Archive for May, 2020

Some reinsurance firms and also a number of insurance-linked securities (ILS) funds have been holding back capacity in the hopes of finding a less competitive and even more profitable market opportunity after the main mid-year renewals are over, as cedents are expected to need additional top-up and hedging capacity.

Florida focused insurer Avatar Property and Casualty Insurance Company has returned to the catastrophe bond market for what will be its second ever issuance, with a currently $65 million Casablanca Re Pte. Ltd. (Series 2020-1) transaction to provide named storm reinsurance protection.

U.S. primary insurance giant Allstate has successfully increased the size of its new catastrophe bond transaction by one-third, with the Sanders Re II Ltd. (Series 2020-2) cat bond deal now featuring $200 million of notes.

Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance Corporation has opted to slightly upsize its remaining Personal Lines Account tranche of its new catastrophe bond issue, with the Everglades Re II Ltd. (Series 2020-2) deal growing by 10% to $110 million by pricing.

Canada Life Reinsurance took EUR 5.3 billion of the long-term longevity risk associated with EUR 13.5 billion of in-force liabilities of NN Life’s portfolio, in the recently completed longevity swap and reinsurance arrangement.

U.S. primary insurer and global re/insurer Liberty Mutual has announced that well-known executive James Slaughter is set to depart the company, with David Perez promoted to Chief Underwriting Officer for the Global Risk Solutions (GRS) unit as his replacement.

The awaited new catastrophe bond issuance from the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) has now been launched to the cat bond investment community, with a $200 million target for the Alamo Re II Ltd. (Series 2020-1) transaction.

Tremor’s weekly auctions of industry loss warranties (ILW’s) are gaining traction, with around $100 million of capacity available every week and spreads now narrowing fast as the reinsurance and retrocession markets harden.

Reinsurance companies and brokers in Bermuda are calling for Florida renewal rate increases to be significant, averaging between 25% to 45% and also believe that they will be enduring, so perhaps set a new floor for catastrophe reinsurance pricing in the state.

While overall insurance-linked securities (ILS) and third-party reinsurance capital has shrunk slightly over the last year or so, reinsurer RenaissanceRe bucked the trend and raised around $2.2 billion from investors in just over one-year.