Bermuda’s long-term insurance market manages more than $1.5 trillion in assets on behalf of roughly 90 million policy builders around the world.

This was one of the statistics that emerged out of the 2026 Bermuda International Life & Annuity Conference, hosted by Bermuda International Long Term Insurers and Reinsurers.

The event attracted people from 15 countries, a record 760 delegates, half of whom flew to the island.

Chairwoman Natasha Scotland Courcy told a standing-room-only crowd packed into the Crown Room of the Hamilton Princess Hotel & Beach Club: “So, 90 million policyholders, are trusting us, with their tomorrow. That's not a statistic. That's actually a responsibility. So through the work we do every day, we help safeguard their financial futures and honour the promises that extends for decades.

“Assets held here exceed liabilities by $238 billion. That’s up from $231 billion, when I first stood on this stage last year.”

Ms Scotland Courcy, CEO and general counsel at Athene Life Re, referred to the stress test run by the Bermuda Monetary Authority, based on a global financial crisis scenario which recently showed that the sector maintains strong capital buffers.

She added: “The median for stress and liquidity coverage ratio was 471 per cent. 
More than four times the regulatory minimum of 105 per cent.

“That is what gives Bermuda credibility. We don't simply claim that our markets are resilient. We subject it to severe transparent testing, and demonstrate that the capital, liquidity, and the regulatory framework can withstand that pressure. So we don't ask the world to trust us. We prove it under pressure, in public.”

The conference opening address argued a key role for Bermuda in shaping the future of the industry and said that the BMA’s enhanced public disclosure requirements give stakeholders greater visibility into the assets and liabilities supporting long-term insurance. Cross border oversight, she said, has also advanced.

Ms Scotland Courcy said the long-term insurance industry will be on the hook for the substantial increase in retirement numbers.

She said: “Roughly one in seven people are over the age of 50. By 2050, that number is projected to reach nearly 13 billion. Or one in every four.

“So a billion more retirements are coming. Someone has to be ready to pay for that. 
That's us.

“That shift is going to create enormous demand for retirement income, longevity protection, and institutions that are capable of managing this over decades.

“And with its global connectivity, deep reinsurance expertise, access to long-term capital, and trusted regulatory framework, Bermuda is well positioned to help insurers across Asia and across the world, turn long-term savings into secure, dependable income for life.

“These aren’t separate discussions. Regulation determines whether innovation can actually scale responsibly. Capital allows insurance to support the long-term promises, and demographic change gives our work a clear purpose, helping people achieve greater financial security over longer lives. Together they tell a story of an industry that's undergoing profound transformation.

“So, I think that leads us with Bermuda’s moment of opportunity. We’re clearly not on the sidelines of this story. We’re actually the bridge this story depends on. The world is asking a fundamental question, how do we fund long-term promises at a time when populations are ageing, public resources are constrained, and the need for investment in the real economy continues to grow.

“And there isn't a single answer to that. But life insurance, annuities, and reinsurance undoubtedly has been part of that. Our industry brings together long-term capital and long-duration liabilities. It helps insurance manage risk, strengthens capacity to offer guarantees, connects global savings with investments that can support businesses, infrastructure, housing, and economic growth.”

She said Bermuda is a bridge between capital and policyholders, between cedants and the insurers and between major insurance markets.

“At a time when the world is asking how do we fund these long-term promises,” she said, “Bermuda is helping actually provide the answers.”