Home

Capital Markets

Brokers, Capital Markets, Catastrophe, Earthquake, Europe, Flood, Losses, Results, Windstorm

Debt crisis set to dominate market's thinking

Despite one of the most expensive years on record for the re/insurance industry, one expert believes the debt crisis is now the biggest threat.

Capital Markets, Cat Bonds, Catastrophe, Earthquake, Europe, Windstorm

Amlin in cat bond placement

Amlin has announced that it has acquired coverage for US hurricane, US earthquake and European windstorm perils of up to US$150 million from Bermudian special purpose insurer, Tramline Re Limited, which in turn is placing a catastrophe bond for this amount into the capital markets.

Brokers, Capital Markets, Captives, Legal, Market Reform, North America, Regulation

Cayman Islands in push to attract Reinsurer

A range of incentives is being finalised by the regulators on the Cayman Islands as part of its bid to attract reinsurance capital.

Capital Markets, Catastrophe, Claims, London, Political Risk

Triple threat to industry remains says economist

Swiss Re’s Chief Economist has outlined the challenges the industry faces from the global economy as the reinsurer published its annual economic outlook.
 

Asia Pacific, Capital Markets, Catastrophe, Claims, Earthquake, Losses

CATCo issues NZ earthquake update

 Reinsurance and retrocessional investment fund manager CATCo has released an update on its Reinsurance Opportunities Fund exposures to the events in New Zealand earlier this year.

Capital Markets, Europe, Financial Institutions, M&A, Monte Carlo

Industry needs to tackle valuation disparity says PwC

Reinsurers and investors are not capitalising on the potential attractiveness of the sector as a source of uncorrelated cash flows, leading to an undervaluation of the industry says a new report issued at the annual Monte Carlo Rendezvous. 

Capital Markets, Europe, IUMI, Marine

Global economy warning by IUMI chief

International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) president Deirdre Littlefield opened its annual conference with the warning the market could not ignore the ongoing challenges posed by a fragile global economy.

Broking, Capital Markets, Europe, Marine

Shipping market hit by financial storm

Richard Close-Smith, executive director at Willis Marine, Willis Marine, said the recession has had a substantial impact on the shipping industry.

Capital Markets, Cat Bond, Catastrophe, Europe

Cat bonds predicted to hit $5 billion in 2010

USUS Catastrophe exposed risks are set to drive the resurgence in the cat bond market this year according to Munich Re.

Capital Markets, Europe, Financial Institutions, Retrocession

Flagstone adopt capital route for retro solution

Specialty reinsurance group, Flagstone Reinsurance Holdings has delved into the capital markets to structure a retrocessional coverage deal.

The underwriter revealed that it Flagstone Réassurance Suisse SA, operation has purchased three years of fully collateralised retrocessional coverage from Montana Re Ltd (“Montana Re”), a special purpose reinsurer established in the Cayman Islands.

Montana Re was formed as a program structure enabling further issuance of additional series of notes in the future.

Broking, Capital Markets, Captives, North America

Strategy team launched as brokers says there is “need to rationalize”

As the run up to the 1 January renewals begins in earnest Aon Benfield, has launched a revamped Risk & Capital Strategy team to advise insurers in how best to structure their capital and reinsurance optimisation by analysing the links between risk, volatility, capital and value.

Capital Markets, Financial Institutions, North America, Regulation

Hannover gets NY collateral boost

Hannover Re has become the latest reinsurers to be given eligible reinsurer status by the New York State regulator.

Capital Markets, Cat Bonds, Earthquake, Financial Institutions, ILS, North America

Reinsurer goes back to capital markets for North America covers

Swiss Re has taken its level of protection via its Successor X catastrophe bond programme to $745 million with the placement of a $305 million in protection against  North Atlantic hurricane and California earthquake risks.

Capital Markets, Europe, Financial Institutions, ILS

ILS Resurgence set to continue as pricing and perils drive market

When the financial crisis hit the future for the Insurance linked securities market viewed as troubled if not terminal. However the sector has bounced back and 2010 saw a bumper issuance. 

Capital Markets, Cat Bonds, Financial Institutions, ILS, North America

ILS prospects bright for 2011 says Hartford

All indicators are pointing to a good 2011 for Insurance Linked Securities (ILS), and that they will continue to be attractive to the broader investor market.

Bermuda, Capital Markets, Cat Bonds, Financial Institutions, ILS

Argo enters ILS market in preparation for reinsurance rate hikes

Bermudian underwriter Argo Group,  has revealed that it has placed a $100 million catastrophe bond.

Capital Markets, Lloyd's, London, Losses, Mergers & Acquisitions

Time for change is now says Greenburg

Underwriters and brokers have been told they need to prepare for a change in the market now as to wait until there is concrete signs will leave them lagging behind the traditionally more nimble new entrants.

Capital Markets, Facultative, Financial Institutions, North America, Treaty

Reinsurers may end up as casualty of collateral easing

A lack of major cat losses in the United States and the global surfeit of capacity make the world’s biggest reinsurance market a difficult place in which to do business but what will it take to turn?

Capital Markets, Catastrophe, London, Retrocession

Super cats funds launched

The Bermuda market and the London Stock Exchange have seen the simultaneous launch of two new ground-breaking fully collateralised funds aimed at providing broad retrocessional cover for “super cats”.

Asia Pacific, Capital Markets, Facultative, Regulation, Treaty

Shanghai exchange plan moves closer

Plans for the city of Shanghai to launch a reinsurance exchange have moved a significant step closer after it was revealed the city had applied to China’s central government for approval for the scheme.

Bermuda, Capital Markets, Mergers & Acquisitions

First amongst equals

Allied World Assurance and Transatlantic Holdings have announced the first major industry consolidation of the year. While the two sides say this is a merger of equals analysts believe the announcement could flush out other bidders.

Capital Markets, Europe, Financial Institutions, Solvency II

Swiss Re pay back loan and announce corporate restructure

Swiss Re’s chief executive Stefan Lippe has said the reinsurer has drawn a line under its past as it released its 2010 results announced a new corporate structure and that it had repaid its loan to Berkshire Hathaway.

 

Mr Lippe said the underwriter has enjoyed a strong 1/1 renewal off the back of its ability to deliver tailor made solutions to major cedents a message which was similar to its European rival Munich Re.

Capital Markets, Europe, Financial Institutions, Results

Munich Re to continue its share repurchase scheme into 2012

In advance of the definitive figures for its 2010 performance to be released this month Munich Re announced it expects to deliver a consolidated profit of €2.43bn for 2010 a figure which has been impacted by catastrophe losses across the year.

The profits compares to the 2009 figure of €2.56bn. It is also to continue its share repurchase programme into next year with up to €500m to be repurchased.

Bermuda, Brokers, Broking, Capital Markets, Cat Bonds, Losses

The calm before the storm?

The January renewals have seen no sign of any arrest to the steady slide in rating  levels and  while talk is of challenging times and the need for calm there will be those in the sector which are looking eagerly for a storm to shock the market out of its downwards drift.

Bermuda, Capital Markets, Catastrophe, Claims, Results

Brown believes Flagstone able to weather sting in 2010 tail

Flagstone Re Chief Executive David Brown remained upbeat despite a rough fourth quarter which hit profits by almost 80%.

© World Business Media Ltd 2012. All rights reserved.