Insurance Europe

Savings and Investments Union (SIU)

Investing from insurers’ perspective

Explore how insurers’ unique business model allows them to invest
for the long term and help finance Europe’s priorities.

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Why the SIU matters for Europe’s future

The Savings and Investments Union (SIU) is an opportunity to boost household wealth and drive economic growth in Europe. This is particularly important given the unprecedented investment needs Europe faces to tackle the twin challenges of the green and digital transitions, while also financing the innovation and infrastructure required to remain globally competitive. Europe also faces a growing pension gap, driven by demographic change, longer life expectancy, and increasing pressure on public pension systems. In this context, making tangible progress on the SIU is not only an economic imperative but a social one.

How insurers support growth and resilience

Insurers are already a cornerstone of addressing these challenges: they play a central role in channelling household savings into long-term investments, helping to boost Europe's competitiveness, European capital markets, and underpin the digital and green transitions. Furthermore, life insurers, as providers of both occupational and personal pensions, play a key role in addressing the pension savings gap. As such, they help diversify retirement income sources, thereby enhancing financial security for individuals and alleviating pressure on public resources.

Empowering insurers to mobilise savings

To fully unlock the sector’s capacity to mobilise savings and channel them into productive investments, the SIU must leverage and strengthen the industry’s important role.

To unlock the full potential of insurance, the SIU should:

better connect European households with retail investment opportunities through ensuring product diversity,
facilitate long-term investments by insurance companies,
ensure regulation supports – rather than hinders – competitiveness.

PAPER

European insurance sector committed to delivering on pensions

The upcoming review of the Pan-European Personal Pension Product (PEPP), under the SIU agenda, must be more than a technical adjustment – it must be a strategic reset.

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OPINION ARTICLE

Unlocking Europe's strategic future

Enrico Letta
Former Italian Prime Minister

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OPINION ARTICLE

Advancing the SIU

Andrea Beltramello
European Commission

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At a glance: How are insurers already contributing to the SIU goals

Boosting retail participation in capital markets

By offering savings and retirement products, including with protection elements such as guarantees and risk covers, insurers meet the diverse needs and evolving preferences of consumers. Insurance-based investment products represent the largest portion of retail investment in Europe (70% according to EIOPA) and insurers are key providers of occupational and personal pension products.

Investing long-term in the European economy

The insurance industry is one of Europe’s largest institutional investors, investing close to €9.5trn in the economy and 70% of their investments in equity, corporate and sovereign bonds are within the EU. The sector is an important provider of stable, long-term funding and it is uniquely offer large-scale, long-term capital with a strong European focus for infrastructure, green transition, and innovation projects aligned with EU goals.

Supporting European innovators at the most critical moments

Insurers provide protection to citizens and businesses against potential risks and offer mechanisms to manage, mitigate and cope with the risks they face. Insurance enables risk-taking by covering entrepreneurs and innovators, yet its role in driving innovation is often overlooked.

Global success story, supporting Europe’s competitiveness and financial autonomy

European insurers are globally successful and many internationally active insurers are from the EU. With its significant business presence internationally, the insurance sector contributes to Europe’s competitiveness, global leadership, and financial autonomy.

Boosting retail participation in capital markets

Investing long-term in the European economy

Supporting European innovators at the most critical moments

Global success story, supporting Europe’s competitiveness and financial autonomy