Tag Archives: Insurance

“Would you pay a social care premium?”

Posted on November 12, 2018 by

This was the question Radio Five Live’s Wake up to Money asked its audience this Monday morning. 2.5% off wages for the prospect of insurance against things going really wrong with your health in later life? The idea is being trailed … Continue reading →

Posted in CDC, Change, Charity, pensions | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Back in the bubble – how the pension industry feeds itself (but no-one else)

Posted on August 18, 2018 by

Looking back over the headlines in the trade press, I read a depressing litany of stories about the industry feeding itself. Aegon says it has deep pockets (to compensate financial advisers). It’s chief executive calls its life company (the once … Continue reading →

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Isn’t it time we thought of pensions as insurance (again)?

Posted on July 29, 2018 by

  Yesterday, I wrote of the positive future that I saw for collective schemes, if they could rid themselves of the pernicious effects of financial economics. I based my arguments on my perceptions of the impact of mark to market … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, customer service, pensions | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Why insurance isn’t always right.

Posted on February 20, 2018 by

This is an article in preparation for publication; thoughts on it, especially from insurers would be very welcome. In it, I argue that insured solutions are not always right for us – in our retirement savings and that insurance companies … Continue reading →

Posted in life insurance, pensions | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

How the blockchain revolution could transform financial services

Posted on February 1, 2017 by

The technology likely to have a significant impact on the financial services industry and the world of business has arrived. Not peer-to-peer lending, artificial intelligence, big data, robo-advisers or Apple Pay – but rather blockchain, the technology behind digital currencies … Continue reading →

Posted in pensions | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Insuring too much for living too long

Posted on January 18, 2017 by

I went to an interesting debate this morning about the DB deficit crisis (what crisis?). A number of interesting things emerged, such as a statement that a pension scheme cannot get a real return on its investments. I looked at … Continue reading →

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Planning Finances or Selling Insurance?

Posted on December 21, 2016 by

I’ve written a couple of blogs this week about my need for financial planning and my fear of wealth management. To repeat again, I don’t want to be treated as wealthy, but I do need help planning my saving and … Continue reading →

Posted in accountants, actuaries, advice gap, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Blockchain is boring – we aren’t!

Posted on October 21, 2016 by

If you read my blogs you’ll know that I see the Blockchain as boring and beautiful at the same time. It is boring because it creates a central purchasing ledger and it is beautiful because it puts millions of boring … Continue reading →

Posted in blockchain, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Is Yahoo insured?

Posted on September 23, 2016 by

  As I listened to the accounts of Yahoo’s 500m users being hacked (purportedly by a foreign government), four questions came to mind Why hasn’t the Yahoo share price fallen more than a couple of percent? Did Verizen, it’s prospective purchaser … Continue reading →

Posted in pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A little bit of anarchy does you good

Posted on August 21, 2016 by

I’m grateful to my Swedish friend Per Andelius for finding this. Provenance has kindly been provided by readers (see comments). In game theory, the “price of anarchy” describes how individuals acting in their own self-interest within a larger system tend … Continue reading →

Posted in auto-enrolment, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments