PartnerRe

Insurance
NYSE: PRE-F
USA
PartnerRe

According to its Annual Report filed with the SEC for fiscal year 2018: "On January 16, 2016, the United States and the EU eased sanctions against Iran pursuant to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ("JCPOA"). On May 8, 2018, the United States announced their withdrawal from the JCPOA (the "U.S. Decision"), thus re-imposing sanctions against Iran after the expiry of the permitted 90 and 180 day wind-down periods, i.e. respectively August 6, 2018 and November 4, 2018. The assessment of the economic situation resulting from the U.S. Decision had led PartnerRe to decide not to pursue business in Iran. Accordingly, contracts entered into by our non-U.S. reinsurance subsidiaries with Iranian entities prior to the U.S. Decision were either not renewed or terminated in a timely manner.

In respect of transactions to be disclosed pursuant to Section 219, carried out in 2018 prior to the U.S. Decision, we can comment as follows:

Through the intermediary of non-Iranian brokers, a non-U.S. subsidiary of PartnerRe Bermuda, entered into a four layer property excess of loss reinsurance treaty with Bimeh Iran which is an entity that has been identified as owned or controlled by the Government of Iran and appears on the List of Persons Identified as Blocked Solely Pursuant to Executive Order 13599. The agreement was executed in 2018 and coverage began January 1, 2018; however, the coverage was terminated by the non-U.S. subsidiary of PartnerRe Bermuda with an effective date of November 4, 2018. Gross revenue was €183 thousand and net profit attributable to the contract was €35 thousand during 2018. This entity was also exposed to a loss pursuant to a marine (cargo and hull) excess of loss reinsurance treaty (the “Treaty”) in respect of a collision in January 2018 of two vessels one of which, covered by the Treaty, caught fire and sank. The sunk vessel was owned or controlled by the Government of Iran, appears on the List of Persons Identified as Blocked Solely Pursuant to Executive Order 13599 and was operated by National Iranian Tanker Company. In addition, the sunk vessel was used to transport condensate from Iran to South Korea. To date and to our knowledge, our exposure amounts to €144 thousand. This claim was notified to PartnerRe in early November 2018 and we have blocked payment of this claim due to the position of our financial institution who refuses to settle payments relating to Iran."

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According to its Annual report filed with the SEC for fiscal year 2017: "On January 16, 2016, the United States and the EU eased sanctions against Iran pursuant to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and many of the reportable activities, transactions and dealings under Section 13(r) are no longer subject to U.S. sanctions and no longer prohibited by applicable local law.

Certain of our non-U.S. reinsurance operations provide reinsurance treaty coverage to non-U.S. insurers of marine & energy risks as well as mutual associations of ship owners that provide their members with protection and liability coverage. As a result of the recent lifting of European sanctions on Iran, some of these insurers have informed us that they have begun shipping, or will begin to ship, cargo to and from Iran, including transporting crude oil, petrochemicals and refined petroleum products.  Because these non-U.S. subsidiaries insure or reinsure multiple voyages and fleets containing multiple ships, we are unable to attribute gross revenues and net profits from such policies to activities with Iran. As the activities of our insureds are permitted under applicable laws and regulations, the Company intends for its non-U.S. subsidiaries to continue providing such coverage to its insureds and reinsureds.

Though the intermediary of non-Iranian brokers, a non-U.S. subsidiary of the Company, entered into:

  • A four layers property excess of loss reinsurance treaty with Bimeh Iran which is an entity that has been identified as owned or controlled by the Government of Iran and appears on the List of Persons Identified as Blocked Solely Pursuant to Executive Order 13599. The agreement was executed in 2017 and coverage began on January 1, 2017 for one year. Expected gross revenue is €177 thousand (approximately $218 thousand) and expected net profit attributable to the contract is €47 thousand (approximately $58 thousand). The subsidiary intends to continue providing such coverage in accordance with applicable law.
  • A three layers marine excess of loss reinsurance treaty with Bimeh Iran. The agreement was executed in 2017 and coverage began on July 1, 2017 for one year. Expected gross revenue is €129 thousand (approximately $160 thousand) and expected net profit attributable to the contract is €23 thousand (approximately $28 thousand). The subsidiary intends to continue providing such coverage in accordance with applicable law.
  • A three layers property catastrophe excess of loss reinsurance treaty with an Iranian pool of insurers of which one member is Bimeh Iran. The agreement was executed in 2017 and coverage began on September 23, 2017 for one year. Expected gross revenue is IRR 4,635 million (approximately $124 thousand) and expected net loss attributable to the contract is IRR 4,947 million ($132 thousand). The subsidiary intends to continue providing such coverage in accordance with applicable law."

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Seyyed Mohammad Asoudeh, chief executive of Iranian Reinsurance Co., said that the reinsurer is in talks with several foreign reinsurers for coverage, Financial Tribune reported. The foreign reinsurers Iranian Re is talking to include France-based Scor S.E., Bermuda-based PartnerRe Ltd. and Lebanon-based Nasco Insurance Group. "We had a round of successful negotiations regarding mutual insurance cooperation and reinsurance coverage in addition to cooperation in offering modern insurance and reinsurance coverage,” Mr. Asoudeh said. IranianRe is looking to transfer a portion of the country's risk to foreign reinsurers. (December 11, 2017).

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According to its Annual Report filed with the SEC for fiscal year 2016: "On January 16, 2016, the United States and the EU eased sanctions against Iran pursuant to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and many of the reportable activities, transactions and dealings under Section 13(r) are no longer subject to U.S. sanctions and no longer prohibited by applicable local law.
Certain of our non-U.S. reinsurance operations provide reinsurance treaty coverage to non-U.S. insurers of marine & energy risks as well as mutual associations of ship owners that provide their members with protection and liability coverage. As a result of the recent lifting of European sanctions on Iran, some of these insurers have informed us that they have begun shipping, or will begin to ship, cargo to and from Iran, including transporting crude oil, petrochemicals and refined petroleum products.  Because these non-U.S. subsidiaries insure or reinsure multiple voyages and fleets containing multiple ships, we are unable to attribute gross revenues and net profits from such policies to activities with Iran. As the activities of our insureds are permitted under applicable laws and regulations, the Company intends for its non-U.S. subsidiaries to continue providing such coverage to its insureds and reinsureds.
A non-U.S. subsidiary provides a property catastrophe excess of loss reinsurance to an Iranian pool of insurers of which one member is Bimeh Iran. Bimeh Iran is an entity that has been identified as owned or controlled by the Government of Iran and appears on the List of Persons Identified as Blocked Solely Pursuant to Executive Order 13599. The agreement was executed in 2017 and coverage began on September 23, 2016 for one year. Expected gross revenue is €100,000 and expected net profits attributable to this contract are €10,000. The subsidiary intends to continue providing such coverage in accordance with applicable law."

"PartnerRe Group maintains a robust risk-based compliance program through which the Group evaluates its business opportunities – including participation in global conferences." (February 2, 2018)