EDITOR’S LETTER

Some hope amid the gloom

“The looming issue of climate change continues, however, to cast an unwelcome shadow.”

As we finally head towards the end of 2020, the growing glow of optimism refuses to be quenched as the advent of a COVID-19 vaccine rollout moves closer.

As the industry, and the world, looks forward to the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel the looming issue of climate change continues, however, to cast an unwelcome shadow.

With dark times still ahead, in this issue we hear from Swiss Re group chief executive officer Christian Mumenthaler as he sheds some light on how to get through such challenging times with his thoughts on the industry’s role in making the world more resilient.

We also examine the legal lessons of COVID-19 for re/insurers and discover that the court battles over coverage could have an even wider reach than initially thought.

Intelligent Insurer speaks to Kenrick Law, regional chief executive and head of P&C client management at Allianz Reinsurance, to find out why there is a dichotomy in Asian markets as reinsurance rates harden but insurance prices stay flat.

For those looking beyond COVID-19 to the next systemic risk—climate change—check out the feature on wildfire and how the industry can better manage it. Experts told Intelligent Insurer that wildfire is the “canary in the coalmine” in terms of the impact of climate change on the re/insurance industry.

The article is based on a panel discussion held on Intelligent Insurer’s Re/insurance Lounge platform, and it is available to watch in full via our on-demand service.

With such a busy end to an unprecedented year, we look forward to the New Year and the optimism that always comes with it. See you in 2021.

Claire Churchard is deputy editor of the Newton Media Insurance Group

Image: shutterstock.com / Sean Lema