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How to reduce costs and improve retirement outcomes

When the Tapered Annual Allowance (TAA) was introduced in 2016, it had the potential to impacted anyone with taxable income of £110k or more. Exceeding the TAA, which was between £40k and £100k (depending on the combined value of income and pension contributions) resulted in a penal tax charge. Many employers responded by offering employees earning above this the option to exchange employer pension contributions for a cash supplement.
Posted on Wednesday Aug 27

Exploring the intellectual property insurance landscape

Intangible assets as a percentage of enterprise value have increased exponentially. While not physical in nature, inventions, brands, all works of creative expression, including software, proprietary data, etc., have value. Intellectual Property (IP) as a legal means of protecting inventions, brands, and creative expression, therefore, is a critical driver of business growth. As individuals and organisations continue to develop new ideas, technologies, and solutions, the conversation around the importance of protecting intangible assets through the use of IP rights has intensified.
Posted on Tuesday Aug 26

Top 5 benefits of business continuity planning

Even the most prepared organisations can hit unexpected problems big enough to cause potentially serious disruption. Resilience, crisis management and business continuity planning are designed to create a blueprint for preparedness should something unexpected happen. Here are five reasons why creating, testing and refining a business continuity plan can provide your organisation with immense benefits, even without ever being put into action.
Posted on Friday Aug 22

The next systemic risk and what AI means for investors

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the defining issues of our time. With the potential to transform how we work, communicate and make decisions, AI presents both exciting opportunities and notable risks for investors. This article discusses the risks; the opportunities of course should also be considered. As investment consultants at LCP, a key part of our role is to help our clients identify and manage investment risks. When it comes to AI, we believe it is important to distinguish between three categories of investment risk:
Posted on Thursday Aug 21

Investment Insights Q3 2025

Ongoing trade tensions, particularly between the U.S. and China, have created uncertainty in the global economy, leading to volatility in financial markets. Watch this video to find out about the market performance over the second quarter of 2025, how the conflict between Israel and Iran and its impact on commodity markets and key trends investors should keep in mind for the upcoming months.
Posted on Wednesday Aug 20

Telling members what matters most about retirement

Everyone working in the pensions industry should meet a group of DC members every year to help them understand why they’re doing their jobs and who they’re doing them for”. These wise words from Sue Cox, who recently retired from communications consultancy likeminds, have always stuck with me. I’ve always thought about members and the impact my advice has on them whenever I make recommendations to clients. Now, as I approach my own retirement and face tough decisions, Sue’s advice feels even more relevant for members about to retire.
Posted on Wednesday Aug 20

3 common issues with claims notifications in PI insurance

Explore key guidance on recognising claims, understanding PI policy coverage, and gathering evidence via three critical issues that shape successful claims notification. When policyholders receive a PI claim or when they encounter circumstances that may or are likely to give rise to a claim, they are strongly advised to make an early notification to their insurers. Prompt reporting of claims and circumstances not only helps mitigate financial loss but also prevents complications that can affect both the insured and the insurer.
Posted on Tuesday Aug 19

Stars Of The Future 2025 Nominate Now

Actuarial Post are delighted to open our 2025 Awards by inviting nominations for Stars Of The Future 2025. You can now nominate someone for Stars of the Future 2025, sponsored by Star Actuarial Futures. It’s vital to remember that we all started somewhere and becoming an actuary is no easy feat. We relish acknowledging the emerging talent within the actuarial market and celebrate the ones to watch with our Stars of the Future Awards. All of the finalists are celebrated and highlighted with three lucky winners taking home an award
Posted on Monday Aug 18

I am in love with a hedged left tail even though it hurts

Markets have been lively, largely driven by rapid changes in US tariff policy. As at mid-May, traditionally protective assets, such as bonds, USD and trend , waxed and waned somewhat in sync with equities in the see-sawing markets (although gold has diversified well). As a result, tail hedging has come into focus recently. There are several ways to do tail hedging, or various complexity. At its simplest, you can hold gold.
Posted on Friday Aug 15

Understanding the return to pre pandemic mortality rates

After years of excess deaths following the COVID-19 pandemic, last year’s population mortality rates have returned to pre-pandemic levels. For (re)insurers exposed to longevity risk, understanding what is driving recent mortality trends is essential to ensuring their best estimate assumptions remain appropriate. In this blog, we unpick what has driven the fall by exploring the latest cause of death data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Posted on Thursday Aug 14

Embedding climate risk in insurers risk management framework

Climate change is no longer a distant threat – its impacts are already disrupting ecosystems, economies and societies. For insurers, rising extreme weather events mean higher claims, operational risks and growing pressure to move away from carbon-intensive assets. Studies have shown that climate change has already caused significant damage worldwide, with extreme weather events costing trillions over the last decade.
Posted on Wednesday Aug 13

How employers can increase value for them and their people

Market scrutiny has put pressure on increasing levels of service and more competitive charges in recent years, but the best value is often something employers have to advocate for. Here are five tips for employers looking to negotiate improved value. Market pressure has increased levels of service and driven down pension charges in recent years, but employers must stay vigilant. Value is maximised when employers ask for it, meaning often only the most vocal employers get the best value for themselves and their staff.
Posted on Tuesday Aug 12

Five imperatives insurers must get right by 2026

Insurers face a critical 18-month window to transform by embracing AI, data-driven innovation, capital flexibility, digital ecosystems, and data-driven decision-making. The insurance industry is at a crossroads. While technology has been reshaping the sector for years, the pace of change is now exponential, and the next 18 months will separate the innovators from the laggards.
Posted on Monday Aug 11

