Are cat bond lite deals cannibalizing the 144A market? Or are they contributing to net growth for the ILS sector? This relatively new form of risk transfer is perhaps the hottest trend of the year, which is why I’m looking forward to discussing it at the Verisk Risk Symposium with a panel of folks experienced with “lite” deals.
Last year, private catastrophe bonds accounted for approximately $500 million in original issuance activity, half of which was publicly revealed. So far this year, we’ve already seen more than $200 million in publicly disclosed cat bond lite transactions, most of which represents new issuance. The sector is growing quickly and still has much more potential.
Despite the buzz, plenty of questions remain. My panel — Cat Bond Lite: What Comes Next? — will address such issues as:
- What is cat bond lite? What differentiates it from 144A transactions?
- Why do people use the lite structure?
- How do lites work? Who are the players involved?
- How do the frictional costs compare with other forms of risk transfer?
Additionally, we’ll discuss some of the transactions completed over the past 18 months, bringing some practical benefit to everyone who joins us.
This is going to be a fantastic session, and you’ll walk away with something new — whether you’re considering entering this market or already have a few deals under your belt. And if you want to get together for a few minutes after the session, just let me know.