July 2014/1

Enstar has become the latest potential candidate for launching an investment-focused reinsurer, but panellists at a recent Trading Risk event warned that there will be tests ahead for this business model as new US proposals on their tax treatment are considered.

The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF), through the World Bank, was one of eight new sponsors to come to the cat bond market in the first half of 2014, pushing total issuance volumes above $6bn

Order books for cat bonds are reaching historical highs for the number of investors, with 30 to 40 investors currently typical, Goldman Sachs' global head of structured finance Michael Millette said at the inaugural Trading Risk London Executive Briefing in June.

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) was recognised with two honours at this year's Trading Risk awards for its inaugural 2013 cat bond, MetroCat Re.

Cat bonds have the potential to become as illiquid as private reinsurance after a catastrophe event, Credit Suisse's head of ILS Niklaus Hilti said during a panel discussion at a C5 ILS conference hosted in London this week

While most people in the northern hemisphere are on alert for barbecue weather this summer, reinsurance executives will be on a different type of weather watch - closely tracking tropical storm updates for potential threats to their portfolios

Nephila Capital provided a mammoth $550mn line on the $1.5bn traditional reinsurance programme placed by Florida Citizens Property Insurance this year

The top 10 specialist ILS managers added $2bn to their assets under management (AuM) in the first half of 2014, as the pace of new inflows slowed but remained steady, the latest Trading Risk investor survey shows