All articles by LII editorial
LII editorial
Allianz moves up global brand value ranks
Allianzs aggressive branding strategy is paying off with the insurer achieving the highest brand value increase of any European financial services company in Interbrands Best Global Brands 2011 study
Soaring contributions ahead for US pension plan sponsors
According to the SOA, sponsors cash contributions to private sector pension plans have generally exceeded minimum required levels and in the 10 years to 2009 aggregate annual contributions averaged about $66bn
Absa growth in African takaful market
Extending its reach in the Islamic financial services market, South African bank Absas wholly-owned insurance unit Absa Insurance Company (AIC) is to acquire the insurance book of the countrys only independent Sharia-law compliant insurer Takafol South Africa (Takafol SA)
Discretionary clauses banned in California
Discretionary clauses in life, health and disability policies became a thing of the past in California in early-October when the US states governor signed into law Senate Bill 621 (SB621) SB621 protects consumers of life, health and disability insurance from discretionary clauses in their insurance policies which give the insurer the sole discretion to decide if a beneficiary has become disabled, even if the consumer has a doctor certify that they are disabled,” said Jones in a statement
Allianz stakes claim in CO2 trading market
It has now broadened the scope of its investments with the acquisition of a 10% stake in Wildlife Works Carbon (WWC), a developer of projects reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions resulting from deforestation and forest degradation.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Get industry leading news, data and analysis delivered to your inbox
Hefty sentences for life settlements scamsters
The axe has fallen on Adley Abdulwahab and Christian Allmendinger, two former Texas businessmen found guilty in June 2011 of a life settlements fraud in which some 800 people in 36 US states and in Canada lost a total of $100m
Big future for accountable care organisations
According to Aon Hewitt, an ACO refers to the organisational structure adopted by federal agency the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to implement the Shared Savings Program established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Life settlements under heavy attack in the US
In an open letter to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) has called on the regulator to back the SEC life settlements task forces findings and recommend to Congress that it amends the definition of a security under the Federal securities laws to include life settlements.
Old Mutual exits US retail mutual fund market
Old Mutual Asset Management (OMAM), a unit of UK insurer Old Mutual, is to exit the US retail mutual fund market following an agreement to sell its 17 US retail mutual funds to Touchstone Investments for an undisclosed sum For Touchstone, the acquisition will bring with it 17 mutual funds with total assets under management of some $2.3bn Under the agreement with Touchstone, OMAM will act as a sub-advisor to the 17 funds
AIA Group firing on all cylinders
Asia is the most attractive place in the world in which to operate as a life insurer,” Tucker stressed in his review of AIAs third-quarter 2011 results