Medications in water
The effects of pharmaceutical products in the water supply are not wholly known. Zurich experts explore the implications of this emerging risk in an article published in the Winter 2010 issue of the John Liner Review.
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Risk - A Global Perspective
A presentation by Chief Economist Daniel M. Hofmann to the Association of Insurance and Risk Managers in September 2009. The opinions expressed therein are those of the Chief Economist of Zurich Financial Services Group as of the date of presentation.
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Insurance and stability
New white paper offers insights on insurance, systemic risk and regulatory reform.
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Asia Risk Monitor
Heightened vulnerability to environmental and health risks set Asia apart from other continents. This report takes an in-depth look at these and other forms of risk that face the continent, and draws implications for business leaders and policymakers working in the region.
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Investment Management – a creator of value in an insurance company
Insurance companies generally recognize the importance of separating the responsibilities for managing their insurance businesses from managing the investments backing their reserves and capital. Due to the scale of investments in an insurance company’s balance sheet and the impact of investment results on its profitability, the management of these investments is a key function in an insurance company that can create significant value for the company’s policyholders and shareholders. To accomplish this value creation, Investment Management at Zurich uses a systematic and structured investment process focusing on the value drivers that matter most.
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Dealing with the unexpected - Lessons for risk managers from the credit crisis
This paper examines the causes, precedents and implications of the current financial crisis in order to draw broader lessons for risk managers at both financial and non-financial corporations. It is a revised version of a paper that was first prepared for the September 2008 Zurich Global Risk Summit, held in Lucerne, Switzerland.
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The implications of demographic change
Population trends vary around the world, with profound and long-term implications for health care, pension systems, businesses and labor markets. With an emphasis on the aging populations of Europe and Asia, this paper examines the impact of some of the major demographic changes currently underway. » Download pdf
Convergence of insurance and capital markets
This report explores the growth of the insurance–linked securities market. It is published by the World Economic Forum in cooperation with Allianz, Barclays Capital, Deloitte, Thomson Reuters, State Farm, Swiss Re and Zurich Financial Services (project chair). The report represents the culmination of a year–long research project including more than 60 interviews with business leaders, regulators, rating agencies and leading academics. » Download pdf
While a very substantial body of literature concerned with the regulation of banking has developed over recent years, dealing with both its fundamental motivation and specific forms and applications of such regulation, a similar intellectual effort concerned with insurance regulation is lacking to a considerable extent. It is the aim of this paper to work towards closing this gap. » Download pdf
What is the role of insurance in economic development
Considerable attention has been devoted to evaluating the relationship between economic growth and financial market deepening. Most of what we have learned relates to banking systems and securities markets – with insurance receiving only a passing mention. Yet, while insurance, banking, and securities markets are closely related, insurance fulfills somewhat different economic functions than do other financial services, and in turn requires particular conditions to flourish and to make a full economic contribution. » Download pdf
Living Britain
We are delighted to have joined forces with trend analysts The Future Laboratory to bring you a comprehensive study, evaluating the state of the British nation at the beginning of the 21st century. » more
Risk insights
Supply chain management
Cost-saving strategies such as just-in-time delivery have been helping businesses maintain profit margins for years. Yet as organizations face a major economic slump, some of those strategies have created operational weak links, especially in extended supply chains. Active supply chain risk management needs to be an integrated enterprise performance tool. Here our forward-thinking experts describe the powerful new tools they’ve developed for measuring and tackling these evolving risks.
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Motor fleet Risk Insight 2009
Aimed at motor fleet managers and risk managers, this Risk Insight provides valuable information on issues affecting fleet operators, such as where motor rates might go over the short term, and what companies can do to manage their fleet risks more effectively.
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A global guide to Directors’ and Officers’ issues around the world 2009
The ever-changing regulatory and legislative landscape means that senior executives are constantly facing new challenges. We bring together a team of experts to share insights into issues faced by Directors and Officers of global companies across a host of countries, from Australia to Vietnam.
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Financial Lines Risk Insight 2009
This issue is designed to give you the inside track on some key issues in Financial Lines insurance facing global companies and their senior management. As a leading global insurer our aim is to keep our customers and partners up-to-date on issues including best practice for risk management, trends in the market, the impact of legislative changes and learnings from claims.
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Climate risk
A survey of how corporate risk managers perceive this class of risk.
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Financing a national trust to advance the deployment of geologic CO² storage
Zurich Chief Climate Product Officer Lindene Patton collaborates with external experts to examine some of the design considerations when looking at financing schemes for carbon capture and storage (CCS).
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The Climate Risk Challenge
Zurich's Climate Office moves the policy debate forward by showing how to engage insurance so that the risks associated with climate change can be managed efficiently and sustainably. The paper lists best practice principles, then illustrates them with case studies from Zurich's own experience in meeting climate challenges.
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Industry Insight on Climate Change
Industry Insight presents articles on issues that affect both insurers and the insured. The October 2008 issue focused on climate change.
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The Importance of the Insurance Asset in the Process of Accelerating Delivery of New Technology to Market to Combat Climate Change
By Lindene Patton, Climate Product Officer
From the European Business Review
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Using the Insurance Asset to Manage Risk and Maximize Opportunity in the “Green” Economic Paradigm Shift
By Lindene Patton, Climate Product Officer
From the European Business Review
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