Considerations for Hedge Fund Managers Evaluating Forming Reinsurance Vehicles in the Cayman Islands

There has been much talk recently about the formation of reinsurance companies by hedge fund managers.  Indeed, in the Cayman Islands (Cayman), there has been significant increase of interest in the establishment of reinsurance vehicles.  The first open market reinsurance vehicle with a physical presence was established in Cayman in 2004, and now, several years later, conditions are such that others are following suit.  Anecdotal evidence shows that many service providers across the financial services community in Cayman have been advising or otherwise speaking with fund manager clients about setting up reinsurers in Cayman.  This article highlights some key reasons driving interest in Cayman as a domicile for the establishment of reinsurance vehicles.  The authors of this article are Tim Frawley, a partner in the Cayman Islands office of Maples and Calder, and Karey B. Dearden, an Executive Director in Ernst & Young LLP’s Financial Services Office, International Tax Services practice in New York City.  For background on the opportunities and risks associated with hedge fund managers establishing reinsurance vehicles, see “How Can Hedge Fund Managers Use Reinsurance Businesses to Raise and Retain Assets and Achieve Uncorrelated Returns? (Part Two of Two),” Hedge Fund Law Report, Vol. 6, No. 3 (Jan. 17, 2013).

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