Aon Benfield launches new reinsurance research team

Aon Benfield has launched a new market analysis team within Aon Benfield Analytics.
The market analysis team, which evolved from Aon Benfield Research, will provide in-depth reports on reinsurers and insight into reinsurance market trends.
Aon Benfield Research will now focus entirely on the firm’s academic and industry research collaboration.
The decision to form a dedicated market analysis team reflects a response to the increased emphasis on credit risk due to the financial market crisis, as well as the recently proposed or enacted regulatory standards, Aon Benfield says.
“The analysis of reinsurers is a lot more challenging than a few years ago,” said Mike McClane, head of the U.S. and Bermuda market analysis team.
“The balance sheets of reinsurers are becoming increasingly complex to analyze due to sophisticated investments, securitizations, hedging strategies and a more complex capital structure, including contingent capital and hybrid equity.
“In addition, it is important to understand the inter-company obligations among a reinsurance group and how freely capital can move between affiliates.”