Category: Regulation

NAIC launches review of private equity-owned insurer issues

Mary Pat Campbell

Link:https://www.dlapiper.com/en/us/insights/publications/2021/12/naic-launches-review-of-private-equity-owned-insurer-issues/

Excerpt:

On December 7, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Financial Stability Task Force voted in a virtual meeting to expose, for a 30-day comment period, a list of “Regulatory Considerations Applicable (But Not Exclusive) to Private Equity (PE) Owned Insurers.” The Task Force assigned to its Macroprudential Working Group the role of coordinator of the ongoing evaluation of these considerations.

The decision is the latest public expression of increasing concern among regulators about the recent growth in number and complexity of private equity-owned insurers.

The current exposure has some antecedents in NAIC-directed efforts that began two years ago.  In November 2019, the Statutory Accounting Working Group began an effort to change the Statement of Statutory Accounting Principles (SSAP) No. 25, which provides accounting rules on insurer transactions with related parties and affiliates.

Author(s): Scott Fischer

Publication Date: 9 Dec 2021

Publication Site: DLA Piper

The catastrophe of the Covid models

Mary Pat Campbell

Link:https://www.spiked-online.com/2022/01/21/the-catastrophe-of-the-covid-models/

Graphic:

Excerpt:

Having taken all the modelling into account, SAGE produced a table that showed in stark terms what the future held if the government stuck to ‘Plan B’. With the usual risible caveat that ‘these are not forecasts or predictions’, they showed a peak in hospitalisations of between 3,000 and 10,000 per day and a peak in deaths of between 600 and 6,000 a day. In previous waves, without any vaccines, deaths had never exceeded 1,250 a day.

The government was effectively given an ultimatum. SAGE offered Johnson a choice between the disaster that would surely unfold and a ‘Step 1’ or ‘Step 2’ lockdown, both of which had been helpfully modelled to give him a steer. ‘Step 1’ was a full lockdown as implemented last January. ‘Step 2’ allowed limited contact with other households but only outdoors.

In the event, as we all know, Boris Johnson ignored the warnings and declined to implement any new restrictions on liberty. A few days later, Robert West, a nicotine-addiction specialist who is on SAGE for some reason, tweeted: ‘It is now a near certainty that the UK will be seeing a hospitalisation rate that massively exceeds the capacity of the NHS. Many thousands of people have been condemned to death by the Conservative government.’

It did not quite turn out that way. Covid-related hospitalisations in England peaked at 2,370 on 29 December and it looks like the number of deaths will peak well below 300. This is not just less than was projected under ‘Plan B’, it is less than was projected under a ‘Step 2’ lockdown. The modelling for ‘Step 2’ showed a peak of at least 3,000 hospitalisations and 500 deaths a day. SAGE had given itself an enormous margin of error. There is an order of magnitude between 600 deaths a day and 6,000 deaths a day and yet it still managed to miss the mark.

Author(s): Christopher Snowdon

Publication Date: 22 Jan 2022

Publication Site: Spiked Online

A Politicized Fed Endangers the Economy

Mary Pat Campbell

Link:https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-politicized-fed-endangers-economy-monetary-federal-reserve-powell-balance-sheet-climate-stress-test-social-justice-11642448983

Excerpt:

It is time to depoliticize monetary policy. First, instead of making the Fed’s mandate broader, Congress should consider narrowing it to one of price stability. The Fed’s contribution to achieving full employment should be through focusing on long-term price stability. Next, as we learn to live with Covid and as the economy continues to recover, the Fed must go beyond merely tapering its bond purchases. It must set out a credible process and timetable to unwind its balance sheet.

Should the Fed be called on again to exercise emergency powers, Congress must ensure those powers are of limited duration and that any credit facilities created are quickly transferred to the Treasury Department. Finally, the more improvisational and discretionary the Fed’s conduct of monetary policy, the more difficult it is to withstand political pressures. The Fed should move to a monetary-policy framework that is more systematic, predictable and transparent.

If politicized monetary policy doesn’t prove transitory, it is doubtful the Fed will be able to deliver either stable prices or maximum employment.

Author(s): Jeb Hensarling

Publication Date: 17 Jan 2021

Publication Site: WSJ

New York Is Trying To Punish Its Way to 100% Vaccine Compliance

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://reason.com/2021/12/15/new-york-is-trying-to-punish-its-way-to-100-vaccine-compliance/?utm_medium=email

Excerpt:

Beginning Monday, at the order of Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul, every business in the state was required by law to have every employee and customer show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination, or make everyone inside their doors over the age of 2 wear a mask.

Violators face fines of up to $1,000. Enforcement is being left to county governments, of which an estimated one-quarter—almost all run by Republicans—have indicated they will not participate in.

….

The two-shot vaccination rate for New Yorkers ages 12 and older currently stands at 81 percent. Six months ago, when Hochul’s predecessor Andrew Cuomo lifted almost all statewide COVID restrictions, he did so because the Empire State had crossed the 70 percent threshold set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—not for full vaccination of everyone over age 12, mind you, but for single shots among adults.

….

Contra Hochul, it is far from clear that even 100 percent vaccination would have prevented a third consecutive winter surge across the northeast, which currently has the highest rates of vaccination and coronavirus cases in the United States.

