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RMS Performs Risk Analysis For $100M U.S.
Hurricane Catastrophe Bond
Newark, Calif. – June 15, 2009 – Risk
Management Solutions (RMS) has completed the expert modeling analysis in
connection with the securities offering undertaken by Calabash Re III
Ltd., a Cayman Island exempted company licensed as a Class B insurer.
The notes sold in this offering provide $100 million of collateralized
coverage against U.S. hurricane and U.S. earthquake over three years for
Swiss Reinsurance America Corporation on behalf of ACE American
Insurance Company and its affiliates. The program was solely structured
and placed by Swiss Re Capital Markets Corporation.
This is the first ever catastrophe bond to provide
investors with the full modeled Event Loss Table (ELT) for the
transaction as part of the disclosure documentation. For every event in
the RMS U.S. Earthquake and U.S. Hurricane models, investors are
provided with the RMS event description, annual rate, and modeled index
value.
“With access to the full event loss details,
investors can quantify the exact marginal impact of Calabash III on
their existing portfolios,” commented Peter Nakada, managing director of
RiskMarkets, RMS’ dedicated insurance-linked securities (ILS) team. “The
disclosure of this information is standard in reinsurance arrangements;
by introducing it to cat bond transactions we’re leveling the playing
field for investors, which will hopefully promote participation in this
market.”
The trigger for the reinsurance arrangement is based
on Swiss Re Capital Market’s patented “MITT” trigger (Modified Industry
Trigger Transaction), whereby insured industry loss estimates from
Property Claims Services are adjusted by the modeled share of industry
loss based on the applicable portfolios. “As this transaction
incorporates an element of modeled loss, investors would have been
unable to generate an exact Event Loss Table on their own. Providing
these details gives a level of transparency that in the past could only
be achieved with a pure parametric or industry loss transaction,”
commented Mr. Nakada. “ACE and Swiss Re have taken a critical step
forward in the market. We know it’s appreciated in the investor
community, and hope it sets a precedent for future modeled loss and
indemnity transactions.”
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