With regard to direct COVID-19 losses, many market commentators are revising their initial loss estimates downward, particularly in the domain of property business interruption (BI). Based on third-quarter earnings announcements to date, reported losses for COVID-19 reached just over USD 25 billion, much of which is incurred but not reported. At this time, there are many steps ... Continue Reading »
Property
How (Re)insurance Fits into the COVID-19 Landscape: Leading Up to January 2021 Reinsurance Renewals
Prior to COVID-19, the (re)insurance industry was already facing a range of challenges. The widespread impact of a global lockdown added to this challenging market and created the potential for even greater volatility. For an industry founded on the principles of diversification, we are now grappling with the implication of the first globally systemic insurance loss. ... Continue Reading »
Recent GC Capital Ideas Video Talks On the Current Risk Landscape
GC Capital Ideas highlights recent video talks from our experts, with a focus on COVID-19 developments and climate change. ... Continue Reading »
Chart: Top 10 Largest Insured Losses vs Projections for COVID-19
The following chart shows how industry loss estimates for COVID-19 put forward by a number of entities compare to other major insured events, in inflation-adjusted terms. As ultimate losses are largely unknown, there is substantial variability within and between estimates for COVID-19, ranging from a low end USD 30 billion to close to USD 100 billion. ... Continue Reading »
Wildfire – Understanding and Modeling the Risk: Part IV
The GC Urban Conflagration Index, available in the western United States and Florida, identifies areas where the phenomenon of urban conflagration is more likely. Urban conflagration – wildfire entering a developed area and spreading from structure to structure, is of particular concern to carriers due to the highly correlated and often total resulting losses. The GC Urban C ... Continue Reading »
Wildfire – Understanding and Modeling the Risk: Part III
In a proactive response to consecutive years of record wildfire insured losses, Guy Carpenter has been working to develop tools to help clients quantify, manage and better understand their wildfire risk, according to Alexander Van Dijk, President, U.S. Branches, and Kimberly Roberts, North America Peril Advisory, Guy Carpenter. This includes a holistic suite of tools and ... Continue Reading »
Guy Carpenter/Flood Re Webinar Highlights Critical Importance of Enhanced Planning and Collaboration to Boost Flood Resilience
The dual challenges of increasing flood risk in the United Kingdom and the impact of climate change are demanding improved planning, greater adaptability and proactive engagement across multiple stakeholders to better identify climate-related exposures and enhance resilience measures, particularly in the built environment. This is according to industry policy and building ... Continue Reading »
Video: Cyber Underwriters Avoid COVID-19 Exclusions Even as Ransomware Concerns Soar
As we all move to working from home and remote locations, the increased risk of cyber attacks has become more prevalent. COVID-19 has presented an opportunity for rogue actors to attack vulnerable companies and indeed individuals. For some, working from home can mean more lax security. This has resulted in the cyber underwriting fraternity asking more questions around COVID-19, ... Continue Reading »
Wildfire – Understanding and Modeling the Risk: Part II
A pattern has emerged related to the joint concept of greater precipitation in winter months coupled with greater evaporation in summer months, both driven by a warming climate. A wet winter allows grasses to grow, which dry out during excessively hot summers, and become receptive fuel for fire, especially during offshore wind events like the Santa Ana Winds. The 2017 and 2018 ... Continue Reading »
Hurricane Iota – Central America Landfall and Impacts
On the evening of November 16th, Hurricane Iota made landfall on the Nicaragua coast as a category-4 hurricane. The center of circulation moved ashore just south of where Hurricane Eta made landfall in recent weeks, with catastrophic effect. Iota has rendered severe to complete damage due to wind along with flooding and mudslides due to heavy rainfall. The impacts affect ... Continue Reading »
