We're evolving. Mercer is now part of the new, expanded Marsh brand

Investment solutions and OCIO for insurance firms

Discover how we can help you broaden your portfolio’s horizons 
Contact our investment specialists today

A Partner to your insurance portfolio

Whatever the market conditions, it’s critical to have an investment strategy that aligns with and supports our insurance client’s business needs. Insurers must be able to oversee the investment portfolio, manage costs and implement the right strategy in this complex regulatory and operational landscape and the right partner can help them do this.

But partnership goes beyond just sharing ideas. We collaborate with clients to help them achieve strong risk-adjusted returns while maintaining operational efficiency and meeting their liability, risk and capital requirements across jurisdictions. Our approach leverages our investment advisory heritage, insights from our deep knowledge of the investment universe, and our expertise across research, advice and solutions.

A partner that invests with an insurance lens

Investing through an insurance lens is ultimately an exercise in balance. It means thinking across both sides of the balance sheet, aligning assets with liabilities, regulatory requirements, and long-term promises to policyholders, while maintaining the flexibility to adapt as conditions evolve. Rather than focusing solely on maximizing returns, insurers manage trade-offs between yield and liquidity, risk and resilience, short-term performance and enduring stability.
For many, the objective is not to predict the future with precision but to stay prepared for a range of outcomes. This involves building portfolios that can support liabilities under stress, capture opportunities as they emerge, and meet changing solvency and sustainability needs. It also reflects a broader awareness of the forces shaping both assets and liabilities, from demographic shifts and technology adoption to the transition toward a more sustainable economy. The goal is to create a framework that acts as a true partner to your portfolio, supporting long-term performance through resilience, foresight, and disciplined execution.

Top considerations for insurers in 2026

Discover the key themes shaping insurers’ 2026 outlook, from market stability and private credit to emerging post-consensus risks.
Download report

Solutions for insurance investors

Mercer provides insurers with a full suite of consulting services, including asset liability matching and strategic asset allocation; portfolio construction and optimization; manager research, selection and ongoing monitoring; regulatory and accounting services; plus, assistance with stress testing, hedging, derivatives and operations.

We tailor our work to an insurer’s specific objectives, delivering investment advice and risk management across asset classes, both public and private, including fixed income, equity, real assets and alternatives. 

Common questions about portfolio management for insurance companies

Every investment program has its own unique set of objectives and often requires internal and external resources to manage it. We flex our services to suit your requirements, creating a customized approach that works for you, no matter the size of your team. Depending on your needs, you may choose one or a combination of the following:

  • Digital: Do it yourself by accessing our digital manager research platform, MercerInsight®.
  • Advisory: Get help with our comprehensive investment consulting services.
  • Delegated: Have us implement and manage your investment strategy

When you engage us, we operate as an extension of your team. We can help guide you on your strategy and allocation, help you source new ideas and innovation through alternative markets and help you integrate ESG, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and impact investing considerations to target sustainably. We can also manage the implementation for you based on your desired direction. You will always maintain control of key decisions.

We use an open-architecture platform not affiliated with any one asset manager, giving us a true independent perspective. This allows you to customize solutions to match your specific requirements regarding returns, liabilities or liquidity. The platform also helps you execute your strategy through your in-house team, external managers, or a combination of both.

Alternative asset classes, including private markets, can offer insurers many benefits — returns that are less correlated to public markets, important sources of diversification, and ways to invest in and support the real economy. However, accessing and maintaining these strategies is not straightforward. There are layers of complexity and cost through origination, due diligence, legal work and relationship building — all before any investment has been made.

We can help you navigate these challenges in a way that suits your strategy and requirements.

  • Advice: You keep control of your investment strategy and implementation, while we provide research, operational, legal and due diligence support.
  • Directed implementation: This approach lets you keep control of investment decisions and manager selection while deploying and implementing strategies through our platform.
  • Delegated implementation: Our specialists work with you to create a bespoke investment strategy and approach implemented through our platform using segregated mandates or pooled funds.

How we helped a large insurer adjust its portfolio operating model

The issue:

A global marine insurer needed to adjust to a new operating model. The process highlighted the company’s limited internal resources and inability to execute and nimbly adapt its investment strategy.

The in-house team wanted to retain control of manager selection but also explore new investment opportunities that capture yield, including moving into private markets.

The solution:

We began working with the insurer in an advisory capacity before progressing to an implemented consulting and discretionary delegated asset allocation relationship. The insurer was able to retain its existing fund managers while expanding and diversifying with managers we helped find.

We introduced detailed data and risk analytics, which enabled the insurer to enhance its governance structure. This also helped simplify and streamline the company’s operating model across multiple group entities and reduce costs.

Our Solutions

  • Alternative investments

    We help identify and source investment ideas and strategies in private markets and hedge funds.

  • Governance

    We build timely, cost-effective and resilient decision-making frameworks designed to help clients pursue their investment objectives.

  • Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO)

    We work as an extension of your team to help address a range of investment challenges including governance and risk

  • Investment advice

    We leverage our latest thinking, insights, and strategic and manager research to help you make better informed decisions. Get advice and guidance to help you convert these insights into achievable and desirable outcomes.

  • Manager research 

    MercerInsight® is the home of our manager ratings and research. We rate managers and strategies to help you monitor existing asset managers, or select new ones across public and private markets. 

  • Risk management

    We perform operational and due diligence, coordinate asset transitions and mitigate operational risks across your portfolios and strategies.

  • Strategic research

    MercerInsight® Community provides access to the latest strategic investment research from Mercer and thousands of third-party publishers. Membership is complimentary and it's quick and easy to join. 

  • Direct investments

    We can incorporate direct investment and trading capabilities into our solutions globally

  • Market views 

    We offer short- to medium-term asset allocation views designed to mitigate risks and generate improved performance

Related insights

    It's all here: MercerInsight® Community

    Simplify your search. Get strategic research tailored to your interests from thought leaders across the investment industry, including Mercer and hundreds of third‑party publishers. Membership is complimentary, and it takes seconds to sign up.
    Join the community

    Contact our insurance investment team

    As a partner to your portfolio 

    See our Important Notices

    1. Fees and savings are not guaranteed
    2. Mercer cannot guarantee access to opportunities. Access is at the discretion of the investment manager.
    3. Mercer does not provide legal advice. You should contact your attorney before making any decisions with legal implications.