A Captive Guide for Managers


Imagine your captive insurer’s ability to grow assets and surplus over time by affectively deploying underutilized assets. Further, visualize an opportunity to enhance the captive’s financial well-being over time, the benefits of which may flow directly to the parent organization. How might this be possible? In this guide, insurance portfolio managers Don Miller and Jeff Matthias describe a time-tested approach for steering both young and established insurance companies towards the potential for improved risk-adjusted returns with ample consideration given to an insurer’s unique situation.

The five-segment guide from Captive Review begins with an overview of how an insurer’s investable assets and surplus tend to evolve over time, often requiring a change in investment focus and expanded risk management. The next three sections explain these items in greater detail, especially the merits of a well-written investment policy statement and in what ways statutory accounting provides a decided advantage for weathering market volatility. Specific points are made about the importance of evaluating both insurance and investment risks in unison to form an enterprise-wide perspective. Moreover, there are actionable tips about how to implement an investment plan. The final segment is a case study showing how Madison Scottsdale exercises flexibility while pulling the concepts together as it addresses distinctive insurer conditions.

  • Foreword
  • The Insurance Infrastructure
  • Growth Mentality
  • The Risk Framework
  • The Right Partner
  • Case Study


“Madison” and/or “Madison Investments” is the unifying tradename of Madison Investment Holdings, Inc., Madison Asset Management, LLC (“MAM”), and Madison Investment Advisors, LLC (“MIA”). MAM and MIA are registered as investment advisers with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Madison Funds are distributed by MFD Distributor, LLC. MFD Distributor, LLC is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as a broker-dealer and is a member firm of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. The home office for each firm listed above is 550 Science Drive, Madison, WI 53711. Madison’s toll-free number is 800-767-0300.

Any performance data shown represents past performance. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Non-deposit investment products are not federally insured, involve investment risk, may lose value and are not obligations of, or guaranteed by, any financial institution. Investment returns and principal value will fluctuate.

This website is for informational purposes only and is not intended as an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any security.

This guide is made available by Captive Review.

Although the information in this report has been obtained from sources that the firm believes to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy, and any such information may be incomplete or condensed. All opinions included in this report constitute the firm’s judgment as of the date of this report and are subject to change without notice. This report is for informational purposes only and is not intended as an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any security.