Parametric catastrophe bond news

Mortgage security focused investment manager Bayview Asset Management, LLC has returned to the catastrophe bond market for its second transaction, as the investor seeks upwards of $150 million of parametric earthquake protection from a Sierra Ltd. (Series 2021-1) cat bond deal.

The first ever parametric solely wildfire exposed catastrophe bond to hit the market, the $50 million Power Protective Re Ltd. (Series 2020-1)  transaction being sponsored on behalf of a municipal water and electricity utility operating in the Los Angeles area, has seen its pricing move up by around 9% before it closed.

Price guidance for the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) new catastrophe bond has been increased after investor’s fed back that the initial coupon was not sufficient, we’re told, with the parametric MetroCat Re Ltd. (Series 2020-1) cat bond transaction now offering a higher return.

Commenting on the completion of a recent landmark parametric earthquake catastrophe bond, issued for the benefit of an asset manager focused on mortgage investing, Swiss Re CEO Christian Mumenthaler explained why he sees this kind of transaction as important.

Swiss Re Capital Markets, the insurance-linked securities (ILS) focused unit of the global reinsurance firm, has successfully helped to bring the first parametric catastrophe bond covering some of the earthquake risks in a portfolio of mortgage investments to market.

The innovative Sierra Ltd. (Series 2019-1) catastrophe bond transaction, that is designed to provide parametric U.S. earthquake protection to an investment manager’s portfolio of mortgage related securities, has successfully upsized by 50% to reach $225 million for the sponsor.

A $70 million parametric Japanese earthquake private insurance-linked securities (ILS) transaction has been issued using Aon Insurance Managers segregated accounts company White Rock.

Global Parametrics, the parametric and index-based disaster risk transfer company, and the UK government’s Department for International Development (DFID), have agreed in principal to provide some of the capital necessary to back the Red Cross’ volcano catastrophe bond.

Global reinsurance firm Swiss Re helped the First Mutual Transportation Assurance Company (“FMTAC”), the New York State captive insurer of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“MTA”), to “transparent” protection through its $125 million MetroCat Re Ltd. (Series 2017-1) catastrophe bond.

A very interesting new catastrophe bond transaction has been launched to investors. PennUnion Re Ltd. (Series 2015-1) is a $200m (or larger) parametric U.S. storm surge, wind and earthquake bond, with the ultimate sponsor and beneficiary being passenger rail company Amtrak.