In November 2026, Aon published a survey of US hospital employers that showed how much of their medical spending was concentrated among members with very high claims. The release covers 170 health systems representing more than 1,800 hospitals and over 4.2 million covered employees. Aon did not give fieldwork dates in the release. The results describe participating health systems and should be read in that context. Among the surveyed

In November 2026, Munich Re reported a third quarter life and health reinsurance technical result of EUR 493 million, up from EUR 314 million a year earlier. The company published the segment detail on 12 November for the quarter ended 30 September. It attributed the performance to strong new business and favourable biometric experience, particularly mortality. The segment net result rose to EUR 340 million from EUR 286 million.

In November 2026, Immigration New Zealand announced that 17 occupations would leave the Tier 2 Green List pathway for the Work to Residence Visa on 8 March 2027. Its 3 November notice says the roles are covered by new Skilled Migrant Category pathways, whose eligibility rules differ. Employers can still recruit workers for these occupations through the Accredited Employer Work Visa when they meet the requirements. Applicable Green List

In November 2026, the OECD published its International Migration Outlook showing that permanent migration to member countries declined in 2025 even as permanent migration for work rose. It counted 6.1 million new permanent immigrants, 1.6% fewer than in 2024 but 12.5% more than in 2019. The decline was the second in succession after the post-pandemic increase. The headline includes several kinds of admission. Family reunification was the largest category,

In November 2026, WTW published Swiss survey results showing that 38% of employees surveyed said financial problems negatively affected their lives, up from 25% in 2024. The Swiss findings from the Global Benefits Attitudes Survey were released on 11 November. WTW also reported that 47% of respondents found their benefits easy to access digitally, clearly explained and supported. The findings are employee responses and the survey does not address

In November 2026, Zurich Insurance Group reported that protection gross written premiums grew 11% in the first nine months of the year. The update for the period ended 30 September cites performance across individual and group products, strong renewals and new corporate protection wins. It does not report a separate growth rate for group protection. Total Life volumes increased 3% to USD 28.6 billion on a measure that combines

In November 2026, DecisionHR announced that former Artex global CEO Zeb Holt had been named chief executive, succeeding Peter Newman. The US provider of professional employer organization services and HR outsourcing made the announcement on 9 November. Newman is retiring from the executive role after nearly 25 years of leadership and will remain board chair and advise the executive team. Holt’s background includes insurance and risk management for PEOs,

In November 2026, the French government published two decrees governing how people can combine work and retirement income from 2027. The decrees were signed on 2 November, published on 3 November and explained in updated Service Public guidance on 10 November. The new framework generally applies when a person’s first basic pension takes effect on or after 1 January 2027. A retiree already receiving a pension in 2026 generally

In November 2026, LIMRA reported preliminary US individual annuity sales of USD 126.3 billion for the third quarter, up 4% from a year earlier and the highest quarterly total in its survey. The 6 November release covers the period ended 30 September. First nine month sales reached USD 355 billion, up 2%. Read the sales mix Fixed-rate deferred annuity sales reached USD 44.5 billion. Registered index-linked products rose 22%

In November 2026, Principal Financial Group released a US employer survey showing that most benefits stayed in place even as confidence weakened, with trade reporting on the survey finding that large employers added retirement benefits more often than small and midsize firms. Principal published the index on 11 November, following fieldwork from 14 September to 4 October among 1,000 US business decision makers. The headline sentiment measure fell to

In November 2026, Swiss Life reported that high single premiums in group life drove a 15% increase in its Swiss premium measure for the first nine months of the year. The insurer published its unaudited update on 11 November for the period ended 30 September. Swiss gross written premiums, policy fees and deposits reached CHF 9.424 billion, compared with CHF 8.199 billion a year earlier. What the increase measures

In November 2026, AM Best reported that accident and health made up 37% of Hong Kong’s non-life insurance premiums in 2025. Its 9 November market review recorded HKD 108.5 billion of gross written premiums across non-life, up 8% year on year. Direct insurance and inward reinsurance both contributed. Corporates and their advisers can use the AM Best report as context for a discussion about the market. The decision itself

In November 2026, Fragomen reported closer scrutiny by Indonesia’s Ministry of Manpower of an existing requirement for employers to facilitate Indonesian language training for covered foreign workers. The advisory appeared on 10 November. The underlying regulation dates to 2021, and the advisory did not identify a new permit procedure or a general requirement to file evidence of course completion. Check coverage by role and assignment List foreign workers by

In November 2026, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended its Ebola-related entry restrictions for 30 days from 5 p.m. Eastern time on 10 November. The order continues to affect covered foreign nationals with relevant physical presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the preceding 21 days. The signed order contains exceptions, and separate boarding, attestation and screening requirements may apply.

