retro

As per broker Guy Carpenter’s 1/1 reinsurance renewals report, there was a notable rise in demand for property retrocession lines during the January renewals, with the company noting that ongoing growth in supply contributed to some price reductions and broader coverage.

The private insurance-linked securities (ILS) market is approaching the January renewals from a strong standpoint, with capacity projected to be marginally higher, which may exert some pricing pressure. However, according to Cahal Doris, CIO Private ILS at Twelve Securis, the firm still expects to observe technical discipline within the market.

A recent report from KBW analysts, following their semi-annual trip to Bermuda in anticipation of the January 1st renewals, indicates that the retrocession market continues to be more vulnerable to instability, with this instability contributing an additional layer of fragility to the broader reinsurance ecosystem.

As the reinsurance and insurance-linked securities (ILS) sector begins to head into the key January renewals period, equity analysts at investment bank Jefferies have said that competitive dynamics within both the catastrophe bond and retrocession markets are likely to reinforce downward pressure at 1/1.

Speaking today during Munich Re’s 2025 Investor Day event, Thomas Blunck Member of the Board of Management, explained that he considers the insurance-linked securities (ILS) market and its respective sub-segments are more vulnerable to price reductions compared to insurance and reinsurance.

Speaking during today’s third-quarter earnings call for specialty insurance and reinsurance group Lancashire Holdings, the firm’s Chief Underwriting Officer Paul Gregory said he expects the company will be able to secure broader and more competitively priced retrocession at the January 2026 renewals.

As investor appetite continues to broaden beyond property catastrophe, Vantage Risk is building a “mosaic of capital providers,” matching different investors with different risks, from short-tail cat exposures to long-tail casualty and credit lines, according to Chris McKeown, Chief Executive, Reinsurance, ILS, and Innovation.

Hannover Re has announced a leadership transition within its Insurance-Linked Securities (ILS) and Retrocession team, confirming that long-term ILS head Henning Ludolphs will transition into an advisory role effective today October 1st, with Patrick Horstmann succeeding him as head of the unit to ensure continuity and support future growth.

According to James Boyce, CEO of Global Specialties at Guy Carpenter, buyers of aggregate retrocession are beginning to see more favourable conditions, with capacity expanding, more reinsurers entering the market, and oversupply on the rise, all of which are trends that could translate into lower retentions and greater choice.

Speaking at global reinsurer SCOR’s briefing at RVS 2025 in Monte Carlo, Jean-Paul Conoscente, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SCOR Global P&C, said that the firm will continue to sponsor catastrophe bond issuances regardless of the market cycle.