Trapped ILS capital news

This week the newest addition to our Artemis Live series of video interviews with leaders of the insurance-linked securities (ILS) and reinsurance markets features Cory Anger, Managing Director of GC Securities, the specialist ILS and capital markets unit of reinsurance broker Guy Carpenter.

We’re told that underwriters from some of the biggest insurance-linked securities (ILS) fund managers have effectively “downed pens” on the Florida reinsurance renewals, in reaction to the pricing and terms on offer.

The latest in our series of Artemis Live video interviews with leaders of the insurance-linked securities (ILS) and reinsurance markets features Luca Albertini, CEO of London headquartered insurance-linked securities (ILS) and reinsurance related investments manger Leadenhall Capital Partners LLP.

Renaissance Re, the Bermuda-based reinsurance underwriter and manager of increasing amounts of third-party capital, believes that Covid-19 uncertainty means “substantial amounts of collateral will be trapped” at the end of 2020, the firms CEO Kevin O’Donnell has said.

Rating agency A.M. Best said that varying pandemic related impacts are to be expected for the insurance-linked securities (ILS) market, with the most concerning likely the fact that collateral could be trapped for years given the significant uncertainty over potential losses.

The insurance-linked securities (ILS) and collateralised reinsurance market is still hunting for the right-balance between serving insurance and reinsurance cedents with the protection they need, while dealing with finite term securities, according to Paul Schultz, the CEO of Aon Securities.

For our latest Artemis Live video interview I had a detailed and interesting discussion with Stephan Ruoff, the Deputy Head of insurance-linked securities (ILS) asset manager Schroder Secquaero, a specialist division of global investment group Schroders.

The Covid-19 pandemic is unlike anything else ever encountered by the re/insurance industry and will be a headwind for future reinsurance capacity, according to AIG’s Global Chief Operating Officer and CEO of General Insurance Peter Zaffino.

Insurance and reinsurance firm Hiscox Group has announced a new capital raise to help the company be better positioned for growth opportunities and rate increases across its reinsurance and U.S. wholesale businesses, but at the same time third-party capital support at the firm has dipped.

It’s too early to say exactly how the current pandemic plays out, but the challenges are expected to provide an interesting test case for the collateralised and insurance-linked securities (ILS) business model, according to Frank Majors, Co-CEO and President of Nephila Holdings, and a Director of Nephila Capital.