My career in insurance was spent largely as a generalist and that’s why when I meet a specialist I really enjoy it.
There is something amazing about the level of nuance and detail that specialists can reach into that adds enormous value to the rest of us if we have time to get all of the details out of them.
Today’s specialist is James Boyce CEO of Global Specialties at Guy Carpenter which means we are in for a treat because we are getting the best of both worlds.
That’s because Guy Carpenter can share as broad a global view of the market as is possible but at the same time we get an incredibly deep level of specialist knowledge and understanding.
In today’s show we are focusing primarily on the retro markets. James and his colleagues have been in the thick of it and in this Episode we really clear the decks about where the market has landed after one of the most turbulent renewal periods in its history.
I think that the picture that emerges is quite positive.
The market has made rational changes that will set it in good stead for seasons to come, but although the product has fundamentally repriced right to the top of its useful range, the market is clearing and is a lot more predictable than it was at the end of last year.
The underlying health of the market has also been buoyed by the news that despite Hurricane Ian and the Ukraine conflict, the retro market managed to post a profit in 2022 and has moved decisively back up the value chain, well away from attritional exposures.
James is excellent company – well, he is a broker after all – and after this episode you’ll be right up to speed with the mood of underwriters and their capital backers in this the highest, but often least understood end of the capital stack that underpins the global insurance industry.
LINKS
We thank our naming sponsor AdvantageGo:
https://www.advantagego.com/
Ep 62 Fully capitalised, but rationally hard: the 2021 market with David Flandro of HX
Ep 61 A healing market: James Vickers, Chair Willis Re International
Ep 60 Fear breeds discipline, alignment and innovation: Talbir Bains CEO Volante Global
Ep 59 Jean-Jacques Henchoz CEO Hannover Re: Lean and keen
Ep 58 Talent and a willingness to take on risk: Julian James CEO International Insurance, Sompo International
Ep 57 Color outside the lines: Jim Stanard, Chairman Ariel Re
Ep 56 Like 2001, but completely different: Andrew Brooks CEO Ascot Group
Ep 55 Controlled aggression: Alex Maloney CEO of Lancashire Group
Ep 54 Taking a longer view: Eduardo Pérez de Lema CEO of Mapfre Re
Ep 53 No end game. The journey to Ithaka: David Howden CEO Howden Group Holdings
Ep 52 Vanessa Macdonald-Smith of Oneglobal broking: Putting people before numbers and enjoying the fun of the chase
Special Episode: Technical Debt and how to get out of it, with Bart Patrick of Duck Creek Technologies
Ep 51 David Walsh and Graeme Newman of CFC Underwriting: 20% organic growth forever
Ep 50 John Neal: Putting the Lloyd's halo back in place
Ep 49 Tim Turner: This is not a re-run of 85-86
Commonwealth Insurance Forum Special Episode 1: Insuring high-growth emerging markets with Inga Beale and Lesley Ndlovu
Ep 48 D&O: The hardest market of all time with David Ritchie of Gallagher UK
Ep 47 Pat Ryan: Build a business people are proud to work for
Ep 46 The Best Market for a Decade: David Croom-Johnson MD Aegis London
Ep 45 Selling certainty, with Stefan Golling Chief Underwriter Munich Re
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