soft market News

Chinese Industrial Firms Will Lead Insurance M&A in 2016, to Grow Beyond Asia

China’s biggest industrial companies want to buy insurers in 2016 as they seek to grow outside Asia as the domestic economy slows and falling insurance rates prompt more firms to do deals, according to Willis Towers Watson Plc. “We’ve been …

RMS: Cat Bond Analysis Reveals Market Predictions of Price Bottom Are Optimistic

Return relative to risk values for catastrophe bonds at current prices are actually higher in 2015 than they were last year, even though recent market commentary suggests that market prices have stabilized, according to research by RMS, the Newark, Calif.-based …

It’s a Tough Time for Reinsurers, but Their Defensive Strategies Are Working: S&P

It’s a tough time for reinsurers — “pricing is soft, regulators continue to raise the bar, capital is at record highs, competition is increasing, and reinsurers are constantly looking for ways to remain relevant to cedants’ changing demands for protection,” …

A.M. Best Affirms Zurich Insurance Ratings; Outlook Negative on Expected Losses

A.M. Besthas affirmed the financial strength rating of A+ (Superior) and the issuer credit rating of “aa-” while at the same time revising the outlook to negative from stable forZurich Insurance Company Limited(ZIC) and some of its rated affiliates. ZIC …

Fitch’s Rendez-Vous Roundup: 4 Hot Topics Affecting Reinsurance Industry

Fitch published a list of key takeaways from last week’s reinsurance Rendez-Vous in Monte Carlo, where some of the major trends affecting the industry were discussed: mergers & acquisitions, alternative capital, pricing and the Tianjin Port explosion in China. Meetings …

Midyear Renewals Show Early Signs of Price Stabilization: JLT Re Report

Downward pricing pressures eased during the June 1 and July 1 renewals – the first time since January 2013 – which suggests that a reinsurance pricing floor is not far away, according to a report published by JLT Re. “Although …

Swiss Re CFO: Some Reinsurance Deals in Time May Prove ‘Adventuresome’

Some takeovers in the reinsurance industry by investors from outside the sector may ultimately be viewed as “adventuresome,” the chief financial officer of reinsurer Swiss Re said. The reinsurance business has seen a wave of merger deals and more are …

Reinsurers Seek New Markets, Underinsured Risks to Ease Price Pressures

Major reinsurers like Munich Re, Swiss Re, Hannover Re are looking to new markets and selling more cover to existing clients to ease price pressures after several years of falls, they said at their annual meeting in Monte Carlo this …

Reinsurers Expect Continued Downward Pressure on Pricing During 2016

The world’s largest reinsurers and brokers see little relief in pricing in 2016 amid a relentless influx of alternative capital from pension funds and one of the past decade’s quietest years for catastrophe losses. Rates for property-and-casualty reinsurance are expected …

Tier 1 Reinsurers More Resilient than Smaller Firms in Current Market: Fitch

Major tier 1 reinsurers stand to benefit most from a changing reinsurance market and mounting competitive pressures, while small mono-line companies will be the hardest-hit, according to a reinsurance report published by Fitch. Reported financial results confirm that major Tier …