The vast majority (95 per cent) of defined benefit pension plan sponsors say higher inflation is impacting their decision to de-risk, with half (50 per cent) saying it’s very impactful, according to a new survey by MetLife Inc. The survey, which polled more than 250 DB pension plan sponsors with at least $100 million or more […]
Canadian life and health insurers processed nearly $600 million in claims related to mental health in 2021, up 45 per cent since 2020 and 75 per cent since 2019, according to the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association’s annual fact book. “2021 was a year of recovery and insurers have been proud partners helping employers […]
After a tough couple of years, Canadians continue to face several challenges against an increasingly turbulent economic landscape. While most coronavirus restrictions were lifted in late spring 2022, the seventh wave of the pandemic arrived in July alongside rising inflation, which is compounding prices from the gas pump to the grocery store. Though the 2022 […]
International Business Machines Corp. is entering a US$16 billion pension risk transfer. The annuity transaction will see 40 per cent of IBM’s defined benefit pension plan’s liabilities transferred. The Prudential Insurance Co. of America and Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. will each insure half of the payments for 100,000 IBM plan participants and beneficiaries. Prudential will […]
Proposed amendments to U.K. pension regulations could lead to the extinction of smaller defined benefit plans within 15 years, according to Charles Cowling, chief actuary at Mercer. “The potential impact of these new regulations would be significant and dramatic,” he said in a press release. “The draft proposals would force the sale of £500 billion […]
Capital accumulation plan member outcomes saw a modest decline in the second quarter of 2022, as rising interest rates and the corresponding rise in annuity rates helped offset the falling investment markets, according to Eckler Ltd.’s latest CAP income tracker. It found a typical male member retiring at the end of June 2022 achieved a […]
An article on Canadian employers increasing salaries and offering remote work to attract talent was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Canadian employers increasing salaries, offering remote work to attract talent: survey 2. Expert panel: How national dental care could impact group benefits […]
While institutional investors are no strangers to established markets such as Europe and the U.S., the world’s emerging and frontier markets can provide diversification and opportunities for lucrative returns. Not surprisingly, events such as the coronavirus pandemic and a shifting geopolitical landscape are influencing these decisions in 2022 and beyond. In recent months, Russia’s invasion […]
Dynamic pension pools can have a significant and positive impact on retirement outcomes if they’re supported by the appropriate legislative changes, said Barbara Sanders, associate professor in statistics and actuarial science at Simon Fraser University, during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 DC Plan Summit. The University of British Columbia has a dynamic pension pool […]
Sun Life Financial Inc. is selling its U.K. pension and annuities business. The company has entered an agreement to sell SLF of Canada U.K. Ltd. to U.K.-based long-term savings and retirement business Phoenix Group Holdings for a closing price of $385 million. Sun Life will retain its economic interest in Sun Life U.K.’s payout annuities […]