After raising $48 million in 2017 to tap into the growing needs of businesses to handle their global workforces, MOVE Guides in February 2018 announced the acquisition of Polaris Global Mobility, in order to expand its footprint in the market and the services it offers to customers. Polaris works with large enterprises to build software to manage expat programs and payroll. With the acquisition, MOVE Guides will now be

Swiss Re in February 2018 announced it was in preliminary talks with Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, which could end up owning up to one-third of the global reinsurer. The deal is valued at around USD 10 billion. Other $10+ bn investments by SoftBank include Sprint (telecoms), ARM Holdings (microprocessors), Vodafone Japan (telecom), Didi Chuxing, Uber Technologies (both transportation); smaller investments in insurance include Lemonade. As to the rationale behind the

Mid-2018 will see German insurer Allianz sell part of its Taiwan business’s traditional life insurance portfolio to China Life Insurance in a move by Allianz to actively manage its Taiwan life portfolio for more capital-efficient solutions. The deal includes a portfolio of around 78,000 policies with a guaranteed interest rate of 4 percent or higher, with combined policy reserves of 1.2 billion euros (on a IFRS basis, $1.42 billion

AIG in December 2017 became the sole owner of the AIG Global Benefits Network (AIG GBN). By way of background, through one of its units, AIG in mid-2015 had acquired a controlling 50%+1 stake in the former ING network. Two years later, the two minority shareholders of AIG GBN, Malakoff-Médéric of France and NN (formerly ING) of The Netherlands, sold their respective stakes. The move confirms AIG’s commitment to

Aetna in November 2017 sold its group life and disability insurance and absence management business to The Hartford for $1.45bn. Life and disability was the only non-health insurance related part of the business remaining after Aetna cut its property casualty insurance business in the mid-1990s. It only brought in about $2bn in premiums in 2016, while Aetna recorded $63.1bn in total revenue, and healthcare premium revenues reached $54.1bn. The

Global Bankers Insurance Group, an international family of insurance and reinsurance companies, will acquire Lincoln Benefit Life Company, a Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.-based provider of life insurance and annuity solutions. The transaction that will conclude in the first quarter of 2018. Subject to appropriate regulatory approvals by the Nebraska Dept. of Insurance, the sale was prompted by the decision of Lincoln’s Resolution Group, which planned consolidation of Lincoln’s insurance activities

Lloyds Banking Group, the parent of Scottish Widows, in October 2017 announced a deal wherein it will buy Zurich UK’s workplace pensions and savings business in Q1 of 2018. The combined deal would place Scottish Widows as the UK’s third largest workplace savings provider. Zurich will get exclusive distribution rights for group life protection to certain corporate clients of Lloyds’ commercial banking business, while broadening Scottish Widows’ offering in

Abelica Global, an international network of financially and legally independent actuarial consulting firms, in December 2017 announced that it was joined by Portuguese firm Actuariado. Actuariado advises Portuguese clients on a range of actuarial and related consulting issues for both employee benefits and insurance. They also provide services to a number of clients in the Portuguese speaking African countries of Angola, Cabo Verde, and Mozambique. ‘We are happy to

DaVita Medical Group, a U.S. independent medical group and a subsidiary of DaVita, and Optum, a health services company that is part of UnitedHealth Group, have agreed to merge as of 5 December 2017 for approximately $4.9 billion in cash. The transaction is expected to close in 2018 and is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions. DaVita, a Fortune 500 company, is the parent company of

The announcement that CVS Health has purchased Aetna, referred to in our earlier news item, was made on Sunday, 4 December 2017, laying to rest months of rumor and speculation. The acquisition sets the stage for a new type of company that will include a health insurer, a retail pharmacy, and a pharmacy benefits manager that negotiates prescription drug prices with drug-makers. The announcement comes at a time when

Chicago-based global insurance brokerage Hub International in November 2017 announced that it has acquired the assets of the Burlington, Vermont-based Summit Financial Corporation and Summit Financial Insurance Agency. Summit’s leadership team and staff will continue to operate out of Summit’s existing offices and will report to Charles Brophy, President and CEO, Regional President, Hub International US East. Summit, founded by Joe Bonasera and Brian Babcock, is one of New

Bug Insights’ human resources analytics and rewards optimization offering in November 2017 was acquired by Deloitte Consulting. Viewed as a critical step on the journey to creating a total relationship with employees, the offering allows employers the ability to determine what their employees value most from their rewards programs. It leverages trade-off analysis and employee preference measurements to give companies specific information about their employees’ attitudes, helping to design

Canadian provider of employee and family assistance programs (EFAP) Morneau Shepell in November 2017 announced that they have acquired Pro Health Group, an EFAP and wellness program provider based in Quebec City, Canada, which focuses on prevention of mental and physical health issues and on supporting employees and their families. The acquisition represents approximately one percent of Morneau Shepell’s revenue and is not expected to have a material impact

Global consulting and actuarial firm Milliman in October 2017 announced that they have joined with the MicroInsurance Centre (MIC), a consulting firm and micro-insurance thought leader dedicated to generating access to micro-insurance products to 3 billion low-income people across the globe. The transaction accelerates MIC’s progress toward its goals while significantly expanding Milliman’s capabilities in micro-insurance. The joint venture operates under the “MicroInsurance Centre at Milliman” brand and allows

Global insurance brokerage Hub International in October 2017 announced it had acquired the assets of employee benefits specialist Graffam Insurance Group. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Based in the state of Maine, USA, Graffam services businesses in Maine and New Hampshire.

