Treaty Reinsurance for Portfolio-Wide Protection
Comprehensive, pre-negotiated reinsurance covering an entire category of risks, with efficient capital management for insurers, UMAs, and cell captives across South Africa and the continent.
What Treaty Reinsurance Is
Treaty reinsurance covers an entire portfolio of risks under a single, pre-negotiated agreement. Rather than assessing each risk individually, the reinsurer agrees in advance to accept a defined category of business, giving the ceding insurer automatic, ongoing protection across the whole book.
Berkley RE structures and places treaty programmes for insurers, underwriting managers, and cell captives. We design the treaty around your portfolio, negotiate terms with the markets, and manage the arrangement as your book evolves.
Treaty reinsurance simplifies risk management, stabilises results, and frees capital. It is the foundation of a well-run underwriting operation.
Key Benefits of Treaty Reinsurance
A well-structured treaty turns reinsurance from a cost into a strategic tool for growth and stability.
Automatic Cover
Risks within the treaty are covered automatically, with no need for individual referral.
Portfolio-Wide Protection
Cover spans an entire category of business across your whole book.
Capital Efficiency
Free up capital and improve solvency ratios by ceding defined risk.
Stable Results
Smooth volatility and protect earnings against accumulation and large losses.
Underwriting Capacity
Write more business with confidence, backed by reinsurance support.
Simplified Administration
One pre-negotiated agreement replaces case-by-case placement.
Types of Treaty Reinsurance
We structure the treaty type or combination that fits your book and capital strategy.
Quota Share
Proportional cover in which the reinsurer takes an agreed percentage of premium and losses across the book.
Surplus
Proportional cover above a retained line, expanding capacity for larger individual risks.
Excess of Loss
Non-proportional cover that responds when a loss exceeds a set retention.
Stop Loss
Protects the overall loss ratio of the portfolio across a defined period.
Lines We Structure Treaties For
Berkley RE places treaty programmes across the major classes written in African markets:
Property
Commercial, industrial, and household portfolios.
Motor
Personal and commercial motor books.
Liability
Public, product, and professional liability.
Engineering
Construction, plant, and machinery.
Agriculture
Crop, livestock, and asset cover.
Specialty & Niche
Aviation, marine, and bespoke classes.
How Berkley RE Structures a Treaty
From portfolio analysis to renewal, we manage the treaty across its full lifecycle.
Portfolio Analysis
We review the book, its exposures, mix, and loss history to understand what the treaty must protect.
Treaty Design
We select the structure, whether quota share, surplus, excess of loss, or stop loss, and define retentions and terms.
Market Placement
We present the programme to Lloyd’s syndicates and international reinsurers and negotiate competitive terms.
Ongoing Management
We monitor performance and manage renewals, adjustments, and reinstatements as the book develops.
Structure a Treaty Programme With Berkley RE
Whether you are placing a first treaty or restructuring an existing programme, Berkley RE will design and place cover that fits your portfolio and capital position.
