Best of Artemis, week ending 7th February 2021

Here are the ten most popular news articles, week ending 7th February 2021, covering catastrophe bonds, ILS, reinsurance capital and related risk transfer topics. To ensure you never miss a thing subscribe to the weekly Artemis email newsletter updates or get our email alerts for every article we publish.

Ten most read articles on Artemis.bm, week ending 7th February 2021:

1. ERS launches ILS division, with Strong, Reynolds & Kriesch hires
   A new dedicated insurance-linked securities (ILS) management division has been launched by specialist motor-focused insurer ERS, with former Securis executive Neil Strong taking the lead role as CEO ILS.
2. Nephila attracts $1bn+ inflows, launches ESG & Lloyd’s ILS fund strategies
   Nephila Capital, the largest dedicated manager of insurance and reinsurance linked investment funds and assets, is expected to benefit from growing investor interest in the sector, with inflows of more than $1 billion anticipated in 2021, according to Markel Corporation executives.
3. AXIS’ Ben Rubin to depart, triggering “fresh look” at third-party capital
   AXIS Capital, the Bermuda-based globally-active insurance and reinsurance company, is to part ways with its current Global Head of Risk Funding Ben Rubin, who will leave the company for sector focused private equity investor Stone Point.
4. ILS funds deliver 3.51% for 2020, highest Index return since 2016
   The average return of the insurance-linked securities (ILS) fund market reached 3.51% for full-year 2020, which is the highest figure since 2016 measured by the Eurekahedge ILS Advisers Index.
5. KKR deepens Global Atlantic’s “access to long-term strategic capital” – CEO
   Insurance-linked synergies are rife in the just completed transaction that saw private equity and buyout giant KKR & Co. L.P. (or Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) acquiring life and retirement focused insurance and reinsurance firm Global Atlantic Financial Group.
6. Lodgepine had “terrific” double-digit year in 2020: Markel Co-CEO Whitt
   Lodgepine Capital Management Limited, the retrocessional reinsurance ILS fund management unit of Markel Corporation, had a “terrific” year in 2020, delivering double-digit returns on its portfolio which largely avoided any loss impacts during the period.
7. Aon & WTW cite alt. capital, disintermediation & marketplaces in defence of merger
   Broking, advisory, benefits and consulting giants Aon and Willis Towers Watson have defended their merger, with a response to the New Zealand Commerce Commission that cites alternative reinsurance capital, disintermediation by the big four and marketplaces such as Tremor, as threats to their own combined business.
8. Reinsurance not “available at any price” – Lockton Re
   While reinsurance capacity is abundant and available, enough to dampen rate increases slightly at the January renewals, the continuing existence of uncertainty in the market means that for reinsurance, “Despite plenty of available capital, it is of course not available at any price,” according to Lockton Re’s Ross Howard.
9. Rates above loss costs & margin expansion: Chubb CEO Greenberg
   It’s always worth a look at Evan Greenberg’s comments when it comes to quarterly reporting from global insurance and reinsurance giant Chubb and the latest reporting yesterday holds a wealth of insight into factors that can help to make ILS returns increasingly attractive.
10. Reinsurance renewals suggest “a real repricing of risk” in 2021: RBC
    The outcome of the January 2021 reinsurance renewals and expectations for the rest of this year suggest “a real repricing of risk” is underway, which may now continue into 2022, according to analysts at RBC Capital Markets.

This is not every article published on Artemis during the last week, just the most popular, some of which were published over a week ago. There were 34 new articles published in the last week. To ensure you always stay up to date with Artemis and never miss a story subscribe to our weekly email newsletter which is delivered every Wednesday.

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