Archive for March, 2014

The logical place for peak natural catastrophe risks lies in the global capital markets, not the traditional reinsurance market, according to Samir Shah, Chief Reinsurance Officer of insurer AIG.

Global reinsurance firms including Swiss Re and SCOR have participated in what is being dubbed the largest ever pension scheme longevity swap, a £5 billion transaction for UK insurance, life and pensions firm Aviva.

Zurich based PERILS AG, a provider of industry-wide European catastrophe insurance exposure, industry loss data and indices widely used by insurance-linked securities issuers, has upped its loss estimate for European windstorm Xaver to €727m.

A first of its kind Israel earthquake parametric reinsurance transaction has been brought to market successfully by reinsurance firm Munich Re and capital markets reinsurance broker arm Aon Benfield Securities for Israeli insurer I.D.I.

Specialist Swiss-based insurance-linked securities (ILS) and reinsurance-linked investment manager Twelve Capital has completed the issuance of its second private catastrophe bond, the $25m Dodeka II.

The President of global reinsurance broker Willis Re warns reinsurers today that in order to survive the challenges posed by a highly capitalised market, competition from alternative capital and softening rates, they need to stay relevant and diversify for the right reasons.

The first insurance-linked securities (ILS) fund manager based in Scandinavia has now launched. Entropics Asset Management AB announced itself today and is set to launch its first investment strategy, a catastrophe bond focused fund, in April.

The $200m Gator Re Ltd. notes from first time catastrophe bond sponsor American Strategic Insurance Group have now priced at the bottom end of the already reduced range, Artemis understands.

U.S. primary insurer and regular insurance-linked securities sponsor State Farm is returning to the catastrophe bond market with its fifth Merna Re branded issuance, a $300m Merna Re V Ltd. U.S. earthquake cat bond.

The range of large investment management firms and advisors which are accessing the returns of the reinsurance and catastrophe risk market grows all the time, as the profile of insurance linked investments increases.