What do number crunchers who price insurance risk know about crypto futures? Quite a lot, actually. The same math that calculates your life insurance premium can help you trade Bitcoin futures smarter. Let's talk about managing extreme risk in volatile markets.
Shield your organization both from unnecessary costs and insurance shortfalls. Risk analytics can help you drive optimized risk retention, insurance limits and deductibles. If you’re under pressure to find cost savings, you may be asked to cut spend on specific risk lines. Risk managers who do this may see their organizational stock rise in the short-term, only for it to crash if they leave the business facing insurance shortfalls if there’s a claim.
Susan Hope, Scottish Widows Retirement Expert, commented: “Saving into a spouse’s pension, also known as third party contributions, is a helpful, but often overlooked, financial planning tool. Not only can it maximise tax relief for those who have used up their allowance, but it can also provide a helping hand to your spouse if they haven’t been able to build up their own retirement savings.
Annuities only made up 9.2% of the retirement market in 2024/25, according to data released by the FCA this week. That’s down from 10.1% in 2020/21. This fall comes despite the fact annuity rates have risen by around 50% in the last five years. Why rising interest rates haven’t revived the annuity market
Catherine Foot, Director of the Standard Life Centre for the Future of Retirement, commenting on the IFS’s report How do people already out of employment fare when the state pension age rises
Millions of people saving in Defined Contribution (DC) pension schemes can usually take 25% of the their pension pot as a tax-free lump sum once they reach 55 (57 from April 2028). The most that can be taken is £268,275.
The combined reserves of the largest 40 charities in England & Wales that sponsor DB pensions schemes now sits at £49bn in 2025, according to Hymans Robertson’s annual report on DB pension funding in the charitable sector. The analysis also shows a 5% rise in average funding level of the DB schemes since 2024.
MetLife UK’s second Everyday Risk Report finds number of everyday accidents is on the rise. A&E visits increased 3.8%, while hospital admissions increased 7% year-on-year. Despite the risk, just one in ten (10%) have the right type of accident and sickness cover which would give them financial support when needed most.
Nearly three in 10 (29%) UK residents have experienced an attempted or actual break-in to their shed or outbuilding. Just over two thirds (67%) of those whose shed/outbuilding was broken into reported break ins – or attempted break ins – to their home at the same time. Despite this, one in eleven (9%) do not take measures to protect their shed or outbuilding - equivalent to around five million Brits. Aviva urges residents to secure homes, as claims data reveals the average claim for outbuilding and shed theft in 2024 was £4,205
LCP’s latest and fifth annual survey on the Professional Trustee and Sole Trustee market – LCP Sole Mates highlights that while growth has slowed in the market, concentration continues apace with 80% (£800bn) of the £1.1 trillion scheme assets that Professional Trustee (PT) firms are responsible for managed by just 4 firms.
Swiss Re's optimistic scenario estimates GLP-1 drugs could lead to a reduction in cumulative all-cause mortality in the US general population of 6.4% over the next 20 years. For the UK, Swiss Re's optimistic scenario forecasts a 5.1% cumulative reduction in all-cause mortality in the general population, over the same time horizon. Achieving the full potential of GLP-1 drugs is strongly dependent on availability, adoption rates, lifestyle and nutritional changes.
Comprehensive car insurance premiums have fallen by 16% (£136) during the last 12 months, with UK motorists now paying £735 on average, according to the latest Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index in association with WTW
Standard Life, Broadstone, Forvis Mazars and Wealth Club comment as the Consumer Price Index remains significantly higher than the Bank’s 2% target. Next month’s data will confirm which part of the triple lock determines the State Pension rise – most likely average earnings at 4.7%. This is set to deliver around a £563 rise in the State Pension next year, taking it to £12,536 for 2026/27, just shy of the Personal Allowance which is currently set at £12,570.
New research from PensionBee reveals that September is a pinch point for household budgets, with rising bills leading many to reconsider their long-term savings. A nationally representative survey of 1,000 UK adults found that utilities and energy bills (26%) and food (20%) top the list of September money worries, followed by back-to-school costs (16%) and rent or mortgage payments (15%).
Pension savers withdrew over £70 billion from their retirement pots in 2024/25, an increase of 36% compared with the previous year, according to new data from the FCA
Latest BofA Global Fund Manager Survey shows professional investors are undertaking the second big rotation of the year. Having seen a shift from the US towards places like the UK and mainland Europe, fund managers are now going back to the US, according to the BofA survey. Valuations remain rich in the US and undemanding in places like the UK, Europe and China
Withdrawals of tax-free cash pensions have more than doubled in the last two years, new figures from the Financial Conduct Authority reveal. £18.3 billion of tax-free cash was withdrawn in 2024/25, a 63% rise on the £11.3 billion recorded in 2023/24 and more than double the £8bn withdrawn 2022/23.
The retirement income market data 2024/25 from the FCA shows that the number of Defined Benefit (DB) to Defined Contribution (DC) pension transfers continues to decrease.
DUAA clarifies ‘legitimate interest’ – meaning insurers can confidently use first and third-party data to engage with new prospects and lapsed customers
Countries such as Switzerland, Spain, Australia and Canada currently permit some form of assisted dying. It’s against the law in the UK, and this has forced many terminally ill patients to travel abroad for help or endure prolonged suffering at home, in a hospice or in hospital. The “Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill”, or the Assisted Dying Bill, passed the House of Commons in June 2025 and is now under consideration with the House of Lords.
Standard Life and Broadstone comment as average earnings likely to determine next April's state pension uplift under the triple lock. Pensioners will welcome the uplift, but questions on tax and long-term sustainability remain
Cargo theft is surging worldwide, posing a growing threat to supply chains and consumer confidence. As eCommerce accelerates and global distribution networks become more complex, the cargo and marine insurance industry faces increasing pressure to combat sophisticated criminals in a complex cross-border environment.
The employment rate came in at 75.2% in the three months to July, versus 75.3% in June. Unemployment came in at 4.7%, in July, versus 4.7% in June and market expectations of 4.7%. Economic Inactivity in the three months to June came in at 21.1%. Annual total earnings growth came in at 4.7%, versus 4.6% in the previous three-month period, and market expectations of 4.7%