Best’s Market Segment Report: AM Best Maintains Stable Outlook on Global Reinsurance Industry

Business Wire

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
AM Best has maintained its market segment outlook for the global reinsurance segment at stable, citing in part the ongoing positive pricing momentum driven by rising loss cost inflation, enhanced market discipline including tighter terms and conditions, and a growing demand for reinsurance capacity.

A new Best’s Market Segment Report, titled, “Market Segment Outlook: Global Reinsurance,” notes that the growing demand for reinsurance is being bolstered by primary carriers looking for stable results and capital efficiency in an uncertain environment. The report also cites some negative factors in the segment such as historically low interest rates on fixed-income investments that are in most cases below loss cost inflation, and adverse loss reserve development in casualty lines of business due to sustained social inflation.

AM Best expects reinsurance pricing to improve for most business lines at the upcoming Jan. 1, 2022 renewals and into the new year, albeit likely at a slower pace than in the past few years. The impact of losses from floods in Europe and Hurricane Ida in the United States ended (re)insurers’ hopes for a relatively benign year for natural catastrophe losses in 2021.

“Unfavorable loss cost trends and high catastrophe activity continue to dampen returns on capital, which should keep the industry focused on the need to push for more rate increases,” said Greg Dickerson, associate director.

Social inflation concerns continue to prompt significant pricing increases in the casualty lines of business, and some of the same issues affecting liability coverages may be creeping into the property lines. The report notes that this trend has been most apparent in post-catastrophe claims settlements, for which claims inflation has exceeded the usual levels expected due to surges in demand, coupled with shortages of labor and materials needed to complete repairs.

To access the full copy of this report, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=315427.

To view a video with AM Best Associate Director Greg Dickerson about the global reinsurance segment, please visit http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=ambreinsuranceoutlook1221.

Leading AM Best analysts will review 2022 market segment outlooks for the U.S. insurance industry’s major segments and the global reinsurance industry in an online briefing scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021 at 2:00 pm EST. To register for the briefing, please go to www.ambest.com/conferences/USMB2022.

To view current Best’s Market Segment Outlooks, please visit http://www.ambest.com/ratings/RatingOutlook.asp.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.