Investors in Reinsurance

Showing 1-50 out of 389 matches

Chubb

Chubb is a prominent insurance company headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, established in 1985. It specializes in offering a comprehensive range of property and casualty insurance services tailored for both businesses and individuals. The company provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, as well as personal accident and supplemental health insurance. In addition to these services, Chubb also engages in reinsurance and life insurance, catering to a diverse clientele that includes multinational corporations and local enterprises. With its extensive portfolio, Chubb is committed to delivering innovative insurance solutions to meet the varied needs of its customers.
Made 5 investments in Reinsurance

Inszone Insurance Services

Inszone is a comprehensive insurance brokerage firm offering a wide range of property & casualty and employee benefits solutions tailored to businesses and commercial clients.
Made 3 investments in Reinsurance

Berkshire Hathaway

Berkshire Hathaway is a diversified holding company known for its extensive portfolio of subsidiaries across various industries. The company's primary business segment is insurance, with significant operations through Geico and Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group, offering a range of products including property, health, and accident insurance. In addition to its insurance activities, Berkshire Hathaway has made substantial investments in sectors such as manufacturing, retailing, and energy. Key acquisitions include Burlington Northern Santa Fe, a major freight railroad, and Berkshire Hathaway Energy, which focuses on utility and energy distribution. The company’s diverse operations also encompass finance and financial products, making it a significant player in multiple markets.
Made 5 investments in Reinsurance

Aon

Global professional services firm that provides risk management, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, retirement and healthcare solutions, human resources services, and outsourcing. Aon serves clients across industries worldwide with advisory, analytics, and outsourcing capabilities to help manage risk, optimize employee benefits, and support decision making. The company operates through specialized units and regional teams and maintains a significant data analytics and innovation presence, such as ACIA in Dublin, to develop new products and services across its divisions. Its offerings include risk consulting, actuarial services, insurance placement, and claims management, with a global footprint spanning numerous sectors including aerospace, construction, finance, healthcare, and energy.
Made 4 investments in Reinsurance

RenaissanceRe Holdings

RenaissanceRe Holdings is a prominent global provider of reinsurance and insurance solutions, specializing in property catastrophe and various specialty coverages. Founded in Bermuda in 1993, the company has developed a strong reputation for effectively managing risks associated with both natural and man-made catastrophes. Its offerings encompass a wide array of products, including property, casualty, and specialty reinsurance, as well as accident and health, cyber liability, marine, and professional liability coverages. RenaissanceRe operates through multiple segments, primarily focusing on property and casualty/specialty reinsurance. The company generates revenue from net premiums earned, investment income, and ancillary services. With its headquarters in Bermuda and additional offices in Zurich, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, RenaissanceRe aims to provide innovative solutions to its clients worldwide.
Made 4 investments in Reinsurance

Scor

Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Paris, Scor is an independent global reinsurance company. It offers a broad range of innovative reinsurance solutions across Life and Health insurance (longevity, mortality, LTC) and Property and Casualty insurance (natural catastrophes, agriculture, industry). Scor's business strategy focuses on profitability, effective risk management, and creating value for shareholders while providing optimal security to its clients.
Made 9 investments in Reinsurance

Arch Capital Group

Arch Capital Group is a Bermuda-based company that offers insurance, reinsurance, and mortgage insurance services. It serves corporations, professional firms, and financial institutions worldwide, providing innovative risk management solutions across various industries.
Made 2 investments in Reinsurance

Lloyd's

Lloyd’s is a global leader in specialty insurance, providing expertise-led solutions for complex risks. With over 200 territories covered by its expert underwriters and brokers, Lloyd’s facilitates human progress by developing innovative insurance products.
Made 3 investments in Reinsurance

SiriusPoint

SiriusPoint is a global reinsurance company offering property & casualty reinsurance coverage worldwide. Its portfolio includes Accident & Health, Liability, Property, and Specialty lines.
Made 2 investments in Reinsurance

