From buy-in to buyout – the operational challenges trustees cannot ignore

Darren Masters looks at when preparation pays off and when it doesn’t

clock • 4 min read
Darren Masters: The schemes that prepare early will complete. The schemes that don't will join the backlog.
Image:

Darren Masters: The schemes that prepare early will complete. The schemes that don't will join the backlog.

The risk transfer market is moving at unprecedented pace, yet more than 1,000 schemes now sit between buy-in and buyout – a backlog that continues to grow, with 300-plus new buy ins each year and only around 100 buyouts completing.

In this environment, operational readiness has become the defining constraint. Funding is no longer the barrier. Insurer appetite is not the barrier. The real challenge is execution. My recent e...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Pensions

Become a Professional Pensions Lite Member today

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis and opinion from the industry
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our two daily news alerts
  • Hear from industry experts and other forward-thinking leaders

Are you a trustee, investment consultant or in-house pension and benefit scheme professional? You can apply for full complimentary access here

Join now

 

Already a Professional Pensions
member?

Login

More on Risk Reduction

Welsh National Opera scheme signs £11.1m buy-in deal with Utmost

Welsh National Opera scheme signs £11.1m buy-in deal with Utmost

Transaction secures the benefits of 158 scheme members

Holly Roach
clock 22 October 2026 • 2 min read
Interface scheme secures £85m buy-in with PIC

Interface scheme secures £85m buy-in with PIC

Transaction secures the benefits of 1,117 scheme members

Holly Roach
clock 21 October 2026 • 1 min read
Biffa Pension Scheme completes £275m buy-in with Standard Life

Biffa Pension Scheme completes £275m buy-in with Standard Life

Transaction secures the benefits of 3,070 scheme members

Holly Roach
clock 20 October 2026 • 1 min read
Trustpilot