Author(s): Matt Welch

Publication Date: 15 Dec 2021

Publication Site: Reason

Joe Biden’s multiemployer pension plan rescue is turning into a political disaster

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://www.ft.com/content/2af3b859-3791-4c2e-bbdc-93d23dc4c6a3

Excerpt:

Union-friendly members of Congress and senators, in particular Sherrod Brown of Ohio, pushed the team of President Joe Biden to incorporate a relief plan for federally guaranteed pension plans that would provide (forgivable) 30-year federal loan along with other support.

The cost of the bailout was estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to be about $86bn, of which $82bn would be spent in 2022. If everything worked out, that would have been a good talking point for Democratic candidates during the midterm elections next year, especially in the hotly contested rust-belt states.

But rather than specify the actuarial details of how the rescue would work, the congressional sponsors and the administration left this job to the experts at the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, a US government agency. They may regret that decision.

…..

Even before then, the unions and employers who act as trustees for the multiemployer funds are probably facing legal troubles if they accept bailout money. As the committee went on to point out: “Trustees of such [troubled] plans who decide to take SFA face the risk of litigation from active employees, while those trustees who elect not to seek SFA risk being sued by retirees.”

Author(s): John Dizard

Publication Date: 20 Dec 2021

Publication Site: Financial Times

Pacific Life Fined for Unlicensed Pension Risk Transfers in New York

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://www.ai-cio.com/news/pacific-life-fined-for-unlicensed-pension-risk-transfers-in-new-york/

Excerpt:

Pacific Life Insurance Co. has agreed to pay a $3 million fine after a New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) investigation found that the firm had conducted pension risk transfer (PRT) business in the state without a license.

It is the third enforcement action by the DFS against a major insurance company for unlicensed PRT business. In April 2020, the regulator fined Athene $45 million, and in February it fined AIG $12 million, both for conducting unauthorized pension risk transfer transactions in New York.

Author(s): Michael Katz

Publication Date: 14 Jan 2022

Publication Site: ai-CIO

Standard Chartered fined £46.5m by Bank of England over reporting failures

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/dec/20/standard-chartered-fined-bank-of-england-pra

Excerpt:

The Bank of England has fined Standard Chartered £46.5m for repeatedly misreporting its liquidity position and for “failing to be open and cooperative” with the regulator.

The Bank’s Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) said Standard Chartered had made five errors in reporting an important liquidity metric between March 2018 and May 2019, which meant the watchdog did not have a reliable overview of the bank’s US dollar liquidity position.

…..

One of the errors occurred in November 2018, as a result of a mistake in a spreadsheet entry. A positive amount was included when a zero or negative value was expected, leading to an $7.9bn (£6bn) over-reporting of the bank’s dollar liquidity position.

Author(s): Joanna Partridge

Publication Date: 20 Dec 2021

Publication Site: The Guardian

SFA Update – Revisions

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://burypensions.wordpress.com/2022/01/14/sfa-update-revisions/

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Excerpt:

The PBGC Special Financial Assistance program for troubled multiemployer plans is updating again this weekend. No new applicants but the PBGC summary worksheets did have two plans withdrawing and reapplying which made me wonder if these revisions were looking for more or less money.

Author(s): John Bury

Publication Date: 14 Jan 2022

Publication Site: Burypensions

Report: Number of Michigan Nursing Home Deaths 42 Percent Larger Than Whitmer Disclosed

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://freebeacon.com/democrats/report-number-of-michigan-nursing-home-deaths-42-percent-larger-than-whitmer-disclosed/

Excerpt:

The number of COVID-19 deaths in Michigan nursing homes is 42 percent larger than Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer’s administration disclosed, according to a state auditor general’s report reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon.

The report, which Auditor General Doug Ringler is set to release in full next week, shows 8,061 COVID-19 deaths in the state’s long-term care facilities from Jan. 1, 2020, to July 2, 2021. That number is 42 percent larger than the 5,675 deaths Whitmer’s health department reported.

Author(s): Collin Anderson

Publication Date: 13 Jan 2022

Publication Site: Washington Free Beacon

The Fed Delivers a Baby, Gold Jumps

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://mishtalk.com/economics/the-fed-delivers-a-baby-gold-jumps

Graphic:

Excerpt:

The Fed Delivers a Baby

Actually, it was obvious 7 months ago that it was time to move away from “emergency” conditions.

The Fed decided to deliver a baby instead. 

In two more months, the Fed will finally finish tapering. Then we see what kind of baby steps the Fed makes. 

Author(s): Mike Shedlock

Publication Date: 11 Jan 2022

Publication Site: Mish Talk

Judge narrows SEC bond rating lawsuit against Morningstar

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20220106/NEWS06/912347036/Judge-narrows-SEC-bond-rating-lawsuit-against-Morningstar,-SEC-v-Morningstar-Cre

Excerpt:

A U.S. judge on Wednesday narrowed but refused to dismiss a Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit accusing Morningstar Inc. of letting analysts adjust credit rating models for about $30 billion of mortgage securities, resulting in lower payouts to investors.

U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams in Manhattan said the SEC plausibly alleged that Morningstar Credit Ratings failed to provide users with a general understanding of its methodology for rating commercial mortgage-backed securities and lacked effective internal controls over its ratings process.

Author(s): Reuters

Publication Date: 6 Jan 2022

Publication Site: Business Insurance