With 2009 coming to a close, this week we’re taking a look at the most popular stories of the year.

Cat Bonds Persevere in Tumultuous Market*: A slow issuance year in 2008 masks a story of resilience and risk management flexibility. After a record-setting year in 2007, catastrophe bond issuances fell 62 percent by issuance volume and 52 percent by transaction count last year. During the first half of the year catastrophe bond issuance was tempered by ample capacity and favorable rates in the traditional reinsurance market, dampening sponsor demand for alternative capacity sources, with the fourth quarter quieter than expected. Overall, however, catastrophe bonds generally withstood the impact of onerous market forces and survived a substantial financial market test of their utility as risk and capital management instruments.

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Cat Bond Update: Second Quarter 2009: The catastrophe bond market continues to advance, though issuances are down from 2008. The activity represents a positive rally from the hiatus during the second half of 2008. For the first half of 2009, nine bonds have been issued, with aggregate risk capital of USD1.38 billion. The continuing stabilization of financial markets and a decrease in catastrophe bond spreads, however, could result in more issuance activity in the second half of the year, particularly for sponsors which had considered issuances in the first and second quarters but deferred their plans because catastrophe bond spreads were considered to be too wide (i.e., catastrophe bond protection was considered to be too expensive).

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David Priebe, Chairman of Global Client Development
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A year ago, (re)insurers’ access to capital markets was in doubt. A worldwide financial crisis decimated balance sheets, sent equity values tumbling and caused credit markets to come to a standstill. Today, however, the situation has changed completely. Catastrophe bond issuances have resumed, and the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market is gaining momentum. (Re)insurers are turning to capital markets to address a wide range of strategic and tactical needs. It is clear that this source of capital remains both viable and reliable.

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Norman Brown, Managing Director, GC Securities and Bart Zanelli, Managing Director, GC Securities*
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A mergers and acquisitions (M&A) trend is beginning to form in the (re)insurance industry. With capital being restored to carriers’ balance sheets, M&A is expected to accelerate next year and particularly in 2011. Both strategic and tactical opportunities are being pursued, and as some (re)insurers capitalize on them, others will follow. A podcast at the end of this article provides deeper commentary and insights into the (re)insurance M&A market.

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Norm Brown and Bart Zanelli, both Managing Directors in GC Securities*, discuss the (re)insurance industry M&A market in this new GC Capital Ideas podcast. Click the audio player below to listen to the interview, or download the interview in a file that will work with your iPod.

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* Securities or investments, as applicable, are offered in the United States through GC Securities, a division of MMC Securities Corp., a US registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC. Main Office: 1166 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036. Phone: (212) 345-5000. Securities or investments, as applicable, are offered in the European Union by GC Securities, a division of MMC Securities (Europe) Ltd., which is authorized and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Reinsurance products are placed through qualified affiliates of Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC. MMC Securities Corp., MMC Securities (Europe) Ltd. and Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC are affiliates owned by Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. This communication is not intended as an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any security, financial instrument, reinsurance or insurance product.

After a record year of M&A in 2003, the (re)insurance industry nearly fell silent in 2004. The number of transactions completed dropped from 42 (at a value of USD18 billion) in 2003 to 17 in 2004, with a total value of USD449 million. From 2005 through last year, the M&A market saw a growth trend emerge, ultimately reaching 59 transactions at an aggregate value of USD16.6 billion in 2008. Carriers have been busy this year, too: 40 deals have closed, with a total value of USD7.1 billion, at the end of the third quarter of 2009. And, the trend is likely to continue upward.

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* Securities or investments, as applicable, are offered in the United States through GC Securities, a division of MMC Securities Corp., a US registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC. Main Office: 1166 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036. Phone: (212) 345-5000. Securities or investments, as applicable, are offered in the European Union by GC Securities, a division of MMC Securities (Europe) Ltd., which is authorized and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Reinsurance products are placed through qualified affiliates of Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC. MMC Securities Corp., MMC Securities (Europe) Ltd. and Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC are affiliates owned by Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. This communication is not intended as an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any security, financial instrument, reinsurance or insurance product.

Carl Bach, Managing Director and John Barrows, Vice President
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Program administrators and managing general agents (PAs/MGAs) appear to be interested in making acquisitions. This year, 72 percent of participants in Guy Carpenter’s Fifth Annual Specialty Insurance Program Issuing Carrier Survey indicated an interest in growing through acquisition, up slightly (though not materially) from 70 percent in 2008. A mature segment of the insurance industry, this remains one of the few ways to accelerate top-line growth and capture market share.

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Program administrators and managing general agents (PAs/MGAs) appear to be interested in making acquisitions. This year, 72 percent of participants in Guy Carpenter’s Fifth Annual Specialty Insurance Program Issuing Carrier Survey indicated an interest in growing through acquisition, up slightly (though not materially) from 70 percent in 2008. A mature segment of the insurance industry, this remains one of the few ways to accelerate top-line growth and capture market share.

Click here to receive e-mail updates from GC Capital Ideas >>

Fifty-nine percent of respondents to the survey would like to acquire other PAs/MGAs, and 44 percent would prefer to acquire carriers — with both categories up from 2008’s 54 percent and 39 percent, respectively. Interest in wholesalers has waned; 13 percent of respondents are targeting them this year, compared to 23 percent last year. Respondents considering acquiring third-party administrators have increased from zero last year to 5 percent this year.

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The majority of respondents plan to use company funds to make acquisitions (56 percent, compared to 54 percent in 2008’s survey), though company stock is another popular way to finance acquisitions (23 percent). As a result of the worldwide financial crisis, the use of institutions — such as private equity and bank financing — has fallen sharply. Last year, 27 percent of respondents indicated an interest in working with private equity partners, with 8 percent listing banks as a financing source. This year, they garnered only 3 percent and 5 percent, respectively.

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David Priebe, Chairman of Global Client Development
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The role of capital markets in the (re)insurance industry was uncertain a year ago. The eruption of the financial catastrophe within weeks of last year’s Rendez-Vous caused credit markets to seize and wreaked havoc on equities. Access to capital not in the reinsurance system already effectively closed. Today, however, the situation is vastly different. Financial markets are thawing, and equity values are coming back. Investors are showing more confidence in insurance risks — both directly, through catastrophe bonds, and indirectly, via equity markets. Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are gaining momentum, as well. We’ve pierced last year’s cloud of pessimism, and the opportunities ahead are quite clear.

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