Moody's

Moody's is a leading global provider of credit ratings, research, and financial risk analysis services. Established in 1909 and headquartered in New York City, the company specializes in assessing the creditworthiness of various debt instruments, including government, municipal, and corporate bonds, as well as structured finance obligations. Moody's also offers predictive ratings, research, investor briefings, and credit opinions to help investors understand the credit risks associated with fixed-income securities. With a workforce of approximately 6,100 employees operating in 28 countries, Moody's aims to deliver financial intelligence and analytical tools that support growth and risk management objectives for its clients. Recognized as one of the Big Three credit rating agencies, Moody's plays a vital role in providing insights into financial markets, thereby assisting investors in making informed decisions.
Made 2 investments in Reinsurance

Nephila Capital

Nephila Capital Limited, founded in 1997 and based in Hamilton, Bermuda, is an investment manager that specializes in reinsurance risk. The company focuses on managing a variety of investment products, including insurance-linked securities, catastrophe bonds, insurance swaps, and weather derivatives. Nephila sources, analyzes, prices, underwrites, executes, and values reinsurance risk, catering to institutional investors seeking tailored investment opportunities. With a strong emphasis on climate risk management and catastrophe reinsurance, the firm employs proprietary systems and analytical platforms, leveraging its expertise to provide comprehensive investment and reinsurance risk management services.
Made 1 investment in Reinsurance

Lockton

Lockton is an insurance brokerage firm that specializes in providing a wide range of services to address corporate and people risks. Its offerings include commercial insurance, property and casualty insurance, reinsurance, health risk management, and executive risks. Additionally, Lockton provides consultancy services, actuarial and analytics support, risk consulting, claims management, and retirement plans. The firm is dedicated to delivering customized solutions through comprehensive assessments and research, ensuring that its clients' specific needs and business objectives are met effectively. With expertise in various sectors, Lockton aims to offer best-fit programs that enhance risk management and support organizational goals.
Made 1 investment in Reinsurance

PartnerRe

PartnerRe Ltd. is a global reinsurance company that operates through its wholly owned subsidiaries, including Partner Reinsurance Company Ltd., Partner Reinsurance Europe plc, and Partner Reinsurance Company of the U.S. The company provides a wide range of reinsurance services, covering risks such as property, casualty, motor, agriculture, aviation, catastrophe, credit, engineering, energy, and specialty lines. In addition to traditional reinsurance, PartnerRe offers alternative risk products, including weather and credit protection, to various industries worldwide. By partnering with brokers and clients, PartnerRe aims to help insurance companies manage earnings volatility, enhance their capital positions, and expand their businesses. The company has made strategic acquisitions, including the purchase of Presidio Reinsurance Group in 2013, and continues to evolve its offerings in the reinsurance sector.
Made 2 investments in Reinsurance

Reinsurance Group of America

Founded in 1973, Reinsurance Group of America is a global leader in life reinsurance. With approximately $2.9 trillion of life reinsurance in force and assets of $39.7 billion, it specializes in individual life reinsurance, group reinsurance, health reinsurance, financial solutions, facultative underwriting, and product development.

Brand Foundry Ventures

Brand Foundry Ventures is a venture capital firm founded in 2014 and based in Austin, Texas. It makes early-stage investments in companies serving the consumer and business sectors, supporting startups through initial rounds and helping them scale.
Made 4 investments in Reinsurance

American Family Ventures

Founded in 2010, American Family Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing in seed to series B investments. It focuses on companies developing technologies and business models relevant to the future of insurance, with an emphasis on FinTech, data analytics, IoT, cybersecurity, and home automation. The firm invests between $500k to $2m per round.
Made 4 investments in Reinsurance

AIG

AIG is a global insurance company founded in 1919 and headquartered in New York. It offers a wide range of insurance products designed to meet the needs of both businesses and individuals. AIG's offerings include property-casualty insurance, life insurance, retirement products, mortgage guaranty, and mortgage insurance services. Additionally, the company provides general liability, commercial automobile liability, and workers' compensation insurance, among other related services. AIG's diverse portfolio aims to support clients in various aspects of their personal and professional lives.
Made 2 investments in Reinsurance

Sompo International

Sompo International is a global provider of specialty property and casualty insurance and reinsurance. The company focuses on delivering a range of insurance services, including reinsurance, underwriting, enterprise risk management, claims handling, and risk control. By maintaining quality assets and ensuring enhanced liquidity, Sompo International aims to help clients protect themselves against unforeseen risks and damages. With its comprehensive suite of services, the company is positioned to address the diverse needs of its clients in a dynamic and evolving market.

