Wildfire related news and analysis

Sutton National Group has now secured its upsized target of $100 million in fire reinsurance protection for California via its debut Greengrove Re Ltd. (Series 2025-1) catastrophe bond issuance, while the notes have been priced within the initial guidance, we understand.

2025 is shaping to be another strong year for catastrophe bond and insurance-linked securities (ILS) issuance following record growth seen across the market last year, despite the fallout from the Los Angeles wildfires in January, says global ratings agency AM Best.

With all the insurance-linked securities (ILS) funds tracked by the ILS Advisers Fund Index now having reported their returns for January 2025, it’s become clear that there was a significant performance gap for the month due to the California wildfire losses.

Artemis has learned that Sutton National Group is now aiming to secure an upsized $100 million in fire reinsurance protection for California via its debut Greengrove Re Ltd. (Series 2025-1) catastrophe bond issuance.

Fidelis is set to benefit from a roughly $98 million additional retrocessional reinsurance recovery from its aggregate industry-index trigger Herbie Re Ltd. (Series 2021-1) catastrophe bond, as losses from the California wildfires, added to those from hurricanes Helene and Milton earlier in the risk period, have eaten into the remaining principal of these notes.

The Lloyd’s insurance and reinsurance market has announced a $2.3 billion net loss estimate for the Los Angeles wildfires, as the market reports another solid year of underwriting profit and premium growth.

Paul Gregory, Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO) of insurance and reinsurance firm Lancashire Holdings Limited, has revealed that the company wrote a smaller retro book at the January 1st 2025 reinsurance renewals, which according to the CUO, resulted in a marginally better outcome for the organisation.

Bermuda-based Lancashire Holdings Limited has reported that losses from the devastating Los Angeles wildfires have eroded “a good portion” of the annual deductible of the organisation’s aggregate reinsurance cover, but the company has plenty of limit available for the rest of the year, according to Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO) Paul Gregory.

The ILS Advisers Fund Index has reported a -0.38% return for January 2025 on the back of the recent California wildfire losses. With 75% of ILS fund managers having reported returns for the period so far, the Index could fall further as additional data points from private ILS strategies are included.

Hiscox ILS, the dedicated insurance-linked securities (ILS) management arm of the global re/insurer, generated a record level of third-party reinsurance capital related fee income in 2024, helped by strong performance fees and significant new inflows during the year.