insurance linked securities (ILS) News

Catastrophe Bonds See Investor Influx After ‘Fantastic’ Run

After emerging from an unusually active hurricane season with market-beating returns, catastrophe bonds are rapidly adding investors. Despite the increase in extreme weather — 2024 marked the ninth straight season in which the Atlantic basin suffered above-average storm activity — …

Viewpoint: CrowdStrike Failure Highlights Potential Aggregation Risks for Reinsurers

The unique, evolving and often volatile nature of cyber risks has always lurked beneath the surface as the cyber insurance premium climbed in recent years. The recent CrowdStrike software failure underscored the dormant threats posed by aggregation risk, and the …

Hedge Fund Fermat Says Returns Took a Hit Amid Catastrophe Bond Selloff

Fermat Capital Management, one of the world’s biggest investors in catastrophe bonds, says anxiety about this year’s hurricane season has already left a meaningful dent on returns. “Returns in May were low and even negative for a lot of funds,” …

The Huge Profits Investors Have Made on Catastrophe Bonds Are Raising Eyebrows

A strategy that’s delivered specialist investors huge returns is now facing scrutiny, amid concerns that its risk-reward dynamics might be skewed against some issuers. Catastrophe bonds, which are issued by insurers, reinsurers and governments seeking an extra layer of disaster …

Catastrophe Bond Issuance Is Set to Blast Through 2023 Record

Issuance of catastrophe bonds is on track to exceed the record set in 2023, as a cocktail of climate change, population density and inflation feeds growth in a market built around natural disasters. A fresh analysis by Swiss Re shows …

Australian Pensions Industry Boosts Investments in Natural Catastrophe Reinsurance

The risks from the growing number of natural disasters offer Australia’s largest pension funds a chance to boost returns. Colonial First State, one of the nation’s biggest pension and wealth managers, is looking to add natural catastrophe reinsurance to its …

Howden Enters Japanese Market, Invests in Keystone ILS Capital

Howden, the London-based insurance intermediary group, announced its entry into the Japanese market, launching Howden Re Japan Ltd. and an ILS partnership with Keystone ILS Capital. Howden also announced the appointment of Kentaro Tada as CEO, Howden Japan. Tada will …

Catastrophe Bonds Are Luring Retail Investors to High-Risk Debt

There was a time when investing in catastrophe bonds was the preserve of hedge funds and other sophisticated alternative asset managers. But after underpinning the best hedge fund strategy of 2023, the bonds are finding a wider audience. Catastrophe-bond funds …

Property-Catastrophe Reinsurance Rates Drop by 5% at June Renewals: Howden Re

Property-catastrophe rates saw some moderating trends during the June 1 reinsurance renewals, with average risk-adjusted rates-on-line decreasing by 5% within a typical range of -7.5% to -2.5%, according to Howden Re, the reinsurance business of Howden. These decreases follow a …

Catastrophe Bonds Use Models Underestimating Climate Risks, Investors Say

The risk models that helped drive one of the most lucrative bets of 2023 are increasingly being tested by smaller weather shocks fueled by climate change. Catastrophe bonds and other insurance-linked securities, which powered last year’s highest-returning hedge fund strategy, …