Insurers’ appetite for private assets remains strong, but recent developments have highlighted the growing need to balance the search for yield against liquidity, capital, valuation and governance risks.
Private credit is moving further into the spotlight for North American life insurers, according to a new report.
In mid-August, S&P Global published a scenario analysis that examined the sector’s resilience to stress in private-credit markets. The paper said that, while there were some concerns, North American life insurers could withstand a significant deterioration in private-credit conditions.
However, the exercise itself is significant as the market increasingly treats private-credit stress as a core balance-sheet risk rather than a niche investment concern.
That was reinforced by developments surrounding Guggenheim Partners CEO Mark Walter.
Concerns have emerged over the way insurer assets have been directed towards private investments and the governance risks associated with related-party financing. The Financial Times reported that two insurers had disclosed more than $20 billion in loans tied to other parts of Walter’s investment portfolio (though this figure is disputed by several sources), raising questions over related-party exposures and the governance of insurer balance sheets.
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