IMF: Swapping Debt for Climate or Nature Pledges Can Help Fund Resilience

Innovative debt swaps can help governments that have limited access to traditional grants or debt relief Countries that are most vulnerable to climate change—and the associated loss of natural biodiversity—are often those least able to afford investment to strengthen resilience because their budgets are burdened by debt. Such countries face a high risk of fiscal […]

Singapore to expand ILS offering, as confidence in it grows: Minister Alvin Tan

Insurance-linked securities (ILS) deal flow in Singapore has been increasing, showing that the market is gaining in confidence in Singapore’s ILS regime, Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) Board Member Alvin Tan has said, also explaining that expansions to the ILS regulations are coming. Speaking at the Singapore […]

Indian regulator considers revision to GIC Re preference rules

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has proposed revisions to the country’s rules for the order of preference on reinsurance business, which could see alterations to GIC Re’s right to first refusal. A new exposure draft detailing the amendments to regulations under consideration shows that IRDAI is looking to remove the order […]

Hong Kong Insurance Authority: Decoding Premium Financing and its Risks

What is Premium Financing? Premium financing is an insurance funding arrangement whereby a policy holder borrows funds from a financial institution (usually a bank) to pay the premium of a new insurance policy, and in doing so, assigns all or part of the rights under the proposed policy as collateral to the financial institution. In […]

TehranRe sets up with Insurance-Linked Securities’ ambitions

A new reinsurer has been established in Iran’s capital called Tehran Reinsurance Company, which launches with around USD 20 million of capital, and which has ambitions to offer services for a local insurance-linked securities (ILS) market. After Iranian regulators approved the launch of TehranRe in March 2021, the firm reached an agreement in principal for […]

Lloyd’s to announce significant London Bridge 2 ILS expansion plan

Lloyd’s of London will today announce a significant expansion of its London Bridge insurance-linked securities (ILS) platform, with a plan to welcome more capital, new types of reinsurance transactions and make the transfer of different kinds of risks to capital market investors simpler. Dubbed London Bridge 2, according to the Financial Times that was given […]

Egypt’s financial regulator looks to insurance-linked securities (ILS)

The financial regulator in Egypt has become the latest government entity to look to implementation of an insurance-linked securities (ILS) framework within the country. Egypt already has insurance and some reinsurance activity going on within the country, but insurance-linked securities (ILS) are relatively unknown and a new concept to its market. Despite that, the Financial […]

PRA’s work on UK ILS market continues with consultation on ISPVs

As the UK’s top regulator, the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA), looks to further evolve the UK insurance-linked securities (ILS) regime, it’s outlined some proposed changes to the authorisation and supervision of insurance special purpose vehicles (ISPVs). In a recently published consultation paper, the PRA notes that since the launch of the HM Treasury’s Risk Transformation […]

ILS helps Hong Kong’s financial market diversify: Paul Chan

The passage of insurance-linked securities (ILS) legislation and now the successful issuance of a second catastrophe bond in the country, helps Hong Kong as it continues on its mission to further diversify its financial market and services sectors, according to Financial Secretary Paul Chan. With the recent completion of Hong Kong headquartered reinsurance firm Peak […]

Hong Kong Insurance Authority welcomes the second issuance of insurance-linked securities

The Insurance Authority (IA) today (3 June 2022) welcomed the second issuance of insurance-linked securities (ILS) in Hong Kong. This takes the form of a catastrophe bond amounting to US$150 million (equivalent to around HK$1.18 billion) sponsored by Peak Reinsurance Company Limited via Black Kite Re Limited, another authorized special purpose insurer, structured to cover […]