
The insurance sector has grown tremendously in recent years and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. The global insurance market is expected to reach a whopping $2 trillion by 2020. That’s because the world is becoming more and more risk-averse as time goes on, and people are willing to spend money to protect themselves from potential financial disasters. Unfortunately, not every stock market crash has optimistic undertones for investors. Especially now that we’re coming off one of the worst bear markets in history, should you avoid investing in stocks that have high exposure to the insurance industry at this time? The answer is no! We’ll discuss why below, but let’s also look at some safe stocks to buy that have exposure to insurance companies as a secondary business function.
RenaissanceRe Holdings (RNR)
RNR is one of the world’s largest reinsurance companies. Essentially, it provides insurance for insurance companies. This is a great way to protect yourself against a market downturn, as many insurance companies will raise their premiums during times of high volatility. It’s also a great way to find consistent, non-cyclical recurring cash flows. Reinsurers are highly correlated to interest rates, so they’re a great way to hedge against rising rates. Furthermore, reinsurers have an excellent track record of paying claims, as they must maintain higher capital reserves to cover any potential claims.RNR also has several other operational strengths that make it a safe investment in the insurance sector. It’s widely diversified across developed and emerging markets and has a long history of paying consistent dividends. It also has a shallow level of debt, allowing it to remain profitable even during economic uncertainty.
The Hartford Financial Services Group (HIG)
HIG is one of the largest life insurance companies in the world, with a market cap of around $24 billion. It has a proven track record of solid growth and is focused on growth in emerging markets. This is especially important for investors worried about exposure to the Chinese economy.HIG is also focused on building its investment management business, which has been performing exceptionally well. Its equity fund is a consistent top performer for institutional and retail investors. HIG also has a large and diverse asset base and a strategic partnership with BlackRock that provides it with additional resources. This added diversification is essential because HIG has a significant amount of debt on its balance sheet due to its acquisition of American International Group (AIG) in the wake of the financial crisis. However, it has enough cash flow to service its debt with plenty of excesses comfortably. It’s also worth noting that HIG has consistently paid dividends to shareholders over the last several decades.
China Life Insurance Company (LFC)
LFC is one of the largest life insurance companies in the world, and it’s also the largest publicly traded insurer in China. It has a solid balance sheet, and it’s one of the most profitable insurers in the world. This is mainly due to its focus on life insurance, a highly consistent and low-risk business.LFC also has a large and diverse asset base, providing ample cash flow to invest in new ventures. Additionally, it has a significant amount of capital free to invest in other companies, which makes it a strategic partner for many businesses. This capital is also highly liquid, so LFC can raise its dividend at any point.