The activity of Insurance and Pensions Unit is targeted at producing studies, analyses and applied research in the areas of the capital (private) pensions, the personal pension provision, the solidarity pensions, the life insurance, the non-life insurance, the markets of long-term saving and investment products for the individual clients.

The goal of these researches is to join the efforts, the experience, the knowledge and the expertise of scientists, experts, business practitioners, regulatory and supervisory bodies’ representatives and decision makers in order to find solutions to the specific problems faced by the practice in these areas.

During the execution of the activities in the research unit field will be sought cooperation with companies from the respective spheres, branch organizations, non-governmental organizations, official state bodies, foreign universities, foreign official bodies, consultancy and research centers, etc. For example: the Financial Supervision Commission, the Association of Bulgarian Insurers, the Bulgarian Association of Supplementary Pension Security Companies, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, the Ministry of Education and Science, the National Social Security Institute, the National Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the Bulgarian Stock Exchange, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria, the Confederation of Trade Union Podkrepa, the Bulgarian Industrial Association, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria and others.

The focus is placed on study and applied research in emerging new areas in the field of pension, life insurance, insurtech, long-term saving and investment by individual clients. These include:

  • Development of supplementary pension insurance markets
  • Development of pan-European pension insurance products (PEPP, RESAVER, IORP schemes, etc.)
  • Future of solidarity pensions (public, solidarity, PAYG pensions)
  • Cross-border pensions
  • Integrated analysis of solidarity and supplementary pensions
  • Comparative analysis of capital pension systems in EU Member States
  • Development of fintech and insurtech companies and products
  • Innovative life insurance products
  • Innovative non-life insurance products
  • Development of bancassurance

 

The research unit is also open to other studies in these areas or issues close to them.

Prof. Dr. Stanislav Dimitrov

Prof. Dr. Stanislav Dimitrov

Director of research unit "Insurance and Pensions"

Prof. Dr. Stanislav Dimitrov is Head at VUZF-Lab’s „Insurance and Pensions“ Research Department. He is Head of „Finance“ Department at VUZF University and lecturer of “Financial management”, “Financial budgeting and planning”, “Management of Pension Company”, “Investment policy of capital pension funds” and others. His main research interests cover the fields of capital pension insurance, corporate finance, financial management, saving and investment products, innovation in insurance, financial analysis, M & A.

Prof. Dr. Stanislav Dimitrov holds Master degree in Finance from the University of National and World Economy, Sofia. His doctoral dissertation is on the topic of “Evaluation of a pension insurance company”. He is the author of two books on “Corporate Finance” and “Organization and Management of a Pension Company” and a monograph “Development of capital pension funds (financial aspects, results, solutions and perspectives for Bulgaria)”.

Alongside with his academic activity Stanislav Dimitrov is engaged in management positions in companies related to life insurance, non-life insurance, pension security, including Pension Insurance Company Saglasie AD, Pension Insurance Company DSK-Rodina AD, Life insurance company Sogelife and Life insurance company Saglasie. Since 2011 he is the CEO of Life insurance company Saglasie AD. He represents the Company in the Association of Bulgarian Insurers. He is member of the Life insurance commission and the Finance commission within the Association of Bulgarian Insurers. He is chair of Corporate Finance Club at VUZF. Stanislav is a scientific advisor of doctoral candidates at VUZF. He is a member of the International Business Academy and the Academic Council at VUZF University. Prof. Dimitrov takes part in the work of the Scientific Council of the Cross Border Benefits Alliance-Europe.

Selected Publications

      1. “Adequate and sustainable pensions – where is the balance between pay-as-you-go public pensions and capital pensions”, (2018). Economy & Business vol. 12, 2018, International Scientific Publications, ISSN 1314-7242
      2. “The PEPP market impact”, (2018). Report at the International conference “Pan-European Personal Pension Product, PEPP – Regulation, Effects and Problems,” organized by VUZF, Sofia
      3. “The PEPP Regulation and its influence on the Bulgarian market of insurance”, (2017). VUZF Publishing House, ISBN: 978-954-8590-45-7
      4. “Innovations in life insurance – the Bulgarian market and what to expect”, (2017). VUZF Review, 3, ISSN 2534-9228
      5. “Readiness of Bulgaria to participate in the system of a pan-European personal pension product”, (2016). VUZF Review, 2, ISSN 2534-9228
      6. „The wrong battle for capital pension funds“. The Insurer newspaper, Sofia, Issue 3 and 4, 2015, ISSN 13137166
      7. „Capital Pension Funds: the changing role in South and Eastern European Countries“, (2014). Economic Alternatives, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Issue 4, 2014, p. 110 – 119, ISSN 1312-7462
      8. „Increase in the efficiency of capital pension insurance: appliance in Bulgaria“. VUZF Yearbook, Sofia, v. 10, 2014, ISSN 1312-7918
      9. „Expected results from the change of the pension insurance model in Bulgaria“, (2015). University of National and World Economy Publishing house, Sofia, 2014, ISBN 978-954-8590-29-7
      10. „Change of the insurance agent statute“, (2015). Report at public discussion for the project of new Insurance Code, The Banker Newspaper, 14.10. 2015
      11. „Appliance of good corporate governance in capital pension funds in Bulgaria“. University of National and World Economy Publishing house, Sofia, 2014, ISBN 978-954-8590-29-7
      12. “Risk and investment return of the capital pension funds”, VUZF Publishing house, Sofia, study, 49 pages, 2013
      13. “Minimum investment return guarantee mechanism for capital pension funds in Bulgaria – problems and solutions”, Panorama of Labour, Sofia, 30 pages, 2013

      1. „Financial Budgeting and Planning“. (2016). Package for students’ work, e-platform VUZF
      2. “Organization and management of a pension security company”, VUZF Publishing house, Sofia, text book, sole author, 319 pages, 2012
      3. “Corporate Finance”, VUZF Publishing house, Sofia, text book, sole author, 299 pages, 2010

      1. „Minimum investment return guarantee mechanisms for capital pension funds – the case in Bulgaria“. Collective monograph, University of National and World Economy Publishing house, Sofia, 2015, p. 80-88, ISBN 978-954-644-759-3.
      2. ”Development of capital pension funds (financial aspects, results, solutions and perspectives for Bulgaria)”, VUZF Publishing house, Sofia, 243 pages, 2012.

      1. „Pan-European Personal Pension Product, PEPP – Regulation, Effects and Problems“, International conference in Sofia, under the framework of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU, 30.05.2018 – initiator and chairman of the Organizing committee.
      2. „Social insurance and Life insurance products – typology and market potential”, research project, team member, 2010-2012
      3. „Creation of a modern center for distance learning in Higher School of Insurance and Finance, including specialized software, a system for video conference teaching and electronic library”, team member, 2012-2013