AXIS

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited is a global insurer and reinsurer based in Pembroke, Bermuda, established in 2001. The company provides a wide array of specialty insurance and reinsurance products through its Insurance and Reinsurance segments. The Insurance segment includes property insurance for commercial and residential properties, marine insurance, and various professional liability coverages for businesses and organizations. Additionally, it offers specialty health, travel, and accidental death insurance. The Reinsurance segment caters to insurance companies with products such as catastrophe reinsurance, property reinsurance, and professional lines, as well as agriculture and marine reinsurance. AXIS distinguishes itself through its experienced teams in underwriting, claims, modeling, and actuarial services, serving clients worldwide via wholesale and retail brokers, and managing general underwriters.
Made 2 investments in Reinsurance

White Mountains Insurance Group

White Mountains Insurance Group operates primarily in the property and casualty insurance sector. Through its subsidiaries, it provides insurance services such as municipal bond reinsurance, specialty property and casualty insurance, and capital solutions for asset managers. The company also engages in insurance distribution and other operations.
Made 1 investment in Reinsurance

Hudson Structured Capital Management

Founded in 2016, Hudson Structured Capital Management is an asset management firm based in Stamford, Connecticut. The company invests primarily in reinsurance and insurance-linked assets across various lines of business and instruments, aiming to optimize relative value. It also focuses on transportation equipment finance, favoring essential economic needs with supportive industry regulations.

Münchener Rückversicherungs-Gesellschaft

Munich Re is a global reinsurance company founded in 1880 by Carl Thieme. The business built its growth on diversification across cedents and partnerships with primary insurers, aiming to spread and manage risk rather than relying on a single transfer channel. In the 1890s it introduced machinery insurance, expanding coverage for industrial equipment. Munich Re focuses on comprehensive underwriting and risk management across global reinsurance markets, providing capacity and expertise to primary carriers and other risk takers.

Hamilton Insurance Group

Hamilton Insurance Group is a global specialty insurance and reinsurance company operating through three principal platforms: Hamilton Global Specialty, Hamilton Select, and Hamilton Re. It offers underwriting services across London, Dublin, Bermuda, and the United States.

Helvetia

Helvetia is a Swiss-based international insurance group with a history spanning more than 150 years. It operates subsidiaries in Switzerland and across Europe, including Germany, Italy, Austria, Spain, and France through Specialty Markets, with additional operations in selected regions worldwide. The group offers life, property and casualty, and reinsurance products to retail customers and corporations of all sizes. Its product range includes term life, whole life, endowment policies, property and motor insurance, pension plans, and reinsurance services. In addition, Helvetia provides fund management and asset management services. The company serves multiple markets through segments such as Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Italy, and Austria, plus Specialty Markets and Corporate and Other, reflecting a diversified insurance and asset management business.
Made 2 investments in Reinsurance

Zurich Insurance Group

Zurich Insurance Group is a leading multi-line insurer offering general and life insurance products and services to individuals, small businesses, mid-sized and large companies, including multinational corporations. It operates through a global network of subsidiaries and offices in more than 170 countries, providing property, casualty, life and health coverages, risk management, and related services through diverse distribution channels. Founded in 1872 and headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, the group emphasizes prevention and climate resilience, pursuing sustainable initiatives such as net-zero emissions by 2050. It employs about 60,000 people and aims to balance customer protection with responsible business practices.

Prima Solutions

Prima Solutions is a software development company based in Paris, France, with additional offices in Chicago and Tokyo. Established in 2000, the company specializes in providing a software framework that facilitates the transformation of legacy insurance information technology systems into modern, service-oriented applications. Its offerings include Prima Repository, an integrated suite designed for the development, deployment, and management of insurance applications; Prima IBCS, which addresses various insurance functional domains such as sales, administration, and claims management across multiple sectors including property, casualty, life, and health; and Prima Vanilla, a contract management system tailored for service-oriented applications. Prima Solutions aims to help insurance and reinsurance professionals accelerate their digital transformation by streamlining core business processes and enhancing enterprise agility through a highly configurable, modular, and cloud-based software suite.
Made 1 investment in Reinsurance

