The reinsurance industry is shifting decisively and competitively. Gallagher Re’s latest 1st View report, Challenging the Status Quo, released July 1, 2025, offers critical insights into how the July 1 renewal season reflects a more favorable market for reinsurance buyers than in recent years.
A More Competitive Reinsurance Market
Buyers entered the July 1 renewals with stronger bargaining power. Reinsurers had both the capacity and appetite to write more business, allowing clients to:
- Achieve risk-adjusted rate reductions for property treaties
- Hold casualty pricing broadly flat, aided by continued primary rate hardening
- Restructure programs and improve terms, especially in property and specialty lines
The competitive landscape has given candidates room to rethink placements, pushing beyond rate changes toward broader optimization.
Reinsurer Strength Supports Market Shifts
Reinsurers are entering this renewal season from a position of strength:
- Strong 2024 results pushed returns on equity (ROEs) well above the cost of capital
- Despite Q1 setbacks from January’s Los Angeles wildfires, reinsurers remain on track for a profitable 2025
- Reinsurance dedicated capital hit a new high of USD 769 billion at year-end 2024
- Projections show mid-teen ROEs and 6% capital growth by year-end, assuming stable conditions
This solid foundation supports reinsurers’ willingness to innovate, though many remain disciplined, favoring profitability over market share in select areas.
Outlook: Buyers Regain Leverage
The 2025 renewal cycle reveals a clear trend: reinsurers are responding to buyer needs in a more dynamic, supply-favorable market. Highlights include:
- North American casualty lines continue to reflect five years of cumulative rate increases and loss-mitigation strategies
- Flexibility in property reinsurance, particularly regarding aggregate and per-risk covers, is emerging
- Underwriting scrutiny remains high—especially in U.S. casualty markets, where reinsurers seek transparency and data-driven discipline
- Hurricane season forecasts still predict elevated activity, making Q3 pivotal to financial outcomes
Reinsurers are cautiously optimistic, but the message is clear: disciplined capital, coupled with robust pricing tailwinds, is enabling a reshaping of the reinsurance landscape.
Final Thoughts
With capacity available and reinsurers open to growth, the July 1 renewal season offered clients a real opportunity to challenge the status quo. While reinsurers remain vigilant in underwriting, this is a market where strategic storytelling, credible underwriting, and strong broker advocacy can unlock significant gains.
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