Skyward Specialty enters mortgage reinsurance with key appointment

Skyward Specialty enters mortgage reinsurance with key appointment | Insurance Business New Zealand

Reinsurance

Skyward Specialty enters mortgage reinsurance with key appointment

He previously led another firm’s efforts in entering the same market

Reinsurance

By
Kenneth Araullo

Skyward Specialty Insurance Group has announced its entry into the mortgage reinsurance market, a move which also further broadens its presence in the specialty property and casualty (P&C) sector.

To lead this new initiative, Jean-Philippe Latour (pictured above) joined the company as senior vice president in May 2024. Latour brings extensive experience from his previous roles, including his time at Arch, where he began his insurance career in 2013.

At Arch, he played a key role in developing reinsurance solutions for the primary mortgage market and government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs). Prior to joining Skyward Specialty, Latour also led Vantage Risk’s entry into the mortgage reinsurance market.

His background also includes experience in banking and capital markets, with a focus on mortgage banking, securitization, and interest rate risk management.

Skyward Specialty’s chairman and CEO, Andrew Robinson, noted that the company has received strong interest from GSEs, primary insurers, and the brokerage community in response to this market entry.

Robinson also highlighted Latour’s reputation in the industry, emphasizing his technical expertise and leadership in this sector.

This mortgage reinsurance unit is the company’s second reinsurance initiative, following its entry into the global agriculture market in 2023.

Robinson further commented on the company’s strategy, stating that entering the mortgage reinsurance market aligns with Skyward Specialty’s broader effort to build a diversified portfolio.

The company said that it aims to focus on markets less exposed to traditional P&C cycles while continuing to explore niche reinsurance opportunities that align with its strategic goals of creating shareholder value and establishing strong positions in targeted markets.

Skyward Specialty is a specialty insurance company that provides commercial property and casualty products and solutions on both a non-admitted and admitted basis. The company operates through eight underwriting divisions: accident & health, captives, global property & agriculture, industry solutions, professional lines, programs, surety, and transactional E&S.

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