News
Insurance M&A Slows in 1H 2019 Following a Busy 1H 2018
08/26/2019
Leading global investment management firm Conning has issued an Insurance Insight from its Insurance Research group reviewing merger and acquisition (M&A) activity among insurers during the first six months of 2019.
Medical Professional Liability (MPL) Insurers May Find Value, Not Price, is Best Medicine
08/23/2019
After several years of soft pricing and low but steadily increasing losses, MPL insurers must find new growth strategies as market evolves.
Esoteric ABS Offering a Clear Opportunity in Uncertain Times
08/13/2019
The asset-backed securities (ABS) subset known as “esoteric ABS” may sound complex but it is often backed by collateral that is easy to understand, such as commercial aircraft, railcars and shipping containers. Learning more about esoteric ABS may be rewarding: a number of esoteric ABS are currently offering yields at a premium to traditional ABS and other assets of similar quality and duration.
Life-Annuity Insurers Face Distribution Challenge in Delivering Omnichannel Capabilities
08/12/2019
The life insurance industry continues to struggle to increase policy counts, however, improving retention and deepening customer relationships can help reverse this trend along with new sales growth, according to a new study by Conning.
Conning Awarded Best Technology Initiative During Investment Exchange Awards 2019 Ceremony
07/08/2019
The Insurance Investment Exchange Awards, the premier event feting excellence in the insurance industry, cited Conning in the category of Best Technology Initiative at the 18 June ceremony. Conning was recognized for its FIRM® Portfolio Analyzer and Investment Optimizer software.
The MGA and Program Sector Continues to Soar According to Conning's Latest Strategic Study
06/27/2019
The Managing General Agent and Program market is continuing its growth and is solidly entrenched as a key business model for property-casualty business, according to a new study by Conning.
Conning: U.S. Corporate Pension Funding Levels Improved in 2018, but Hurdles Loom
06/25/2019
Leading global investment management firm Conning reports that overall U.S. corporate defined benefit (DB) pension plans improved their plan funding status in 2018, but continued increases in federal pension insurance premiums and heightened market volatility will likely drive more plan sponsors to seek de-risking strategies.
Property-Casualty Industry Loss Reserve Position Improved, But Redundancy is Concentrated in Just Two Areas
06/24/2019
Conning’s annual study of the property-casualty industry’s loss reserves find that the overall reserve position appears to be redundant, after again improving in 2018.
Conning’s Latest State of the States Report Provides a Retrospective on the Past Decade and the Outlook Ahead for State Credit Quality
06/05/2019
Conning maintains its stable outlook on overall U.S. state credit quality in the latest report of our ongoing analysis and ranking of all 50 states. The report also examines how conditions have evolved in the 10 years since the financial crisis and, among other findings, looks at how well individual states might weather another economic downturn should one strike in the near future.
Rising Life Insurance Expenses Impact on Profitability
05/07/2019
Life insurers face a challenging environment of low interest rates, higher reserve requirements, poorer claims experience, and sluggish organic premium growth. Insurers may try to reduce costs to achieve profitability but that may not drive long-term success, according to a new study by Conning.