Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) in the insurance industry reached new heights in 2021, with fevered deal-making spurred-on by economic stimulus and a strong lending environment. Expectations are that activity will continue at similar levels into 2022 and will continue to have a profound impact on the European and London insurance markets.
The record year has partly been the result of interest by private equity companies in insurance acquisitions – with their attractive capital requirement levels and scalable businesses – but also a growing awareness among insurance practitioners that they need to draw-in specialty and extend their global reach in order to compete against larger players in the industry.
Yet ensuring mergers and acquisitions are undertaken for the right reasons, and are managed correctly, is critical to success. Careful consideration of longer-term compatibility is also an aspect that can sometimes be overlooked amid the drive to achieve new growth.
In a recent webinar – titled ‘How will M&A reshape the European and London insurance market landscape’ – Insider Engage brought together a range of insurance and M&A specialists to discuss the key highlights from 2021, and what the drivers and trends have been in this space. Watch the video above to see the highlights from our panel.