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Welcome to the 2023 Trading Risk Awards, where the best and brightest in the ILS market are recognised for their achievements from the past year – and what a year it was.

For the ILS market, perhaps more than any other, the outcome of this year’s high inflation is still to be determined. Unlike other industries that are suffering increased immediate costs, this sector’s performance – as always – is ultimately driven by events no one can foresee.

As Trading Risk welcomed ILS market leaders to its Monte Carlo roundtable, there were already headwinds challenging the asset class even before the late September landfall of Hurricane Ian in Florida.

The decade from 2010 ran the full gamut of catastrophe loss experience, reminding us that there is no such thing as a "new normal" in the world of ILS.

One of the ongoing trends within the ILS market over past years has been an increasing demand from existing investors to look for something different within their portfolio.

Just a few months into 2021, the first natural-disaster headlines of the year are already occupying the minds of ILS insurance risk-takers. The snowstorms that brought freezing conditions to Texas will be a challenging event to evaluate for a number of reasons.

Covid-19 may have been the biggest talking point in the (re)insurance markets this year but arguably, the pandemic is being overtaken by several other factors – ILS market dynamics amongst them.

Covid-19 and ILS strategies: locking down diversification benefits.

Climate change and ILS strategies: reshaping the market's response

Reconstruction in the ILS market continues, with ongoing concerns about investor sentiment, capacity growth and the impact of retro rates

Reinsurance conditions began moving in investors’ favour in mid-year 2019, marking a delayed reaction to 2017-2018 losses.

This year’s award winners have taken their moment in the spotlight at a turbulent time in the ILS market’s history, making their recognition all the more valuable.

The past two years challenged the catastrophe (re)insurance market more than any period since the Hurricane Katrina era in 2004-2005 – but it is far from clear what the outcome will be this time around.

What’s in a promise to pay? That was one of the questions that was circulating at this year’s Monte Carlo Rendez-Vous.

The ILS market has quickly stabilised after last year’s catastrophe losses – but the fallout from Hurricane Irma has continued to push claims higher.

Ten years ago, amid the turmoil of the global financial market crisis, the first Trading Risk awards ceremony was held.

It was a rough 2017 for investors in ILS, as hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria swept through the Atlantic. But 2018 has offered some uplift to yields from the sector.

For the first time in years, finding a subject to talk about was not a problem at the industry's annual gathering in Monte Carlo. Hurricane Irma was the topic on everyone's minds.

For the first time in years, finding a subject to talk about was not a problem at the industry's annual gathering in Monte Carlo. Hurricane Irma was the topic on everyone's minds as the storm battered Florida on the Sunday evening of the Rendez-Vous.

Florida is truly the reinsurance market's risk hothouse.

Florida is truly the reinsurance market's risk hothouse. Its coastline produces the bulk of the ILS market's exposure, and Florida risks still squeeze out more profit for reinsurers than many other lines of business

2016 was a challenging year for the ILS market, as cat bond issuance activity and fundraising intakes slowed down,while catastrophe activity returned to average levels after a couple of benign years.

Trading Risk was first launched in 2008 just before the crux of the financial crisis - a period that was ultimately to boost the fortunes of the ILS market, as it showed the value of a truly non-correlating asset class

2016 marked the 60th anniversary of the Monte Carlo Rendez-Vous, and an extraordinarily humid conference for delegates rushing from meetings at the Café de Paris to the Hermitage.