Tokio Solution Management Ltd. (”Tokio Solution”) and GC Securities*, a division of MMC Securities Corp., a U.S. registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC, are pleased to announce the creation and launch of a private catastrophe bond platform called the Tokio TensaiTM Platform.
GC Securities, a division of MMC Securities Corp., a U.S. registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC, today announced the placement of the Series 2013-1 Notes, with notional principal of $300,000,000, through an existing catastrophe bond shelf program, Long Point Re III Ltd., to benefit Travelers. This is the second time that Travelers has accessed indemnity-triggered, fully collateralized reinsurance protection from the catastrophe bond market.
During the first quarter of 2013 two natural peril-exposed catastrophe bond transactions closed, for a total of USD520 million of issuance (1). This seemingly low level of primary issuance activity is deceiving, however, as the action in the capital markets and the influence of “non-traditional” capacity (a term that is rapidly approaching obsolescence) has never been higher. Conservative institutional asset managers, the custodians of trillions of dollars of investable assets, have largely accepted catastrophe risk as a component of mainstream investment strategy. And, while it is the case that institutional capital’s pursuit of catastrophe risk has been aided by a low interest rate environment, short-term yield chasing is not the primary driver of the inflows. Rather, this is stable capital that has spent years evaluating the catastrophe risk asset class, looking for both steady returns and, in the aftermath of covered events, orderly payment of losses. It has been waiting to see organized secondary trading activity during live catastrophe events such as Hurricane Irene (in 2011) and, most recently, Superstorm Sandy (in 2012). On all fronts, the catastrophe risk market has demonstrated it is ready to transition from adolescence to young adulthood. The impact has been dramatic; pricing has decreased more than 50 percent year over year, particularly for peak U.S. risks such as Florida, which carry significant profit margin for the traditional reinsurance market.
While reinsurance premiums remained broadly stable in the established markets of the United States, Canada and Western Europe between 2007 and 2011, strong growth has been recorded in emerging market regions, particularly China, India and other countries in South and East Asia.
Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC, the leading global risk and reinsurance specialist, today announced that Stephen C. Mathews has been appointed Managing Director of GC Securities*, effective immediately. Mr. Mathews is based in New York and reports to Chris Ezbiansky, Head of M&A Advisory - Americas.
Earthquake insurance coverage in developed and emerging economies varies widely, and earthquake coverage can be low, even in certain established markets. Of all the earthquakes that have caused economic losses over USD1 billion over the last three years, only events in New Zealand and Chile saw the (re)insurance sector contribute more than 25 percent of the overall cost.
The dramatic rise in political instability and civil unrest across the globe, including uprisings in the Middle East and protests in Greece and Spain, has triggered a significant shift in the nature of terrorism risk and has highlighted the need for tailored terrorism and political violence protection, according to “Tensions Building: the Changing Nature of Terrorism Risk and Coverage,” by Guy Carpenter.
Edward Fenton, Managing Director
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As in every past year, Japanese (re)insurers look to the January 1, 2013, reinsurance renewal for guidance as to the likely state of the market for their renewals at April 1. This year they will have been encouraged with a market characterized by excess capital, overcapacity and easing prices for loss-free business. This scenario is evidenced by the Guy Carpenter Global Property Catastrophe Reinsurance Rate on Line index, which fell at renewal, albeit marginally. This environment will come as a welcome change to Japanese buyers, who have fought their way through the last two renewals against adverse market conditions caused by a series of significant losses in the Asia Pacific region.
Here we bring together recent GC Capital Ideas’ posts that have focused on the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries.
Increased Flood Loss Potential: Making use of all available tools and practicing comprehensive exposure management will both strengthen (re)insurers’ ERM practices and allow them to make informed risk management and reinsurance decisions as they enter new markets. Certainly, flood risk is prevalent and increasing in almost every developing economy.
Lloyd’s: What Will Success Look Like? If Lloyd’s is successful in achieving the growth and diversification outlined in its near-term and long-term strategic plans, it can expect to capitalize on business opportunities in emerging market economies such as the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China). Growth, however, will not necessarily be limited to these markets. Other countries in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America are experiencing strong growth and increasing insurance penetration, and these territories also present attractive opportunities for Lloyd’s.
Growth Potential in Developing Markets: Positive premium growth trends in developing markets are expected to be sustained over the next decade. During this time, emerging markets are expected to drive global economic growth, and foreign direct investment in these emerging regions is likely to increase. In Brazil alone, investment in infrastructure is expected to amount to USD550 billion over the next few years as the country prepares to host the soccer World Cup in 2014 and the summer Olympics in 2016. China and India too are expected to continue to see robust growth in the next ten years.
State of the Reinsurance Market, Part II: Inflation/Deflation Expectations, Investment Returns: Expansionary monetary policy has fueled concerns that inflation could increase in the medium term, but the picture is less clear in the near term. While consumer price indices in Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC), the United States and the rest of the G7 currently exhibit positive trends, consensus forecasts show borderline disinflationary trends in the nearer term in the United States and many developed markets.
Guy Carpenter today announced the release of MetaRisk® 7.1, the latest version of the firm’s premier risk and capital management decision making tool. The platform offers access to a variety of new features and enhancements that will improve usability, increase overall functionality and enable the development of more accurate and efficient risk and capital models.
