M&A are transformative events for financial institutions, offering growth, diversification, and competitive advantages. However, they also introduce complex risks. This article explores how banks and building societies can strategically manage these risks and optimize insurance programs to ensure seamless integration and long-term success.
Acquiring another corporate entity significantly alters the risk profile of the acquiring institution. These changes span operational, cultural, technological, and regulatory domains:
Integration challenges
Combining operations, systems, and cultures can lead to inefficiencies and disruptions.
Human resources risks
Redundancies and leadership changes may cause employee anxiety, impacting morale and productivity.
Cultural clashes
Differing corporate cultures can result in conflict and turnover.
Technology issues
Integrating IT systems poses security and cost risks.
Regulatory scrutiny
M&A often attracts increased oversight, requiring rigorous compliance.
These risks, if not proactively managed, can lead to claims from clients, employees and shareholders. Data from WTW reveals that 47% of claims originate from the insured’s own shareholders and investors.
To navigate this evolving risk landscape, financial institutions must optimize their insurance programs during M&A. This involves aligning insurance coverage with the new risk profile and strategic goals of the merged entity.
01
Define protection needs and align them with performance metrics.
02
Use modeling to simulate loss scenarios and assess risk diversification.
03
Explore combinations of limits and deductibles using market intelligence.
04
Identify the “efficient frontier” balancing cost and risk reduction.
05
Ensure insurance decisions support long-term strategic objectives.
Financial institutions must treat insurance optimization as a strategic priority during M&A. By aligning risk management with evolving business models, they can enhance resilience, reduce costs, and support long-term growth.
WTW hopes you found the general information provided here informative and helpful. The information contained herein is not intended to constitute legal or other professional advice and should not be relied upon in lieu of consultation with your own legal advisors. In the event you would like more information regarding your insurance coverage, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. In North America, WTW offers insurance products through licensed entities, including Willis Towers Watson Northeast, Inc. (in the United States) and Willis Canada Inc. (in Canada).
