The Conning Commentary: Earnings Roundup, First Quarter 2020
06/11/2020
When the Covid-19 pandemic reached the U.S. in March, it posed a significant headwind to insurers across the industry.
Back-Testing the GEMS Expert View Calibration — COVID-19 Review
06/10/2020
The economic stresses from COVID-19 remind us of the value of robust market-risk modeling. Such extreme conditions also provide valuable new data for back-testing model calibrations.
Credit Opportunities Amid Downgrades and Fallen Angels
06/05/2020
The COVID-19 pandemic will likely lead to a series of credit profile deteriorations, ratings downgrades and a widening of spreads, but Conning believes there are opportunities amid the market dislocation.
Conning’s Commitment to Address Injustice, Prejudice and Racism
06/03/2020
Conning’s leadership stands with those pursuing peaceful means in the U.S. to create positive change for the African American and Black community in both policies and culture.
Amid CLO Downgrades, Monitoring, Stress Testing, Robust Credit Analysis Key for Insurers
06/02/2020
The growth in insurance company holdings of collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) may be of concern to some insurers as CLO downgrades increase. Even though the majority of insurer CLO holdings are of high quality, Conning and affiliate Octagon Credit Investors remind that ongoing oversight is key.
Gallant Steeds or One-Trick Ponies? The World's Central Banks React to a Pandemic
05/27/2020
Conning’s Rich Sega examines the significant steps the world’s central banks have taken to help offset the economic calamities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The banks have historically flooded markets with money in response to a crisis, but will it work this time? And what are the risks?
Pension Funded Status Tracker April 2020
05/14/2020
The funded status of the average U.S. corporate defined benefit pension plan improved by 2% from 82% to 84%, between the beginning and end of April 2020. The asset portfolio increased in value as both the hedging and growth portfolios outperformed and liabilities also increased in value, mostly driven by a contraction in corporate bond spreads.
The Conning Commentary: Insurance Industry Responds to COVID-19 Pandemic
05/11/2020
The May Conning Commentary offers an in-depth review of the COVID-19 pandemic business interruption creating challenges for insurance companies, and also reports on how property and casualty, life and annuity, and health insurers are faring during this period, as well as a look at what may be next.
MPL Market Update
04/30/2020
The medical professional liability (MPL) insurance industry is seeing rising combined ratios, falling profitability less favorable reserve development, and also higher jury malpractice awards driven by “social inflation.” Conning’s Bill Burns notes that these factors suggest more trying times may be ahead for carriers in his video “Market Update,” created for the Professional Liability Underwriting Society 2020 Healthcare & MPL Symposium.
COVID-19 and Poor Countries: The Right Response
04/30/2020
The world’s poorest countries affected by COVID-19 are in need of financial assistance, but Conning affiliate Global Evolution, a manager of emerging and frontier markets debt, argues that any solution must be driven by the principle of “crowding in” market-based finance through market confidence-building measures.