Top City firms pledge to hike contributions to employees’ pensions pots amid concerns over looming savings crunch Pensions crunch A coalition of top City firms today vowed to boost the contributions they make into their employees’ pensions in response to growing concerns about the potential for a looming savings crunch. Aviva, Phoenix and Herbert Smith Freehills all pledged to give pensions contributions equivalent to at least seven per cent of their workers’ salaries in [...]
Phoenix: Insurer hikes dividend after volatile markets hit investments and share price Phoenix British insurer Phoenix Group today posted a £1.23bn loss as volatile markets hit the value of the insurance company’s investment portfolio. Shares in the FTSE 100 company fell sharply on the news as Phoenix pointed to the “challenging economic backdrop” after noting it generated 12.5 per cent less cash than in 2021 The insurer, however, [...]
Losing momentum on Solvency II reforms would be a missed opportunity to transform Britain Solvency II This is a once in a generation opportunity. That phrase might have become a bit of a cliché, especially in recent years, but the UK’s exit from the EU could ensure that Solvency II reforms really are one of those events. The proposed reforms represent a very significant opportunity to ensure more private sector capital [...]
Solvency II reform ‘welcome boost for UK investment’, say insurance giants November 17, 2022 The UK's insurance giants have hailed reforms to Solvency II as a "significant opportunity" to channel cash into the economy today, after the government announced it would legislate reforms to the rules.
Longer lifespans require pensions system overhaul October 27, 2022 The UK population’s increased longevity poses serious problems for the country’s pensions systems, Britain’s largest long-term savings business has warned. Increasing life expectancy will require a re-evaluation of traditional notions of retirement, Phoenix Group said, in warning up to 17m British people are not saving enough to retire when they expect. The FTSE 100 insurance [...]
Phoenix hikes dividend as pensions deals bolster insurer’s business August 15, 2022 Phoenix Group today upped its dividend after posting “record” financial results for the first half of 2022. The London insurer hiked its dividend by three per cent to heights of 24.8p a share after a series of pensions deals bolstered Phoenix’s revenues. The pensions deals, signed off in the first half of last year, saw [...]
WH Smith de-risks pensions scheme via Standard Life insurance policy August 8, 2022 WH Smith on Monday said it had taken out a bulk annuity insurance policy with Standard Life, through which the Phoenix Group subsidiary will cover the costs of the retailer’s £1bn pension scheme. The high-street bookseller’s insurance policy will see Standard Life pay the pensions of the almost 13,000 members of WH Smith’s defined [...]
Phoenix Group set to buy Sun Life UK in £248m cash deal August 4, 2022 Pensions giant Phoenix Group is set to snap up life insurance firm Sun Life UK today in a cash deal worth £248m, the firm announced this morning.
Retirement group Phoenix enters £197m pensions deal with Irish Life July 13, 2021 Retirement group Phoenix is set to sell Ark Life Assurance Company to pensions group Irish Life for around £197m, the retirement group today. Ark Life Assurance Company, known as Ark Life, added around £1.8bn of assets under administration to Phoenix’s heritage division as of 31 December. The deal, which is expected to be completed by [...]
Phoenix confirms talks ‘ongoing’ to sell European business in £550m deal May 18, 2021 Life insurance consolidator Phoenix Group has confirmed it is in discussions to sell its European businesses, in a deal reportedly worth £550m. The group – which bought out the majority of Standard Life Aberdeen’s insurance business in 2018 – said that talks were ongoing and there was no certainty a deal will be struck. In [...]