Bermuda news

During a panel session earlier today at the ILS Bermuda Convergence 2025 conference, it was announced that the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) is currently in the final stages of implementing a new special purpose insurer (SPI) class that will primarily focus on the use of parametric triggers.

Hurricane Imelda has strengthened as it bears down on Bermuda today, with the National Hurricane Center now reporting current sustained winds of 100 mph and some additional intensification as possible before the storm passes close to the island tonight.

Fergus Re, the Bermuda based collateralized reinsurer that writes business for investors that have an appetite for returns from quality casualty risk underwriting business, has announced the appointment of Stewart Ritchie as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), succeeding Navin Dadlani, who will assume the role of Chairman of the Board.

Bermuda has continued to see strong registration numbers of new catastrophe bond, insurance-linked security (ILS) and alternative or third-party reinsurance capital related entities through the first-half of 2025, with the total rising slightly according to Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) data.

McGill and Partners, the boutique risk solutions and broking firm, has hired Julia Henderson to lead its Bermuda business as CEO, while its London-based reinsurance treaty specialist George Cantlay has been named as President, Bermuda.

Two new restricted special purpose insurers (SPI) using the Merna Re name were registered in Bermuda in April. With these restricted SPI’s typically used as insurance-linked securities (ILS) issuers, especially for catastrophe bonds, the Merna Re name suggests these are likely for US primary insurance giant State Farm.

Broking giant Aon has promoted long-standing senior employee Amanda Lyons to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of its Reinsurance Solutions unit in Bermuda, effective July 1st, subject to regulatory and immigration approvals.

Bermuda-based insurance and reinsurance companies are projected to incur gross claim losses nearing US$10 billion stemming from the catastrophic wildfires that swept through Southern California in January 2025, as they make payments to help U.S. policyholders and cedants recover, says the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA).

Listings of catastrophe bond notes on the Bermuda Stock Exchange (BSX) rose by almost 5% in notional limit terms over the first-quarter of 2025, to end the period at a new high of $47.53 billion.

For full-year 2024, AXIS Capital ceded $323 million of prospective reinsurance premiums to its Monarch Point Re casualty insurance-linked securities (ILS) platform, which was an increase of 13% over the prior year. In addition AXIS earned an increased level of fees and commissions from the ILS structure.