Insurance linked securities news, ILS news

The price guidance for Bermuda-headquartered specialty insurance and reinsurance firm AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd’s Northshore Re II Ltd. (Series 2017-1) catastrophe bond transaction has been reduced again, reflecting the continuing strong investor appetite for new issues.

Today we’re delighted to announce the full agenda for our upcoming ILS Asia 2017 conference, which is being held at the Marina Bay Sands complex in Singapore, on the 13th July. There are a few tickets still remaining, so please register to attend today.

A number of bills aimed at reforming the U.S. National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), in order to make it a more sustainable system and to factor in more private market insurance and risk transfer, have been passed by the House Financial Services Committee and will now move onto the full House of Representatives for deliberation.

Industry loss triggers continue to play a vital role in risk transfer transactions, such as catastrophe bonds, industry loss warrants (ILW’s) and other private ILS or collateralized reinsurance arrangements, and now PERILS AG has reached $14.2 billion of limit placed using its triggers and data.

Another catastrophe bond has been priced at the bottom end of an already reduced spread range, as sponsor Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. has secured its latest catastrophe bond, the Lion II Re DAC European flood exposed transaction, at a very competitive rate.

The latest catastrophe bond transaction to be sponsored by Bermuda-headquartered specialty insurance and reinsurance firm AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd. is set to upsize by 40%, as its Northshore Re II Ltd. (Series 2017-1) transaction grows to $350 million, while the price guidance has tightened.

The ILS and collateralized reinsurance market is facing its own excess capacity issue currently, with a number of ILS fund managers still having capital to deploy even after the key June Florida renewals, according to TigerRisk Capital Markets & Advisory.

Generali’s latest EUR 200 million catastrophe bond, the Lion II Re DAC transaction that looks to secure reinsurance protection against European perils including flood risks, has seen its suggested coupon fall below the initial launch guidance, as ILS investors demonstrate their comfort with the first Euro flood indemnity triggered bond.

Those calling for a bottom to the reinsurance market cycle and an end to the persistent softening trend seen over the last few years may be disappointed, as analysts from Deutsche Bank join those suggesting further rate declines could be seen at the January 2018 renewals.

It’s official. 2017 has now broken the record for full-year catastrophe bond issuance, with new risk capital issued so far already reaching $9.14 billion, according to the Artemis Deal Directory, putting the first double figure cat bond year easily within sight.