Preparing your Funding Strategy Statement for 2025 valuation

Administering authorities will need to amend their Funding Strategy Statement (FSS) as part of the 2025 actuarial valuations to ensure it complies with new guidance published this year. The new FSS guidance, published in January 2025, was jointly produced by the Scheme Advisory Board (SAB), the Charted Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), titled “Guidance for Preparing and maintaining a Funding Strategy Statement”.
Posted on Friday Aug 8

Flood data can make motor insurance providers more resilient

After a property purchase, the biggest financial outlay for most U.K. households is usually the car. Replacing or repairing that precious and often essential asset in a collision is a given with the right level of insurance in place, but what about flood and growing weather risks consumers face? When it comes to flood risks, a car can be moved out of harm’s way, theoretically, or take an alternative route to avoid driving through flood water.
Posted on Thursday Aug 7

An Actuary's guide to business planning for 2026

As the capital modelling season reaches its peak, insurers are navigating a rapidly evolving risk landscape. Market conditions continue to soften, macroeconomic uncertainty persists, and climate risks are becoming more pronounced. Each of these will challenge the assumptions that underpin capital models, requiring a more flexible and forward-looking approach. This article highlights three key considerations for actuaries.
Posted on Tuesday Aug 5

UK equities is it time for with profits funds to go global

UK with-profits funds maintain a significant home bias, with listed equity allocations far exceeding the UK's 3.5% weight in the FTSE All-World Index. This bias is costing policyholders returns. In this article, we explore: the impact this bias has had on past performance; why UK with-profits funds favour an overweight to UK equities; and future relative performance of UK vs global equities.
Posted on Monday Aug 4

August 2025 Edition of the Actuarial Post Magazine

Firstly, many congratulations to the Lionesses for winning EUFA Women’s Euro 2025 and a special mention to Lucy Bronze for playing with a broken leg, I trust her health insurance will come into play. Meanwhile, we saw the launch of the new Pensions Commission, and the appointment of such a distinguished panel, including Baroness Drake whose legacy in shaping the UK’s retirement system is profound. They have their work cut out for them for them with issues abounding from auto-enrolment contributions, State Pension age and pension adequacy among them.
Posted on Friday Aug 1

How does QT feed into the DB pensions funding levels debate

Over the past three years, following 15 years of heavy deficits, defined benefit (DB) pension schemes have moved into surplus as government bond yields have increased. The durability of current pension scheme funding levels should not be taken for granted as they are highly linked to monetary policy. QT has undoubtedly had the effect of boosting DB pension scheme funding levels beyond where they might otherwise have been.
Posted on Friday Aug 1

AI A Practical Perspective for MGAs

Providing a practical look at how MGAs can use AI in meaningful ways. It explains what AI is, where it works well, and how it differs from traditional analytics. The presentation highlights real use cases, key challenges, and the steps MGAs can take to begin or expand their AI journey responsibly. At the end of the session, you will be able to

Define what AI is in practical terms
Describe where AI fits in P&C insurance
Summarise regulation and fairness around AI in insurance
Recall a list of tips for starting their journey with AI
Posted on Thursday Jul 31

The role of insurance in advancing nuclear energy

As the world accelerates its transition to low-carbon energy, nuclear power stands out as a reliable, carbon-free solution. Its ability to provide consistent baseload electricity makes it a cornerstone of sustainable energy strategies. However, the path forward for nuclear energy is shaped not only by technology and policy but also by the evolving role of insurance in managing risk and bank ability to enable growth.
Posted on Thursday Jul 31

What option prices reveal about future financial risk

Insurance companies are experts at using historical data to form views on possible future outcomes. These views are then used in a variety of ways from setting assumptions for calculating technical provisions and calibrating internal models, to assessing risk exposures and designing and evaluating hedging strategies. But what if there was a way to peer into the future rather than just the past? Option prices in financial markets can provide exactly that: forward-looking insights into probability distributions for financial risks.
Posted on Wednesday Jul 30

Retirement and what no one prepares you for

“This is an un-monitored email address”. This is just one of the brick walls I hit as I was trying to get my finances sorted for my retirement. I’ve spent years listening to pension scheme administrators present to my clients – covering performance against service level agreements, net promoter scores and details of client complaints. One administrator recently gave a fascinating and informative presentation to one of my clients on how they deal with vulnerable customers. Normally, an admin report will give a reasonably rosy picture.
Posted on Tuesday Jul 29

Severe convective storms are driving record insured losses

Severe convective storms are driving record insured losses in the United States and posing growing risks to solar farms. Innovative mitigation strategies and advanced risk assessments are vital for resilience. In 2024, insured losses from U.S. severe convective storms (SCSs) exceeded the $50 billion mark for the second consecutive year. This category of peril — which includes tornadoes, hail and straight-line winds — has grown increasingly prominent in recent years
Posted on Monday Jul 28

Flood Risk Insurance Losses

Flood risk is rising fast in Western & Southern Europe and the Middle East & Africa, costing insurers up to $ 11bn in 2024 alone. In this video, Nikhil da Victoria Lobo explores key regional insights from the latest NatCat Sigma report, including: Major flood events in Spain (Valencia) and Dubai. Why 70% of flood losses in Europe remain uninsured. The role of urbanization, climate change, and exposure accumulation. The urgent need for data-driven risk understanding and public-private partnerships. Learn how insurers and policymakers can better prepare for growing secondary perils in these high-risk regions.
Posted on Friday Jul 25