The outsiders

Many insurers are finding it difficult to match their assets and liabilities. Independent third-party asset managers are eager for insurers’ mandates, but do they have all the answers? Navroz Patel reports

Insurers are being pummelled by a disorientating double-whammy of increased claims and patchy investment performance. This year alone, floods have crippled parts of western Europe and the US northwest was hit by snow and some of the lowest temperatures in a decade. Even insurers with large capital reserves are thinking more carefully about the relationship between their assets and liabilities. While some firms have rolled with the punches, others are seeking outside help. "Asset management