Investment Management

The primary purpose of our investment portfolio is to position us to fulfill our promise to our customers to fund future claim payments. For this reason, we employ a thoughtful investment philosophy that focuses on stable and appropriate risk-adjusted returns.

Approach

We strive to be thoughtful underwriters on both sides of our balance sheet, and we have always allocated our assets to support our insurance operations, not the reverse. Because the primary purpose of our investment portfolio is to fund future claim payments, Travelers employs a risk-adjusted approach to its investment portfolio. Our asset allocation gives us a high level of confidence that our capital is adequate to support our insurance business, in both good times and bad. Our approach has served us remarkably well over a long period and allows us to invest in our businesses with an eye to the future.

Our Co-Chief Investment Officers – members of our Management and Operating Committees – lead our Investment department, which directly manages our fixed income assets (94% of our investment portfolio), as well as our investments in equity securities, real estate, private equity limited partnerships, hedge funds, real estate partnerships and joint ventures. The Investment and Capital Markets Committee of the Board oversees our investment strategy and the risks related to our investment portfolio (including valuation and credit risks), capital structure, financing arrangements and liquidity.

Well-defined and consistent investment philosophy

Our investment portfolio is a key source of stability and strength for Travelers. The portfolio is managed first and foremost to support our insurance operations; accordingly, our investment portfolio is positioned to meet our obligations to policyholders under almost every foreseeable circumstance – anything from a global pandemic to a significant natural disaster to a financial crisis. With this in mind, we are focused on risk-adjusted returns and credit quality rather than reaching for yield that is not commensurate with the underlying risk. Our well-defined and consistent investment portfolio has been a meaningful and reliable contributor to our results year in and year out.

The performance of our investment portfolio in 2024 underscores the wisdom of our thoughtful and diversified approach. Net investment income was very strong at $2.95 billion after-tax, reflecting higher long-term and short-term average yields and a higher average level of fixed maturity investments. 

¹Includes $1.152 billion of Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities with an Aaa/Aa1 rating and $472 million of Asset-Backed Securities with an Aa1 rating.
²Rated using external rating agencies or by Travelers when a public rating does not exist. Ratings shown are the higher of the rating of the underlying issues or the insurer in the case of securities enhanced by third-party insurance for the payment of principal and interest in the event of issuer default. Below investment grade assets refer to securities rated “Ba” or below.