Analysis

When Perfect is the enemy of Good

Is the difficulty in launching a new Lloyd's fund down to focusing on the wrong aspect?

Understanding when listing can be a help or a hindrance

Liquidity versus value creation for listed companies

To M&A, or not to M&A?

Understanding (re)insurance portfolio valuation in real time

Probability of success at Lloyd’s

How follow only strategies can model data to improve outcomes

Lloyd's 2023 results exceeds cost of capital

It is the first time in the last decade that Lloyd’s has, in the aggregate, exceeded its estimated weighted average cost of capital (WACC)

Review of 2023: Investor appetite returning

Annual returns of the ‘RISX’ equity index of listed companies with Lloyd’s businesses remained strong, and with lower correlation

Asset management: a new frontier in underwriting RoE?

With risk free rates at decade long highs, investment contribution is now a critical component of returns on equity

The growing importance of ESG at Lloyd’s

From the novelty of dedicated syndicates to BaU

The best reinsurance underwriters to follow? It’s all in the data

Building a superior follow-only portfolio through class of business performance analysis

Capital markets slowly falling back in love with (re)insurance

ICMR analysis shows (re)insurer P/b’s close to long term highs, but still relatively undervalued

Syndicates relative performance consistency essential in follow-only strategies

As follow-only strategies gain momentum at Lloyd’s, how do you identify consistent gross outperformance?

Lloyd’s net underwriting profitability trends disappoint

Line of business performance data from multiple years of individual syndicate reports and accounts, captured and curated by ICMR, reveals a surprising dichotomy between gross and net underwriting performance

Lloyd’s result not quite as good as predicted - here’s why

Lloyd’s stated year-on-year rate improvement not reflected in reported loss ratios

ICMR suggests a sub-90% combined ratio for Lloyd’s based on ‘RISX’ index

Using the reported data of the RISX index constituents ICMR forecasts Lloyd’s will report best underwriting result since 2014

RISX equity index surge over the last quarter benefits proven leaders

Successful leaders and smart follow-onlys likely to benefit at the expense of a middle market squeeze

Lead versus follow in ownership of syndicates

Are follow-only strategies a smart alternative to the model of value through verticalisation?

To lead, or to follow ... that is the question!

Successful follow-only strategies can create more value than those of traditional leadership roles

Hedging tail risks through capital markets

Enhance solvency using swaps to take advantage immediately post-event

Lloyd’s syndicates as an investment market

ICMR’s mark-to-model valuation for Lloyd’s investments

Why brand-building is essential to growth

New research analysis conducted by Gracechurch and ICMR shows that leading insurance CEO's should now treat brand development as a fundamental building block of any growth strategy

Insurance cycle has opened a window of opportunity for investments in Lloyd’s

To assess whether investments in Lloyd’s are worthwhile, investors’ expected returns must be compared against the weighted average cost of capital (WACC).

When Private Equity met Lloyd’s

It’s all about enhancing performance and timing the exit

Has Lloyd’s finally conquered expenses?

Specialty (re)insurance is a difficult business to scale

Premiums trumps profitability for underwriters’ emoluments

A successful Lloyd’s underwriter is a good sales person first and foremost

Lloyd's 2021 combined ratio league table

Over 2/3 of Lloyd’s syndicates reported an underwriting profit

The tide may have turned at Lloyd’s, but headwinds remain strong

First look at Lloyd’s 2021 results

‘RISX’ index points to a Lloyd’s combined ratio for 2021 in the low 90s

ICMR’s estimate is based on the aggregated combined ratio of the RISX equity index constituents.

Specialty (re)insurance M&A - price to book multiple trends

RISX index suggests tidy return for Ascot’s investors

Positive earnings for 2021 priced-in despite major cat losses thus far

What do capital markets tell us about premium rate change for the global specialty (re)insurance industry?

Third party capital vs building value: revolution or déjà vu?

With improving performance and an expanding range of options for investing, now may well be the best time for some while to be an investor at Lloyd’s.

Signs of a turning tide at Lloyd's

Despite of another loss making year at Lloyd's, signs of a hardening market are becoming visible

Value creation at Lloyd's: It's not all about the Underwriting Room

The market is buoyant about near term underwriting conditions, but just how important are they to cross-cycle value creation compared to the performance of asset managers?

17 years of Lloyd's Performance Management

Was it worth it? Time will tell.

The Lloyd's 2021 $15bn stakes

ICMR.Matrix; a new tool to assess which syndicates are best placed to win the race for more new business

The reserving cycle and how to avoid it

The Casualty Actuarial Society publishes reserving paper using probabilistic programming

A new metric to assess the insurance cycle?

Research by ICMR shows that comparing stock performance of specialty re/insurance companies with the S&P 500 can provide new insight into the state of the insurance cycle

Lloyd’s return on capital: the good, the bad and the ugly

For the first time investors can review Lloyd’s syndicates’ return on capital and compare them directly with other re/insurers.

Follow the money: Lloyd's cumulative P&L over the last 20 years

Lloyd's wrote £448bn of gross premiums since 2000, incurring gross claims to policyholders of £288bn, delivering a net combined ratio of 98% and generating £20bn for its investors. What happened?

Performance transition frequencies at Lloyd's

Maintaining performance is one thing, improving performance is a lot more challenging

Lloyd's combined ratio performance distribution

Only top quartile and very few second quartile performers achieved underwriting profits in 2019.

Review of syndicates' results 2015 - 2019

You don't have to be big to be successful, but you can get big if you are successful.

Lloyd’s 2019 results by syndicate: Bigger was better

In 2019 there were 110 syndicates, including special purpose arrangements (SPA), of which 105 stated positive GWP, with 56 breaking even or generating a profit.

First look at Lloyd's results 2019: The tide hasn't turned yet

Today Lloyd's released the 2019 pro-forma results for the market stating a profit of £2.5bn. This is a huge improvement to last year's loss of £1bn, but is driven by investment income of £3.5bn