Hiscox

Hiscox is an international insurance group that provides property and casualty coverage and specialty risk solutions for businesses and individuals. The company serves small and medium-sized enterprises through its retail operations, participates in the London market, and conducts reinsurance and risk transfer activities through dedicated teams. Its product range includes commercial property and casualty, marine and energy, contingency, terrorism, kidnap and ransom, fine art and luxury assets, auto physical damage, and professional liability, as well as healthcare and international programs. Through a diversified geographic footprint, Hiscox operates in Bermuda, the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States, Asia, and other markets, serving brokers and direct customers via partnerships and owned channels. The business emphasizes balancing catastrophe-exposed segments with less volatile specialty lines, supported by a strong balance sheet and a global platform. Headquartered in Bermuda, Hiscox leverages its brand and global reach to provide tailored insurance and reinsurance solutions.
Made 1 investment in Reinsurance

Xceedance

Xceedance is a global provider of consulting and managed services, technology, analytics, and data sciences for the insurance and reinsurance sectors. It delivers actuarial and analytical services, digital solutions, underwriting support, and architecture and systems integration, alongside custom application development. The firm emphasizes strategic operations, technology enablement, and data-driven decision making to optimize insurance lifecycle functions such as product design, pricing, underwriting, policy administration, and claims workflows. By combining domain expertise with analytics and tech capabilities, Xceedance supports clients in improving efficiency, governance, and customer outcomes across multiple lines of business.
Made 1 investment in Reinsurance

Argo Group International Holdings

Argo Group International Holdings is a property and casualty insurer offering coverage across the United States and internationally. It operates two reportable segments, U.S. Operations and International Operations. U.S. Operations comprises the Excess and Surplus Lines and Specialty Admitted divisions, while International Operations includes Syndicate 1200, Reinsurance, and Argo Insurance Bermuda. The majority of revenue comes from the excess and surplus lines segment, which underwrites casualty, property, and professional liability coverage for a diverse client base. The company generates most of its revenue in the United States.

W.R. Berkley

W.R. Berkley Corporation is an insurance holding company based in Greenwich, Connecticut, established in 1967. The company operates primarily in two segments: Insurance and Reinsurance. The Insurance segment underwrites a diverse range of commercial insurance products, including general liability, workers' compensation, professional liability, and commercial automobile coverage. It also offers specialized insurance solutions for various sectors, such as technology, health care, and environmental risks, as well as personal lines like home and automobile insurance. Additionally, it provides accident and health insurance, excess liability coverage, and cyber risk solutions. The Reinsurance segment assists other insurance companies and self-insured entities in managing their risk through treaty and facultative reinsurance arrangements. W.R. Berkley is recognized for its comprehensive approach to addressing commercial risks both domestically and internationally.
Made 2 investments in Reinsurance

Ace Limited

Ace Limited, operating as the ACE Group, is a global multiline property and casualty insurer with a presence in 53 countries. They offer a range of insurance products including commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance, and life insurance to a wide array of clients worldwide. With a strong international presence, Ace Limited serves a diverse clientele with their comprehensive insurance solutions.
Made 1 investment in Reinsurance

Guy Carpenter

Founded in 1922, Guy Carpenter is a global reinsurance intermediary offering a broad range of products and services. These include accident and health, agriculture, alternative risk transfer, general casualty, life and annuity, marine and energy, professional liability, property, retrocessional, structured risk, surety, terror risk, workers compensation reinsurance, along with client services such as accounts, claims, contract wordings, and settlement. The company also provides financial advisory services including buy-side/sell-side advice, mergers & acquisitions, corporate finance, risk analysis, portfolio management, and strategic advisory to various sectors.
Made 1 investment in Reinsurance

Munich Re Ventures

Munich Re Ventures is the venture capital arm of Munich Re Group, a global leader in reinsurance and insurance-related risk solutions. It invests in innovative startups transforming the future of risk and risk transfer, with a focus on strategic interests of Munich Re and the broader insurance industry.
Made 1 investment in Reinsurance

Arch Reinsurance Company

Arch Reinsurance Company, based in Morristown, New Jersey, is a diversified reinsurer established in 1995. It operates in major global insurance markets, offering a wide range of treaty and facultative property and casualty reinsurance services. The company covers various lines, including property catastrophe, property, liability, marine, aviation and space, trade credit and surety, agriculture, accident, life and health, as well as specialty lines like terrorism and political risk. As a subsidiary of Arch Capital Group, Arch Reinsurance is managed by an executive team that oversees its operations and assets.

