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Risk management framework
The Syndicate’s activities
expose it to a variety of financial and non-financial risks. In order to achieve its
business plan and objectives, the Syndicate recognises that it is necessary to take risk and expects to be
rewarded for doing so. The Syndicate is also exposed to several unrewarded risks as a function of its operating
model, such as operational risk. The Managing Agent is responsible for understanding and managing the
syndicate’s exposure to such risks and does this through the deployment of its enterprise risk management
(“ERM”) framework.
The ERM framework includes an annual review and setting of risk appetites for the Syndicate as a part of the
syndicate business planning (when applicable) and capital setting process. The Risk Management Function
regularly assess the risks to which the Syndicate is exposed, and where deemed necessary, ensures that
controls and procedures are in place to mitigate the effects of such risks to an acceptable level. The Risk
Committee meets regularly to monitor performance against the approved risk appetites using a set of key risk
indicators and provide oversight and challenge to ensure the Syndicate operates within a robust control
environment.
The Board of Directors of the Managing Agent has overall responsibility for the establishment and oversight of
the Syndicate’s risk management framework. The Board has established a Risk Committee to oversee the
operation of the Syndicate’s risk management
framework and to review and monitor the management of the
risks to which the Syndicate is exposed. The Managing Agent's risk management framework includes processes
such as, the annual review and approval of risk appetites for the Syndicate as part of the Syndicate's Own Risk
and Solvency Assessment ("ORSA") and capital setting process.
In addition to, risk and control assessment,
regular risk appetite monitoring, risk incident root cause analysis, emerging risk horizon scanning and risk
management reporting.
The SMC assess the risk exposure associated with running the syndicate. These risks include Insurance,
Market, Credit and Liquidity. Operational risks generally fall under the Risk Committee. The SMC recommends
risks and appetite for approval by the Risk Committee. The Syndicate adopts the risk policies of the Managing
Agent.
The risk management policies are established to identify and analyse the risks faced by the Syndicate, to set
appropriate risk limits and controls, and to monitor risks and adherence to limits.
A. Insurance risk
Insurance risk refers to fluctuations in the timing, frequency and severity of insured events, relative to the
expectations of the syndicate
at the time of underwriting. The very nature of the syndicate’s business exposes
it to the likelihood that claims will arise from business written. Insurance risk is the principal risk the syndicate
faces and arises from the inherent uncertainties in the occurrence, amount and timing of insurance liabilities.
The key components of insurance risk are underwriting & pricing risk. Each element is considered below.
i. Underwriting risk
The risk that losses are higher than planned, due to fluctuations in market conditions and the timing, frequency
and severity of insured events, including as a result of climate risk manifestations, or failings in the underwriting
process. Underwriting at the Syndicate is solely through binding authorities written to the Wildfire Defense
owned Managing General Agent ("MGA"), WDIS. As this is ‘delegated authority’ business, it is subject to the
Managing Agent’s robust coverholder and binder due diligence process and continues to be monitored closely,
according to the Delegated Authority Framework.
Insurance risk is further mitigated, in respect of wildfire exposures, by the extensive experience of the Wildfire
Defense companies, who provide extensive technical data to support the risk selection and pricing of the
portfolio. Furthermore, in the event of a wildfire event, Wildfire Defense resources are deployed to defend
threatened insured properties wherever possible.
Docusign Envelope ID: CC8F064C-9893-4F57-BFCB-16640029D67F