In October 2026, the Bipartisan Policy Center published findings from two US roundtables on protected lifetime income in workplace retirement plans. The 29 October brief, produced following discussions convened with MetLife, Prudential and TIAA, identifies product complexity, fiduciary concerns, recordkeeper integration and portability as barriers. Participants considered defaults as a way to increase use, but differed on when they are appropriate. The brief reports stakeholder views and introduces no

In November 2026, Brokerslink launched ekko, a member platform for finding specialist expertise and coordinating work on multinational insurance programmes. The launch took place at the network’s Istanbul conference, held from 4 to 6 November. The platform is a marketplace for finding capabilities across the network and shared workspaces called Deal Rooms. It did not report how widely members are using the platform or identify results for employee benefits

In November 2026, Brown & Brown released the findings of its 2027 Employer Health and Benefits Strategy Survey, reporting that 44% of surveyed employers ranked controlling the organisation’s health benefit costs as their top priority. The November 9 release also cited a separate analysis of the brokerage’s customers, who anticipate average annual healthcare cost increases of 10% in both 2026 and 2027. Put employer and employee costs in the

In November 2026, Captive Intelligence reported that Lloyd’s had granted ByteDance approval in principle to establish a captive syndicate. The report was published on November 9 and dated the decision to November 6. This is a report of an intermediate step. Final approval, an underwriting start date and the classes to be written have not been confirmed here, and there is no basis to assume that employee benefits will

In November 2026, Chesnara announced that it had agreed to acquire MetLife UK Limited’s closed UK life book. The November 6 announcement put the portfolio at around 18,000 customers and GBP 1.7 billion of assets under administration at the end of 2025. MetLife’s continuing UK operations are outside the agreement. Chesnara expects completion in the first half of 2027, subject to regulatory approval. Establish exactly what would change hands

In October 2026, France published Decree No. 2026-1001, which revises work and residence rules for foreign workers, including EU Blue Card holders. The decree generally took effect on October 30. Fragomen’s November 9 analysis notes that some measures still await implementation details. Recheck transfer and exit procedures For qualifying Blue Card holders moving from another EU member state, the prior holding period has been shortened from 18 to 12

In November 2026, Hannover Re reported group net income of about EUR 2.1 billion for the nine months ended September 30, up 6.9%. On November 9 it maintained its full-year group net income target of at least EUR 2.7 billion and its expectation of a net life and health reinsurance service result of about EUR 925 million. Both full-year figures are guidance. Check the captive’s own exposure For a

In November 2026, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority published updated technical documentation for constructing the risk-free interest rate term structures used under Solvency II. EIOPA issued the update on November 6 and said it would apply from January 30, 2027. The documentation incorporates revised market assessments and portfolio inputs. It also removes the Colombian peso, Hong Kong dollar and New Taiwan dollar from the list of relevant

In November 2026, Sterling Brokers announced that it had acquired Lucite, an AI platform built for Canadian group benefits brokers. Sterling’s November 6 announcement said the combined offering would bring its third-party administration platform to independent brokers for the first time. Lucite already supported more than 45 brokers serving over 20,000 clients, according to the announcement. Sterling did not disclose financial terms or quantified productivity gains. A shared back

In November 2026, Sun Life reported third quarter group insurance sales of C$619 million, up about 24 percent from C$498 million a year earlier. Group insurance sales for the first nine months reached C$1.85 billion, compared with C$1.61 billion for the same period in 2025. At the consolidated level, underlying net income rose to C$1.146 billion, while reported net income attributable to common shareholders fell to C$785 million. Those

In November 2026, the US Department of Labor’s final rule on pharmacy benefit manager fee disclosure appeared in the Federal Register, following the department’s October 29 announcement. The rule requires covered pharmacy benefit managers and affiliated brokers or consultants serving large self-insured employer health plans to disclose compensation to plan fiduciaries. It also gives fiduciaries a right to audit that information. November 2 was the publication date; sponsors should

In November 2026, Aon and funds managed by Blackstone announced the launch of Cortina syndicate 1956 at Lloyd’s. The November 6 release describes multi-year following capacity for eligible treaties placed by Aon, with QBE as managing agent and a dividend for participating cedents linked to the syndicate’s share. Lloyd’s gave approval in principle on October 16. Permission to underwrite from the intended January 1, 2027 start remained pending in

In November 2026, the UK Department for Work and Pensions launched consultations on Guided Retirement and Retirement Collective Pension Schemes. The November 3 proposals envisage a default route from workplace defined-contribution savings to managed lifetime income while preserving choice. Responses are due December 22, 2026. A scheme’s role during saving is different from its role when a worker needs income. Trustees and employers should compare how proposed routes handle