Cat bond news

The catastrophe bond market continues on its positive trajectory in 2024, with robust demand on both sides of the trade. But with spreads and yields having become more “normalised” in recent months, cat bonds are now much more attractive to potential sponsors, Florian Steiger, CEO of Icosa Investments has said.

New York based alternative risk premia focused investment manager Stone Ridge has now grown its mutual insurance-linked securities (ILS) fund strategy assets under management (AUM) back to above $4 billion for the first time since 2020.

Slide Insurance Company, the full-stack property insurtech company founded by Bruce Lucas in Florida, now counts roughly 70% of its reinsurance as being on a multi-year basis, thanks to the completion in recent days of its largest and $210 million Purple Re Ltd. (Series 2024-1) catastrophe bond transaction.

The assets under management of the main catastrophe bond funds in the UCITS format increased by 4% over the first-quarter of 2024, to reach a new high of almost $11.4 billion by the end of the period.

American Coastal Insurance Company is set to upsize its new Armor Re II Ltd. (Series 2024-1) Florida named storm catastrophe bond to $200 million, while the notes are set to price within the initial price guidance range, Artemis has learned.

Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited is back in the catastrophe bond market for a second renewal of its international multi-peril catastrophe bond coverage from the capital markets, targeting sponsorship of a $150 million Kendall Re Ltd. (Series 2024-1) transaction.

Investment manager Twelve Capital feels that the spread being taken when investing into catastrophe bonds compensates for the shorter-term risk being taken from the hurricane peril, noting that pricing of cat bonds is based on a longer-term view than just a single hurricane season.

The total yield of the catastrophe bond market in US dollars had declined to 12% by the end of March, down from a high of close to 16% in early January. But the signs are that the cat bond market yield may be stabilising, as demand and supply become more balanced, Plenum Investments believes.

Florida’s property insurer of last resort, Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, has said that its sees market conditions as especially positive in the capital markets, as it looks to progress its $5.5 billion reinsurance renewal for 2024.

We are delighted to announce our return to Singapore and the opening of ticket sales for our next catastrophe bond and insurance-linked securities (ILS) market conference, ILS Asia 2024, taking place on July 11th at the Suntec Convention Centre.