Principal Financial in October 2017 bought MetLife’s pension fund management business in Mexico, MetLife Afore, adding a larger distribution network to Principal Afore’s current business in the country and the fifth largest player in the Mexican mandatory pension, voluntary long-term savings, and mutual funds competitive space. The transaction is expected to complete in early 2018.

CVS Health, an American drug store chain that also operates walk-in health clinics and a pharmacy benefit business, in October 2017 was reported to be in talks to purchase Aetna Insurance in a deal that could be worth more than $60 billion based on Aetna’s current market value. This would make the purchase one of the largest in the history of the health industry. CVS, with the addition of

Swiss Life in October 2017 entered into a long-term partnership with Swiss business software provider for small businesses, bexio. Swiss Life becomes one of the largest shareholders of bexio and Swiss Life Switzerland CEO Markus Leibundgut joins the Board of Directors. The start-up already has over 10 000 customers and employs a staff of 50 in Switzerland. Bexio focuses on small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and offers web-based services – including

Arthur J. Gallagher in October 2017 acquired DiBrina Group, a Sudbury, Ontario, Canada HR insurance firm. The terms of the sale were not disclosed. Founded by Michael DiBrina in 1989 and incorporated in 1997, DiBrina Group provides human resources, employee benefits, wealth management, and life insurance consulting and brokerage services. The team, which includes Mr. DiBrina, as well as Tim Lychy, Diego Favero, Aurel Malo, Ehren Baldauf, Jeff St.

AIA Group has reached an agreement with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) to acquire CommInsure Life and Sovereign, CBA’s life insurance business in Australia and life and health insurance businesses in New Zealand. In addition, AIA will enter into 20-year strategic bancassurance partnerships with CBA in Australia and ASB Bank in New Zealand. The gross consideration to be paid with respect to the transaction is AUD3,800 million (which

Aon in October 2017 announced it had purchased Portus Consulting, an independent U.K.-based employee benefits firm. Portus has a leading position in the U.K. professional services market, particularly the legal sector and among SMEs with 50 to 750 employees. It will join Aon Employee Benefits, which says it has 2,500 large and SME corporate clients, covering over 1 million lives in the U.K.

Global broker Arthur J. Gallagher in September 2017 announced the acquisition of property and casualty insurance broker Nordic Försäkring & Riskhantering  in Gothenburg, Sweden, for an undisclosed amount. Sweden is considered to be a core strategic development area for Gallagher, following the 2013 purchase of international marine and energy broker Bergvall Marine, based in Norway, and Brim, who are Stockholm trade credit, political risk and consulting specialists. The deal

UnitedHealth in August 2017 acquired Advisory Board’s health-care analytics, research and consulting operations for about $1.3 billion including debt. The merger is part of a two-way deal that will also see private equity firm Vista Equity Partners purchase Advisory Board’s education arm for $1.55 billion. Advisory Board will become a part of UnitedHealth’s Optum pharmacy-benefit and health-care services unit. That business has been a major source of revenue growth

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) in August 2017 sold its Hong Kong-based subsidiary, MassMutual Asia, to Yunfeng Financial Group and other Asia-based investors for approximately $1.7 billion, including a 24.8% stake in Yunfeng Financial Group. MassMutual Asia owns a P/C insurer and MassMutual Trustees, which focuses on the Mandatory Provident Fund business, a compulsory pension plan for the retirement of residents in Hong Kong. According to the joint

Total global fintech investment more than doubled quarter over quarter in Q2’17 to US $8.4 billion, up from US$3.6 billion in Q1’17, according to the KPMG Pulse of Fintech report. The fintech market rebound was helped by global M&A investment, with US$5.9 billion in deal value for M&A for the quarter. Comparatively, global VC funding to fintech companies declined slightly, with just over US$2.5 billion in VC funding raised

Arthur J. Gallagher in August 2017 announced the acquisition of Michigan, U.S.A.-based Ballard Benefit Works, a boutique employee benefit and health care finance brokerage, consulting and insurance agency. Ballard Benefit Works, founded in 2009 by Justin Spewock, serves public, private and not-for-profit clients primarily throughout , Washington, D.C. and Florida. It specializes in the development of alternative models for healthcare delivery. Ballard will operate under the direction of John

Pan-American Life Insurance Group (PALIG) in June 2017 acquired HolaDoctor, the leading digital provider of health and wellness solutions for Hispanic audiences, in a significant strategic initiative by PALIG that both expands its presence in the U.S. Hispanic market and strengthens its position as a healthcare leader in Latin America. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Founded in 1999, HolaDoctor is an online resource for Hispanic consumers interested