Funding Stalemate

05/05/2017

U.S. defined benefit plan sponsors need new tools to break the stalemate many face regarding pension funding: unable to improve low funding levels, sponsors have not implemented stronger plan risk-management practices to help them better align plan assets with future liability obligations.


Annual Corporate Pension Review

05/01/2017

Conning’s Annual Corporate Pension Review - 2016 analyzes the financial health of the U.S. corporate defined benefit (DB) industry. In this report, we will be highlighting plan funded status and other key financial metrics that provide meaningful insight for corporate sponsors, chief investment officers (CIOs) and other plan stakeholders.


Conning 2Q 2017 State of the States Report

05/01/2017

Conning's view is that state credit quality continues to decline. Measures of state credit strength have worsened since our last report in October 2016. State revenue growth is falling short of expenditure growth and as a result state reserves are under pressure.


American Health Care Act May Offer Relief to Health Insurers

05/01/2017

The American Health Care Act (AHCA) that was passed by the House of Representatives on May 4, 2017, which is intended to reform the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA), introduces a number of changes to the health care market.


Webinar On-Demand: The New Investment Environment: Challenges & Opportunities

02/16/2017

The continuing low interest rate environment has taken its toll on investment results for the life insurance industry. Gross book yield decreased once again for the life-annuity industry. Insurers have been searching for levers to improve their returns, and yet, the interest rate environment has relentlessly pulled yields down.


Conning Chair & CEO on Risk Forecasting: Best’s Review column

02/01/2017

Conning’s focus on delivering customized investment solutions to insurance clients demands that we understand their unique needs. CEO Woody Bradford notes in February’s Best’s Review that risk forecasting has become increasingly difficult for insurers due to economic and political uncertainty, and suggests they consider modernizing their approach and use a broader set of tools and techniques to create more useful financial models.