High Net Worth Profile 2023
Humans are hardwired to want certainty as life is usually perceived to be less stressful if we are able to anticipate coming events. But volatility has been the norm, with unpredictability the prevailing motif in every sphere from the climate and the Pandemic to the market and geopolitics.
Fortunately, humans are also hardwired to adapt, and high net worth (HNW) individuals are evolving their behavior to meet the present conditions, explains Davin Wong, PCS by Mercer Singapore CEO. *
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Increased focus on risk management
The COVID-19 Pandemic and the “Great Wealth Transfer” from baby boomers to their heirs are just two profound events influencing HNW thinking where strategic caution and forward planning are now top priority.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has reinforced a lot of people, including many HNW individuals, the need to actively manage risk, including one’s own mortality. Wealth doesn’t comprehensively insulate you from unforeseen events, and you can’t avoid the circle of life, but you can do a lot to reduce your family’s fear and uncertainty by bestowing a legacy structure.
As PCS by Mercer work with HNW individuals and families, we observe that there is increasing recognition of:
- The importance of taking proactive steps to structure and protect assets,
- The different solutions and strategies that can be used to transfer wealth to not just one, but multiple generations,
- How key is it to develop individualized strategies in order to create the most seamless wealth transfer process, and
- The prevalent use of life insurance as an essential part of comprehensive risk management plans.
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Market volatility is leading to a growing demand for diversification and insurance as an asset class
VIX (The Cboe Volatility Index) measures the implied volatility of the S&P 500. In March 2020, as the COVID-19 crisis began unfolding, VIX reached a historical high of 82.691, and the equities rollercoaster has continued since.
Market volatilities and the uncertain times may prompt some HNW individuals to refocus their investment portfolios by retuning and rebalancing to achieve diversification beyond traditional asset classes.
A growing number of PCS by Mercer clients are viewing life insurance solutions as an alternative asset class in portfolio diversification. Whole of Life and Income/Savings Plans are currently favored, as the solutions provide policy holders with a combination of underlying returns as well as insurance coverage. The products offer some core stability that is appealing amidst market turmoil.
Within the life insurance solutions spectrum, the introduction of Indexed Universal Life plans (tied to debt or equity exposure in key global markets)2 now allows HNW clients the option of combining life insurance protection with, in line with the higher potential risks, higher potential returns.
How HNW individuals and families are accessing life insurance solutions is changing too. Around 50% of our clients are now using remote/non-face-to-face processes to incept their policies, maximizing their time, and reducing the need to travel. We predict this change to continue growing in popularity.
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Prioritizing organizations with a focus on sustainability and ESG
As Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations advance globally, investors in Asia are increasingly incorporating ESG-focused investments into their portfolios. They recognize that alpha and ESG don’t have to be binary decisions; portfolio growth can also have a positive impact on society and the environment3.
Amongst PCS by Mercer’s Asian clients, we are seeing a heightened social awareness and the desire to contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future. There is an attendant and observable growth in impact investing, and our clients are keen to align their values with their wealth. One of the ways they are doing so is by incorporating altruistic goals into their overall wealth planning strategies, including the use of life insurance solutions to fund philanthropic endeavors. It’s a win-win strategy.
1 https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/vix-intro/
2 (An alternative to fixed income markets, or even a combination of fixed income and equities markets)
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joined PCS from VP Bank where he served as an Executive Director. He previously held similar leadership roles in Bank Julius Baer, ANZ, UOB, DBS and HSBC. Davin has over 20 years of wealth management, client advisory and private banking experience in both frontline and leadership roles.
Davin holds a master’s degree in Advanced Finance and a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from The University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia.