Insurance industry losses from the severe hail and thunderstorm event that struck Brisbane, Queensland in Australia are expected to continue to rise, moving well past the point where local insurance companies will call on reinsurance support.

Consolidation of reinsurance firms may be a ‘natural outcome’ of the changing reinsurance market environment, as new inflows of alternative capital alongside high levels of traditional reinsurance capital boost competition, according to EY.

Super typhoon Hagupit, or typhoon Ruby as the storm is known in the Philippines, is bearing down on the Philippines with wind gusts estimated as high as over 200mph and a path that looks ever more likely to take it directly over the country.

A new piece of insurance industry research, announced today by Verisk Climate a division of Verisk Analytics, seeks to explain the changing frequency of severe thunderstorm weather events in the U.S.

The growing participation of the capital markets and ILS investors in the transfer of natural disaster risks is positive for the California Earthquake Authority and its customers according to its CEO Glenn Pomeroy, as evidenced by its latest cat bond Ursa Re Ltd. (Series 2014-1).

Global law firm Clifford Chance has added a newly hired team to its structured finance practice, bringing with it a wealth of securitization experience including specific expertise in catastrophe bonds and insurance-linked securities (ILS).

Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance Corporation has continued to downsize, by shifting policies back to the private insurance market, while further reducing its exposure with its greatly enhance reinsurance and catastrophe bond program.

Nephila Capital, the largest investment manager focused on natural catastrophe reinsurance and weather risks, continues to demonstrate that there are more ways to access the returns of catastrophe insurance business than simply signing on reinsurance programs.