Mind the Gap: How Vendors/Suppliers Can Meet Insurance Investment Management Operational Needs

There are more than $100 trillion of investable assets on a worldwide global level; $20 trillion of those assets are insurance investment portfolios.

Insurance investment, with the charter of asset-liability management, has always been risk-averse, heavily weighted with risk-free sovereign bonds and high credit corporates. However, post-crisis insurance investment portfolio construction and modeling goals are strongly influenced by key business drivers such as increased regulatory pressures, the search for improved return, increased transparency into asset allocation, and the need to minimize operational costs.

Currently US, Japan, and UK insurance investment portfolios hold the majority of insurance investable assets. However, the rapid growth of middle class insurance needs in India, Asia-Pacific, and ASEAN countries will only further increase insurance portfolios and requirements for investment management.

“Globally, $20 trillion is held on the asset side of the balance sheet of insurance investment portfolios. Insurance investment managers are reallocating their portfolios into alternatives, hedge funds, and private equity searching for a higher return while minimizing risk and also being subject to greater regulation,” says Jay Wolstenholme, a senior analyst with Celent’s Securities & Investments practice and author of the report. “Middle and back office operations and systems need to be revamped to cope with these new demands. Maybe the best path is a complete lift-out.”

This report discusses market penetration and market participants. Celent also presents recommendations for vendors focusing on insurance investment management operations, as well as the best ways to meet current and future market demands and possible future disruptors.