In October 2026, California’s Department of Insurance issued Bulletin 2026-8 on separate-account products with general-account guarantees, including pension risk transfers. Dated 29 October, the bulletin adds filing, financial and disclosure requirements under existing statutory authority. It does not give blanket approval to every insurer or transfer arrangement. For pension sponsors, the practical question is how the promised benefits are supported by the actual contract and participating organisations. A description

In October 2026, Vitality released research in which 40% of respondents earning above £100,000 said they would feel financially unprepared if illness stopped them working, while 41% reported having income protection. Published on 29 October, the findings came from an Opinium survey of 2,000 UK adults conducted on 5 to 12 August. The overall sample was nationally representative; the release did not state the high-earner subgroup’s size. The findings

In October 2026, Vanguard published How America Retires, linking flexible withdrawal options with a greater likelihood that recent retirees keep savings in workplace plans. Its 29 October release also found that around 15% withdrew their full account as cash in their retirement year. The observations should not be read as proof that retention or a particular withdrawal feature improves retirement income. For employee benefits teams, the practical question is

In October 2026, PLANSPONSOR reported that six employers had sued UnitedHealth over administration of their self-funded health plans. Its 29 October coverage concerned a complaint filed on 20 October in the Eastern District of Texas by Aramark, Kraft Heinz, Ralph Lauren, Sterling Jewelers, Grainger and Whirlpool. The employers allege problems with claims processing, fees, cross-plan offsets and access to data. UnitedHealthcare strongly disputes the allegations and says it will

In October 2026, US Customs and Border Protection announced that eligible Saudi citizens could apply for Global Entry following Saudi Arabia’s addition as a programme partner. Applicants face vetting and an in-person interview; successful membership remains conditional on compliance. The practical benefit is expedited border processing for approved travellers. Membership does not provide a visa or employment permission. Employers should keep those distinctions clear when communicating the option to

In October 2026, Immigration New Zealand updated its business-visitor instructions with effect from 20 October, and Fragomen reported the wider changes on 28 October. The rules include limited informal training and commercial transactions within the permitted visitor activities. Fragomen also describes clearer Specific Purpose Work Visa categories for contractual service suppliers and independent professionals. The changes require an assessment of the proposed activity; a general business purpose does not