Grinnell Mutual

Grinnell Mutual, established in 1909, is the 110th-largest property casualty insurance company in the United States and the largest primary reinsurer of farm mutual companies in North America. They offer reinsurance for farm mutual insurance companies and property and casualty insurance in 19 states. Grinnell Mutual's mission is to foster trusted relationships by providing state-of-the-art reinsurance solutions and consultative services to member mutuals, offering insurance solutions with a focus on ease of doing business to agents, fulfilling promises to policyholders in times of need, and creating an innovative environment for employees to thrive. They have maintained an 'A' rating for financial strength from A.M. Best since 1976 and have been recognized as a top property casualty insurer by Insurance Journal and a top employer by Forbes, Vault, and Iowa Top Workplace.

Howden Broking Group

Established in 1994, Howden is a global insurance brokerage firm headquartered in London. It specializes in providing tailored insurance solutions to clients across various sectors, including private equity, real estate, international corporates, and industries such as hotels, insurance, capital markets, healthcare, fintech, infrastructure, and manufacturing.

AXA XL

AXA XL is a provider of traditional and innovative insurance and reinsurance solutions designed to enhance risk mitigation and security for mid-sized businesses, multinationals, and individuals. The company offers a comprehensive range of services, including property, casualty, professional, financial lines, and specialty risk insurance, as well as risk consulting and claims management. With a strong capital base and a commitment to data-driven insights and advanced technology, AXA XL aims to deliver flexible and relevant risk solutions tailored to the needs of its clients. The company's empowered teams leverage their expertise to ensure effective service and support across all lines of business.

Strategic Underwriting Managers

Strategic Underwriting Managers Inc. is an insurance brokerage firm based in Toronto, Canada, with an additional office in Montreal. The company specializes in designing, underwriting, and delivering a wide range of casualty insurance products to licensed insurance brokers across Canada. Its offerings encompass various categories, including directors and officers insurance, environmental coverage, intellectual property protection, life sciences, marine and logistics insurance, commercial general liability, product recall, professional liability, property protection, and both umbrella and excess insurance. Strategic Underwriting Managers operates as a subsidiary of One80 Intermediaries, LLC, focusing on meeting the diverse needs of the insurance market.

EMC Insurance

EMC Insurance Companies, established in 1911, is a prominent insurance organization in the United States, recognized among the top 50 based on net written premium. The company started by offering workers’ compensation insurance in Iowa and has since expanded its offerings to include a wide range of property and casualty insurance products and services across the country. With assets exceeding $3 billion and a workforce of over 2,100 employees, EMC operates under the trade name EMC Insurance Companies, along with Employers Mutual Casualty Company and its affiliates. The company is licensed to provide insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and also engages in writing reinsurance contracts globally.

Mapfre

Mapfre, S.A. is a multinational insurance and reinsurance company headquartered in Majadahonda, Spain. Founded in 1933, it operates in over 45 countries and employs approximately 36,600 people. The company offers a diverse range of insurance products, including life, health, automobile, homeowners, and commercial insurance, as well as specialized coverage for agriculture, aviation, and engineering. Mapfre serves a wide clientele, including individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises, and large corporations. Its products are distributed through a robust network of over 5,110 offices and 79,000 agents, brokers, and delegates. The company has a strong presence in various regions, with significant operations in Iberia and Latin America, contributing to its extensive customer base of more than 23 million.

Santam

Santam is a South African general insurance group offering a range of policies against property damage, motor incidents, loss of income, crop losses, and catastrophe events, as well as reinsurance. The company aims to mitigate risk and protect financial wellbeing, with insured losses paid from premiums that are invested to support claims.

