WFP progresses food security catastrophe bond plan, to mobilise $100m for drought resilience
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is progressing a plan to become the first to utilise catastrophe bonds for food security financing, in a novel transaction that would see it become the first UN agency to sponsor a cat bond, with a target to source up to $100 million in risk transfer to boost […]
ADB prices first cat bonds, secures $160m disaster risk finance for Kyrgyz Republic & Tajikistan
The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) first catastrophe bond offerings have now been successfully priced in the market, with the result being a $160 million capital market-backed source of parametric earthquake and extreme precipitation disaster risk financing, evenly split between the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan. It’s an important first step in the catastrophe bond market for the Asian Development […]
Hong Kong ‘ideally placed’ to promote use of alternative risk transfer and ILS: IA’s Stephen Yiu
Given Hong Kong’s open and sophisticated financial market, along with its distinct connection with the Chinese Mainland and the support of roughly 3,380 family offices, the major city is ideally placed to promote the usage of alternative risk transfer tools and ILS, according to Stephen Yiu, Chairman of the Hong Kong Insurance Authority (IA). Yiu […]
Twelve Securis “cautious, but optimistic” about El Niño’s influence on hurricane season risk
Twelve Securis, the specialist catastrophe bond and insurance-linked securities (ILS) investment manager, has explained that it is “cautious, but optimistic about El Niño’s positive influence on risk” for the coming Atlantic hurricane season. In a commentary in advance of the hurricane season and in the wake of early forecasts for levels of storm activity in […]
EU‑wide risk‑sharing framework to help address nat cat insurance protection gap: Morningstar DBRS
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) and the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), have announced a proposal for a Europe‑wide risk‑sharing framework to address the natural catastrophe insurance protection gap while safeguarding private‑sector involvement. Released on 9 April 2026, the proposal arrives at a pivotal moment, as escalating climate driven losses and mounting affordability […]
EIOPA & ESM propose European risk-sharing mechanism to reduce nat cat protection gap
A paper by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) and the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) proposes a European-level risk-sharing mechanism comprising a natural catastrophe insurance pool and a loan-based backstop, aimed at enhancing overall risk-bearing capacity and reducing Europe’s significant protection gap. The rising frequency and severity of natural catastrophes pose substantial economic […]
EU nat cat insurance pool could be enhanced by cat bonds and ILS: EIOPA / ESM paper
A new proposal calling for a European natural catastrophe insurance pool to diversify risks across countries and perils could be further enhanced by the insurance-linked securities (ILS) market, according to the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) and the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). In a joint paper recently published by the two organisations, they […]
TSR reduces hurricane season forecast in April update, citing moderate to strong El Nino
Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) has now issued its April forecast update for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, reducing its extended range numbers from December and citing an expectation of moderate to strong El Nino conditions. Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) has always published an extended range view of the next year’s hurricane season in December. For the […]
CSU forecasts “somewhat below-normal” 2026 Atlantic hurricane season
The Colorado State University (CSU) tropical meteorology team has issued its first forecast for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, calling for “somewhat below-normal” levels of activity, citing the potential for a robust El Niño and associated increases in vertical wind shear as key factors. Released just minutes ago, the Colorado State University (CSU) tropical meteorology team’s […]
Cat bond prices drop 20%+ YoY, investors willing to support riskier tranches: Gallagher Securities
Catastrophe bond pricing has fallen by more than 20% year-on-year as of early March 2026, according to Gallagher Securities, with the company explaining that the softer pricing environment means that investors have been willing to allocate capital to riskier tranches of cat bond notes. The investment banking and insurance-linked securities arm of reinsurance broker Gallagher […]