Catastrophe bond news

Insurance-linked secuities (ILS) market participants are seeing a demand-driven opportunity emerge in collateralized reinsurance and retrocession, but speakers at our recent ILS NYC 2024 conference said that while investor demand for returns from these products is rising again, the clarity of coverage terms is key.

Arch Capital Group, the Bermuda headquartered specialty insurance and reinsurance company, is now targeting reduced pricing for its latest catastrophe bond, with the spread guidance offered for the still $100 million of Ramble Re Ltd. (Series 2024-1) cat bond notes now lowered.

There are benefits to sponsoring a catastrophe bond in the way it allows ceding companies to stagger their reinsurance or retrocession renewals across the year, according to Conduit Re CEO Trevor Carvey.

The SureChoice and Elevate reciprocal exchanges are set to benefit from additional named storm reinsurance protection via a new catastrophe bond, as coastal property managing general underwriter SageSure is back in the market with an up to $200 million Gateway Re Ltd. (Series 2024-1) issuance.

The Board of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) met today and has confirmed a 1-in-100 year PML for 2024 funding purposes at a new high of $6.5 billion, meaning the insurer of last resort will seek to require just over $4 billion in reinsurance limit for the 2024 wind season.

The stage is being set for what could be the most significant year of growth the catastrophe bond asset class has ever experienced, as forecasts that new issuance could approach $20 billion suggest outright cat bond market growth of more than $8 billion is possible in 2024.

With $415 million in 144A cyber catastrophe bonds issued in the latter stages of 2023, broker Gallagher Re is expecting activity levels to continue, according to Gallagher Securities’ Head of Cyber ILS, Theo Norris.

Investors are expected to continue to demand a premium for providing capital to support indemnity catastrophe bonds focused on the state of Florida, as despite the reforms this market remains complex, Twelve Capital’s Head of Investment Solutions Vittorio Sangiorgio has said.

Insurance and reinsurance market loss activity in 2023 is seen as having been sufficient to help maintain discipline in the sector, global independent alternative and active investment management firm Man Group has said.

The California Earthquake Authority (CEA) is said to have stabilised its risk transfer and reinsurance program, while increasing its claims paying capacity to the 1-in-365-year return period, as of January 1st 2024, according to rating agency AM Best.