Best’s Market Segment Report: AM Best Maintains Stable Outlook on Global Life Reinsurance Segment
- September 01, 2026 08:45 AM (EDT)
//BestWire// - AM Best has maintained its stable outlook on the global life reinsurance segment, noting that it is led by highly rated, diversified, well-capitalized and experienced companies.
In its Best’s Market Segment Report, “Market Segment Outlook—Global Life Reinsurance,” AM Best states that the segment remains concentrated, with a handful of global companies holding a significant majority of market share. A number of offshore annuity reinsurers has increased in recent years, as has the use of offshore entities by existing players. These companies have mainly focused on asset-intensive reinsurance and block transactions of legacy annuity books of business.
“Private equity/asset managers have been increasingly getting involved in the life reinsurance space and adding to the growing competitive pressures,” said Edward Kohlberg, director, AM Best. “This has brought an increased focus on the regulations that oversee these new formations.”
According to the report, financial performance for the life reinsurance segment has fared well through solid underwriting and favorable investments yields. Operating scale and the benefits of strong technical, actuarial, and risk management expertise support future growth. Mortality levels have stabilized in recent quarters; the industry looks to see what type of impact there may be from Glucagon-like peptide-1s (GLP-1s) due to their potential to improve mortality and morbidity outcomes.
The segment benefits also from a stable regulatory environment globally, particularly in the United States and Europe where the leading global life reinsurance entities operate. AM Best continues to monitor evolving regulations in offshore jurisdictions.
To access the full copy of this market segment report, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=368119.
This Best’s Market Segment Report is part of AM Best’s look at the global reinsurance industry ahead of the Rendez-Vous de Septembre in Monte Carlo. Other reports, including AM Best’s ranking of top global reinsurance groups and in-depth looks at the insurance-linked securities, life/annuity and regional reinsurance markets, have been published in August. To view AM Best’s global reinsurance reports, as well as video coverage of Rendez-Vous de Septembre, please visit AM Best’s Reinsurance Information center.
Lastly, AM Best will host its annual reinsurance market briefing at Rendez-Vous de Septembre on Sept. 6, 2026, at 10:15 a.m. (CEST) in Monte Carlo. For more information, please visit the event website.
AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City.