Cat bond news

Already in 2024, the dollar amount of new Rule 144A property catastrophe bonds issued and settled has reached the second-highest level on record, with almost $12.8 billion in completed property cat bond deals tracked in the Artemis Deal Directory so far this year.

We’ve learned that insurer USAA is aiming to upsize its latest catastrophe bond to provide $450 million of occurrence reinsurance protection, up from the initial $325 million target, while at the same time the price guidance for notes from this new Residential Reinsurance 2024 Limited (Series 2024-2) deal has tumbled.

Global reinsurance firm Ariel Re has returned to the catastrophe bond market looking to secure $175 million or more in multi-peril industry-loss triggered retrocession through the Titania Re Ltd. (Series 2024-1) transaction, a deal that had initially been mooted earlier in the year.

Some investors have started to experience benefits from the outperformance of investments in the private reinsurance segment compared to catastrophe bonds, after softening of pricing had been seen in the second quarter, Pascal Koller Partner and Portfolio Manager at LGT ILS Partners Ltd., recently commented.

NN Group’s, or Nationale-Nederlanden, latest catastrophe bond has seen its price guidance range fall, we understand, with the still €75 million Orange Capital Re DAC (Series 2024-1) issuance now looking likely to price at the bottom of initial guidance, or below.

In announcing its third-quarter results at end of day yesterday, US insurer Allstate also provided an insight into the losses it expects from recent hurricane Milton and at the level disclosed, it appears that the lowest of the carriers Florida focused Sanders Re catastrophe bonds could trigger and pay out, Artemis can report.

We’ve learned from sources that insurer USAA has estimated its losses from hurricane Helene at $1.15 billion, while losses from hurricane Milton are estimated to be $218 million, for a combined impact from the two storms at this time estimated at just over $1.37 billion.

The overall yield of the catastrophe bond market rose as the market repriced positions in the wake of recent hurricane Milton, but like other market indices and the performance of cat bond funds themselves, the effect of the storm has been quickly overtaken by continued positive market momentum.

Analysis from ICEYE, the provider of satellite data and services to inform decision-making and analysis, has shown that almost 185,000 buildings in Florida were impacted by hurricane Milton’s flooding.

SageSure, the catastrophe exposed and coastal property managing general underwriter that has now brought eight Gateway Re catastrophe bonds to market on behalf of its underwriting entity partners, has announced the appointment of former Guy Carpenter CEO Peter Hearn to its Board of Managers.