ESMA policy officer says 10%+ of cat bonds in UCITS funds risks blurring lines with Alternative Investment Funds
Since the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published its technical advice to the European Commission (EC) on the UCITS Eligible Assets Directive (EAD) and what that could mean for catastrophe bonds in UCITS funds, the Authority has been notably silent on the matter. As we reported at the time, ESMA gave a conceptual view that […]
144A catastrophe bond issuance officially hits $20bn milestone in 2025
With the settlement today of two new catastrophe bonds, the 144A marketplace for new cat bond issuance has now just reached the $20 billion milestone in 2025, while including private deals the total amount of settled issuance tracked by Artemis this year is now $20.62 billion. $20 billion of full Rule 144A catastrophe bonds is […]
Beazley launches Bermuda platform with $500m to support ART / ILS expansion and growth
Beazley, the London headquartered specialty insurance and reinsurance company, has made a significant commitment to the Bermuda marketplace with the deployment of $500 million of capital to establish a new platform on the island to drive growth and expansion into the alternative risk transfer market, including ILS opportunities. Beazley announced its third quarter trading update […]
Rwanda explores layered disaster risk transfer, with cat bonds on the table
In what could mark a significant step for sovereign risk management in East Africa, Rwanda is weighing the use of catastrophe bonds within a new disaster risk finance (DRF) strategy according to the World Bank Group. Over 100 government officials, development partners and financial experts reportedly met in Kigali in October for a workshop to […]
Jamaica’s $150 million payout rekindles parametric concerns, but ILS market holds firm
Swiss Re head says investors have taken the Melissa redemption in stride Jamaica’s full US$150 million catastrophe bond payout after Hurricane Melissa, one of the largest sovereign cat-bond redemptions in recent years, is reverberating through the insurance-linked securities (ILS) market. The World Bank confirmed on Nov. 7, 2025 that Jamaica’s 2024 catastrophe bond, issued through its International […]
Alternative capital accelerates in 2025 as investor confidence grows: Artex
2025 has seen continued growth within the alternative capital markets, supported by steady expansion across property catastrophe and casualty lines, along with increased capital flowing into catastrophe bonds and collateralized reinsurance transactions, greatly reflecting investor confidence, according to Artex Risk Solutions. In its Fall 2025 state of the market report, executives from Artex noted, “the […]
ADB approves plan to issue catastrophe bond for Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved plans to issue a pilot parametric catastrophe bond for Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan which could be as much as $100 million in size, protecting both countries against earthquake and flood risks. This initiative accompanies ADB’s approval of a $56.4 million program aimed at strengthening both countries’ capacity to […]
ILS and cat bonds will help close India’s protection gap: FAIR panel
In a recent panel discussing how reinsurance strategies can expand insurance access in India, Mahipal Reddy, Executive Director, International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), GIFT City, Gujarat, suggested that the analytical framework already set in place for catastrophe bonds and insurance-linked securities (ILS) will drive the popularity of parametric solutions. At the 29th Federation of […]
Premier Ebanks urges Cayman Islands to consider cat bonds after Hurricane Melissa
Reflecting on Hurricane Melissa’s impacts on Jamaica, Hon. Andre Ebanks, MP, Premier & Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, of the Cayman Islands, believes that the British Overseas Territory should also look to financial instruments such as catastrophe bonds for future protection. We reported last week that the World Bank had confirmed that following the events […]
Moody’s finalises, publishes new catastrophe bond and ILS rating methodology
Moody’s Ratings has now finalised and published its awaited new methodology for rating insurance-linked securities (ILS) such as catastrophe bonds. Moody’s Ratings had issued a discussion paper on insurance-linked securities (ILS) and cat bonds back in March 2025 and put out a call for feedback from market participants, to help clarify its understanding of ILS market dynamics […]