May 2008/1

Benfield Group's corporate finance arm Benfield Advisory has developed a new parametric reinsurance product, aimed at transferring workers’ compensation catastrophe (WCC) coverage to reinsurers

Ratings agency Moody’s upgraded the $750mn of notes in life (re)insurer Genworth Financial’s River Lake III XXX securitisation in April, just 10 days after downgrading them. The $250mn of

UK (re)insurer Brit Insurance is the latest firm to sign up to trade insurance linked derivatives on the Insurance Futures Exchange Services (IFEX) platform. IFEX, part of Neil Eckert-founded Climate

Swiss Re Global Market’s environmental and commodity markets division has entered into an emissions reduction purchase agreement with Hebei Construction Investment New Energy Co Ltd. Through th

Ratings agency AM Best is extending its insurance linked securities (ILS) rating methodology to include assessment of the basis risk carried by industry loss arranties (ILWs). In a statement, the fir

Dresdner Kleinwort-owned special purpose reinsurer Bridge Re, has closed its three year $182.5mn Puma Capital retro cat sidecar to new business after just one year of operation due to weaker market c

State Farm’s 2007 landmark catastrophe bond, Merna Re, is coming under pricing pressure in the secondary market, as investors seek to sell large chunks of the investment grade notes, according

East Lane Re II US insurer Chubb Group’s $200mn cat bond, East Lane Re II, was over-subscribed, proving that a “strong” proposition can still compel investors despite the recent rel

Convergence pioneer Swiss Re has launched a new $150mn sidecar vehicle, Sector Re II, to write a quota share retrocession of the group’s global natural catastrophe and aviation catastrophe port

Global insurance broker Marsh has launched a parametric insurance product based on risk modelling firm Risk Management Solutions’ (RMS) WindX parametric index. The product, called WindX-SI, can

Hannover Re CEO Wilhelm Zeller said the reinsurer will look to continue with its multi-year K5 sidecar when it comes up for renewal at year-end. Zeller added that Hannover Re had never been as well p

The ILS sector is echoing the traditional (re)insurance market with both rates and terms/conditions coming under pressure, recent research has concluded. The insurance linked securities (ILS) sector,