BMS Group

BMS Group is an international insurance broker specializing in reinsurance, direct, wholesale, and specialist risk solutions. It structures and places reinsurance programs across property and casualty, marine and energy, and specialty lines, and handles direct marine insurance and marine/aviation finance solutions. The firm offers wholesale services including risk, professional and financial lines, and specialty risk, and provides actuarial and modeling support such as catastrophe analytics and enterprise risk management, as well as reinsurance contracting, claims handling, and accounting services. Founded in 1980 and headquartered in London, it operates offices in Ottawa, Australia, Bermuda, Sydney, and North America, reflecting an international footprint. It provides advisory and placement services across insurance and risk management for retailers, wholesalers, insurers, and risk managers.

Aeolus Capital Management

Aeolus Capital Management provides insurance‑linked asset and capital management services, concentrating on the property catastrophe reinsurance and retrocession market. It manages capital for investors, aiming to deliver risk‑adjusted returns and diversification benefits.

Great West Lifeco

Great-West Lifeco Inc. is a financial services holding company based in Winnipeg, Canada, engaged in a diverse range of businesses including life and health insurance, retirement and investment services, asset management, and reinsurance. The company operates primarily in Canada, the United States, and Europe, offering a comprehensive suite of products such as life, disability, critical illness, health and dental protection, and creditor insurance. Additionally, it provides retirement savings plans, investment options, and wealth management solutions, including annuities and reinsurance services. Great-West Lifeco manages approximately $546 billion in assets and operates through various subsidiaries, including The Great-West Life Assurance Company, London Life Insurance Company, and Putnam Investments. The company distributes its products through a wide network of advisors, brokers, and financial institutions. Founded in 1891, Great-West Lifeco is a subsidiary of Power Financial Corporation and maintains a significant market presence in group insurance and retirement sectors.

General Insurance Corporation of India

Founded in 1972, GIC is a leading reinsurance company based in Mumbai, India. It offers a wide range of reinsurance products such as engineering, marine, liability, health, motor, life, oil, energy, and aviation to both domestic and international markets. The company aims to enhance profitability and financial strength while fostering long-term business partnerships.

Vanbridge

Founded in 2014, Vanbridge specializes in insurance intermediary and program management services. It caters to alternative asset managers, corporates, and individuals, offering solutions that bridge traditional insurance with capital markets to manage risks effectively.

360 Underwriting Solutions

360 Underwriting Solutions Pty Ltd is an Australian company based in Sydney that provides underwriting brokerage services to individuals and small to medium businesses. Established in 2006, the company specializes in a range of insurance products, including accident, health, commercial, aviation, motor, mobile plant and equipment, construction and engineering, as well as farm and landlord insurance. By offering these specialized insurance solutions, 360 Underwriting Solutions aims to protect clients from unforeseen risks and losses. As of November 30, 2020, it operates as a subsidiary of AUB Group Limited.

Applied Underwriters

Applied Underwriters specializes in providing global risk services, focusing on workers' compensation insurance and broader financial solutions. The company aims to assist governments, businesses, and individuals in navigating financial risks by employing innovative approaches to traditional insurance and reinsurance practices. By emphasizing a deep understanding of the complexities of risk and the human factors involved, Applied Underwriters helps small and mid-sized businesses effectively manage their risks and uncover profitable opportunities. The firm has built a reputation for its disciplined financial strength, earning high ratings for its insurance products, and it is committed to sustainability and community development through its operations. With a global perspective, Applied Underwriters extends its capabilities to various markets, fostering economic growth and improved living standards by connecting people and capital in creative ways.

Greenlight Reinsurance

Greenlight Reinsurance is a specialist property and casualty reinsurance company with offices in the Cayman Islands and Ireland. Established in 2004, they offer custom-tailored reinsurance solutions to various marketplaces including insurance, risk retention groups, captives, and the financial sector. Greenlight Re focuses on delivering superior returns through a value-oriented, equity-focused asset management strategy. Their goal is to achieve long-term growth in book value per share by providing innovative reinsurance solutions in markets with limited capacity and alternatives.

KatRisk

KatRisk is a catastrophe modeling company specializing in flood and wind risk assessment. It develops advanced software that enables the modeling of catastrophe services, specifically tailored for the insurance and reinsurance industries. The company's application facilitates rapid multi-event catalogs and offers loss analytics and insured loss calculations, accommodating complex financial structures. By providing these disaster risk solutions, KatRisk supports insurance, reinsurance, and brokerage firms in effectively managing and mitigating the financial impacts of catastrophic events.