Putting cash to work - Now and post Solvency II

Low interest rates are here to stay for some time, and capital preservation is front of mind. There is little yield to be had at the front end of the curve. Post-Solvency II cash will no longer be either simple or regarded as risk-free. In the view of BNY Mellon, the legislation will likely:

• fundamentally change the way insurers structure their investment portfolios to match liabilities in a capital-efficient manner;
• increase the proportion of cash investments held, whether in the form of deposits or money market fund investments; and
• require insurance companies to develop a capital assessment of cash as an asset class.

Insurers are increasingly looking at separate accounts as they have the potential to earn a higher return while still catering to the individual insurer’s liquidity needs.