Trading Risk May 2018

Cat bond maturities influenced the dip in market share of Florida reinsurance cessions taken by the ILS market.

Re(insurers) need to seize their “Uber moment” and regard ILS capital as “aligned capital” rather than “alternative” capital, according to Michael Wade, non-executive chair of TigerRisk Capital Markets UK.

Reinsurance rate increases fell short of expectations after hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria (HIM), but this could change if the market endures further major losses in 2018, panellists said at the Trading Risk London ILS conference.

Swiss pension fund Basellandschaftliche Pensionskasse (BLPK) has reported that its ILS investments made a 5.51 percent loss in 2017, joining a number of other local funds that reported the impact of last year’s catastrophe events.

Oppenheimer Funds is looking to hire personnel for a new broader ILS offering to complement its existing cat bond strategy, according to sources.

Forecasts range from a slightly more active Atlantic storm season than usual, to below-norm.

The insured loss would account for less than 20 percent of the overall private property damage in the region, which could amount to $170bn.

As the 2017 catastrophe claims evolve, an “awful lot” of trapped retro capital could become lost capital, chief underwriting officer at QBE Re Jonathan Parry said during a panel debate at the Trading Risk London ILS conference.

Ever heard the underwriting joke about how to spot the actuary driving a car?

The retro manager's Irma loss deterioration is on a higher scale than that reported by peers.

(Re)insurers with established relationships within the ILS space are at an advantage in the current post-loss environment, according to Joe Ferraro, partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher.

NCM Re's expansion will depend on how much business the insurer writes itself, said Mark Gibson, the company’s alternative capital director.