Responding to new market dynamics

Your industry faces increasingly complex regulatory issues — issues that challenge the way you manage your risk, operations and financial reporting.

Insurance companies come to Ernst & Young because they value our approach to meeting their assurance, tax, transaction and advisory needs. We don’t just know the issues, we’ve analyzed what’s behind them to understand the impact they have on you — and the way you do business.

The Global Insurance Center makes this possible by bringing together people and ideas from across the world, to help your business address the issues of today — and tomorrow. We can help you manage risks and make the most of opportunities in emerging markets.

Our network of professionals provides broad experience to deliver seamless, consistent, high-quality services to insurers. So you can operate your business more effectively — and understand what’s ahead for your industry.

2009 US Life insurance industry outlook

The US life insurance industry will be dealing with the multiple lingering after-effects of the global financial crisis and deepening recession for some time to come. Yet effects will not be universally negative; opportunities will emerge as well. Read our outlook for details on what life insurers must do in 2009(pdf, 136kb).

Webcast: financial crisis and the global insurance industry

The events in financial markets over the past few months are a stark reminder that insurance enterprises have exposures well beyond the traditional risks assumed from their insurance contracts. Watch this archived webcast for an online discussion as we examine the state of the insurance industry in this unprecedented economic climate.
Register or sign in to watch this archived 24 November webcast

Reflections on current market conditions

In an unprecedented economic slowdown, insurance companies are under pressure to re-evaluate their strategies and capitalize on opportunities. Management is being called upon to protect the organization’s assets and capital base, safeguard ratings and mitigate exposure to loss. This article shares our thoughts on current market conditions, business implications and steps that insurance companies should be taking in the foreseeable future.

The meaning of market consistency in Europe

Market-consistent valuation has been an integral part of Solvency II and IFRS debates and discussion papers, but opinions differ on what market consistency really means. We looked at various concepts to help global insurers find the meaning of market-consistent valuation for insurance liabilities (pdf, 1mb).

Insurance groups - securing the benefits

Solvency II will provide well-prepared insurance groups with many diversification benefits including lower capital requirements. But these benefits depend on insurers’ decisions around structure and approach. We provide the latest on Solvency II and offer insurance executives insights to be better prepared for the change.

Measuring operational risk

Insurers often focus their attention on traditional areas of financial risk.While this is not surprising or unusual, Solvency II will require the global insurance industry to pay closer attention to an often “forgotten” area - operational risk.We identify the challenges and assess the impact of Solvency II OpRisk requirements.

Insurance regulatory guidance amid the financial crisis

The insurance industry and regulators should use the current global financial crisis to drive a constructive evolution of regulatory guidance, says Ernst & Young’s Global Insurance Center. Read the press release.

Solvency II webcast: update 2008

5 November 2008
Register to view the archived webcast here

Request the summary of comment letters on IASB’s discussion paper

Prepared for some of the world’s most influential insurance industry associations and trade groups, our report summarizes the comment letters submitted to the IASB in response to its Discussion Paper, Preliminary Views on Insurance Contracts. Complete a brief request form for a summary view of the industry’s response.

More insurance industry thought leadership

• IFRS for insurance: what and when?
• Ready, set, go! Insurers gear up for Solvency II
(pdf, 230kb)
• Rules of the game: winning in emerging markets
(pdf, 273kb)
• Financial services leaders grapple with IFRS challenges, benefits
• 2008 Asian Summit explores the evolving role of the Insurance CFO
• Summary: Ernst & Young’s Global Insurance Conference, 3 June, 2008, Paris