Of course the story that dominates is the KKR acquisition of April, although it doesn’t actually change much, as the current growth initiative will simply continue, for example the entry to Germany.

The 3rd annual Pacific Prime global employee benefits report always makes for good reading, highlighting new ‘inclusion’ and ‘green’ trends.

Meanwhile, Allianz seems to be progressing well with its preferred partnership agreement with Aetna (ex US). And, post Anthony Cabrelli’s return to Bupa Global, we see some restructuring and new names. AP Companies’ US acquisition is a notable move.

In the wider health world, predominantly in the US, the primary care provider area continues to be disrupted by the pharmacy and tech giants.

The huge size of the health services market is illustrated by Optum’s massive military contract extension. Investment here has returned to pre-pandemic levels, albeit in a more targeted way around ‘efficiency’.

Greater sophistication and new angles seem to be coming into holistic wellness with a focus on long covid (Legal & General), female issues (Maven) and teaming software (MixR).

Finally, the facts on US travel insurance penetration – still low – surprised us given the massive upswing in covers in 2022, offering further growth to come.

As ever, do please let us know your feedback. With best wishes for a happy Christmas.