Topic
Reinsurance
2017 cat bond issuance reaches record levels
January 5, 2018 by Jason ContantCatastrophe bond issuance in 2017 reached record levels, including in Canada, as insurers and reinsurers sponsored approximately US$10.5 billion in cat bonds. According to data from the Artemis.bm Deal Directory, there was more than US$10.5 billion in issuance last year,…
How insurers protect their earnings against multiple catastrophes
January 4, 2018 by David GambrillWith the rise of multiple major catastrophe events in Canada, look for primary insurers to start seeking aggregate reinsurance covers as a means to adapt to climate change-related losses. “It’s the new normal that the companies are going to have…
Why Canadian insurers should feel lucky after 2017
January 3, 2018 by Greg MeckbachAfter a year of massive North Atlantic hurricane losses, Canadian P&C insurers may have dodged a bullet with this year’s renewal season. Reinsurers licensed in Canada “were the main beneficiaries of the relatively quiet Canadian CAT year,” wrote Joel Baker,…
2018 Outlook: Heidi Sevcik, President, CEO, Gore Mutual Insurance Company
January 2, 2018 Heidi SevcikThe pace of change in the property and casualty market remains faster than ever before, increasing the need for cooperation and innovation in 2018. The increasing frequency of severe weather events emphasizes the importance of the industry and governments working…
Economic losses top US$300 billion in 2017
December 20, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterInsured losses from natural catastrophes in 2017, at more than US$130 billion, were more than double the average of the previous 10 years, and more than US$90 billion in losses is probably from three hurricanes alone, Swiss Re said Wednesday.…
Insurers, society face irreversible climate change: reinsurance board exec
December 19, 2017 Greg Meckbach, Associate EditorWildfires that hit British Columbia earlier this year and that continue to affect California are among the effects of climate change, says Karen Gavan, former CEO of Waterloo, Ont.-based Economical Insurance. “Literally California has been burning all fall,” said Gavan,…
‘Resilient, but tired:’ Mental effects of wildfire lingering in Fort McMurray
December 18, 2017 The Canadian PressFORT MCMURRAY, Alta. – Firefighter Mark Stephenson says he can’t drive through Fort McMurray without being brought back to May 2016. That’s when, in the thick of battling a ferocious wildfire that destroyed 10 per cent of the northern Alberta…
New business consulting firm offers more choice in Canada for P&C industry
December 8, 2017 Jason Contant, Online EditorRSM, a global provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market, has announced the launch of RSM Canada with an office of about 300 professionals in the heart of Toronto’s financial district. Harry Blum will serve…
Catastrophes likely to have “muted” effect on Canadian reinsurance pricing
December 4, 2017 Jason Contant, Online EditorReinsurance rates in Canada will likely not decrease and there may be some “upward movement in certain regions” following the historically massive catastrophes in the third quarter, MSA Research president and CEO Joel Baker suggested Monday. The catastrophes – including…
What OSFI expects insurers to know about reinsurance
November 30, 2017 Jason Contant, Online EditorWhile the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) expects federally regulated insurers (FRIs) to comply with its guideline on reinsurance, it realizes that “this guidance was not always well-understood by the industry and [has] identified opportunities to clarify…
Will nat cats increase product pricing in Canada?
November 28, 2017 Jason Contant, Online EditorIncreases in natural catastrophes and the price of reinsurance could also drive up the price of insurance products in Canada, the federal financial regulator said Tuesday. “Our concern is in the longer run, we’ll see increases in the price of…
Part of the Whole
November 27, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterThe global natural catastrophe story for 2017, one that could tell the tale of the largest related losses in history, shows how interconnected each country’s reinsurance market is to the global whole. Reinsurers operating in Canada are advised that, this time around, being part of the whole may demand rethinking risk, pricing and partners.