City of Zurich Pension Fund ILS allocation expands to ~$960m
The allocation to the insurance-linked securities (ILS) asset class by the City of Zurich Pension Fund has continued to expand, reaching approximately US $960 million by the end of March 2024, with mandates now with eight investment managers across life and P&C reinsurance investments. The City of Zurich Pension Fund remains very close to target […]
UCITS cat bond fund assets grow by 4% to reach $11.4bn in Q1 2024
The assets under management of the main catastrophe bond funds in the UCITS format increased by 4% over the first-quarter of 2024, to reach a new high of almost $11.4 billion by the end of the period. Catastrophe bond funds in the UCITS format have been growing rapidly over the last year, with their assets […]
Catastrophe bond market yield dips to 12% on insurance risk spread squeeze
The total yield of the catastrophe bond market in US dollars had declined to 12% by the end of March, down from a high of close to 16% in early January. But the signs are that the cat bond market yield may be stabilising, as demand and supply become more balanced, Plenum Investments believes. We have launched a […]
Cat bond spreads adequately compensate for hurricane risk: Twelve Capital
Investment manager Twelve Capital feels that the spread being taken when investing into catastrophe bonds compensates for the shorter-term risk being taken from the hurricane peril, noting that pricing of cat bonds is based on a longer-term view than just a single hurricane season. With hurricane forecasts suggesting a hyperactive 2024 Atlantic storm season with potentially elevated […]
Industry-loss cat bond spread decline necessitates portfolio rethink: Icosa
Spreads for industry-loss index trigger catastrophe bond instruments have declined or tightened so much in recent months that indemnity cat bonds now look relatively more attractive for the first time, which necessitates a rethink about how cat bond portfolios are constructed, according to Florian Steiger, of Icosa Investments. Steiger formed Icosa Investments as a new […]
As alternative capital hits $108bn record-high, Aon forecasts further growth
According to Aon Securities, the insurance-linked securities (ILS) and investment banking arm of Aon’s Reinsurance Solutions, the amount of alternative capital in the reinsurance industry ended 2023 at a new high of $108 billion, a figure the broker expects to grow as interest investor is growing across the range of ILS instruments. Alternative capital levels […]
Berenberg adds catastrophe bonds to OTC fixed income offering
Berenberg, the private banking, investment banking, asset and wealth management specialist, will offer catastrophe bond trading over-the-counter (OTC) within its fixed income division, responding to what it sees as growing client demand for access to cat bond investments. Trading catastrophe bonds in the secondary market is a critical feature for the liquid insurance-linked securities (ILS) […]
Tokio Marine is first Japanese cat bond sponsor to use sustainable development bond
Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiary Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. Ltd., has become the first Japanese insurer to make use of a SOFR-based World Bank Sustainable Development Bond as a permitted investment within its latest catastrophe bond issuance, the company highlighted today. As Artemis has been reporting, Tokio Marine has been […]
ILW market activity rising, as preparations for hurricane season begin
According to Artemis’ sources, activity in the industry-loss warranty (ILW) market has increased in the last few weeks, as reinsurance and insurance-linked securities (ILS) markets prepare for what is anticipated to be an active 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. As we’ve reported, long-range seasonal forecasts for Atlantic hurricanes have suggested a challenging storm season could be ahead. […]
California to expand use of catastrophe models to wildfire, terrorism, flood: Lara
As part of its goal to ward off a developing insurance crisis in California that has seen major companies pull-back on underwriting property insurance there, or exit the state entirely, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has announced regulation to allow for an expanded use of catastrophe models to help insurers operate there more sustainably. “Currently, the […]