Catastrophe bonds and insurance-linked securities news

The Board of Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance Corporation has approved the proposal to allow it to call (or redeem) its $300 million Everglades Re II Ltd. (Series 2015-1) catastrophe bond transaction early, so it can return to the market with a clear view of its risk transfer opportunities.

Given catastrophe bond investors strong appetite for new issuance currently it’s no surprise to learn that U.S. primary insurance company Allstate’s new Sanders Re Ltd. (Series 2017-1) catastrophe bond has upsized to $375 million, while the price guidance has been lowered.

Independent Zurich based insurance-linked securities (ILS) and catastrophe bond fund manager Plenum Investments Ltd. has announced that its flagship fund, the Plenum CAT Bond Fund, has now grown its assets to beyond the $150 million level.

The Philippines has long been the focus of disaster risk financing and insurance discussions, given its exposure to typhoons, earthquakes, fires, rainfall, floods and drought, and now the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is examining options for disaster insurance facilities.

As readers and the ILS market will now be aware, U.S. primary insurance group Allstate is back with a new $300 million Sanders Re Ltd. (Series 2017-1) catastrophe bond , targeting capital markets-backed U.S. multi-peril collateralised reinsurance capacity.

According to a report from Reuters, the Mexican government is planning to sponsor another catastrophe bond and is currently seeking bids from companies that can help to facilitate the issuance of a three-year cat bond covering hurricane and earthquake risks.

MyLotto24 has experienced another major jackpot win, but again it has fallen below the level where insurance-linked securities (ILS) investors would have paid a share through the Hoplon II Insurance Ltd. lottery jackpot winning catastrophe bond and collateralised reinsurance cover.

Sompo Japan Nipponkoa’s (SJNK) latest catastrophe bond issuance, the Japan typhoon exposed Aozora Re Ltd. (Series 2017-1), has increased in size while marketing by 48%, to now offer ILS investors a $400 million tranche of cat bond notes we’re told.

The Pacific Alliance, a Latin American trade bloc, has again been discussing issuance of a joint catastrophe bond at a recent trade meeting in the region, and progress is being made with the help of the World Bank.

The extension of maturity for the stricken Gator Re Ltd. catastrophe bond transaction has been extended even further, we understand, as the time to clarify the full loss and pay out due to sponsor American Strategic Insurance increases.