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October 2013

Looking beyond standard annuities by Sean White from Swiss Re

by ProtectionReview 29/10/13

The death of the standard annuity has been predicted many times. As advisers and consumers seek alternatives to maximise their retirement earnings, low interest rates and the removal of gender as a pricing tool may turn out to be another couple of nails in the coffin. It is difficult to argue against the decline and the fact that sales of enhanced products have exceeded 50% market share of new business for the last two years shows that the simple annuity is not what it once was. However, the enhanced market also faces challenges. Until now, the enhanced annuity market has…
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BD + BE – EQ = Not Much Progress says Alan Newman

by ProtectionReview 22/10/13

BD + BE – EQ = Not Much Progress There can be little doubt that two Big Topics have recently found their way on to the business agenda, and not just in the insurance sector:  Big Data and Behavioural Economics.  But if we persist in being a low-EQ sector, the benefits from these new developments, to our businesses and to our customers, will fail to materialise. At conferences, seminars and networking events in the last 18 months or so I have seen presentations on Big Data and on Behavioural Economics and I have heard how each or both will improve…
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Karen Gamble urges us to consider a new habit…..

by ProtectionReview 07/10/13

Today I am thinking about perception. Why do so many of us perceive that we are immune from catastrophe?  What is ‘catastrophe’? How do you make a risk assessment?  I perceive a catastrophe as being loss of life, loss of health, loss of home or loss of income. Others may have a different perception. The insurance policies that are compulsory in the UK are motor insurance (if you drive) and employers’ liability (if you are an employer). We buy buildings insurance and life insurance when our mortgage lender insists. We are frequently told that we under insure our house contents…
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