Catastrophe equity puts, or CatEPutsSM,5 are a form of option that stock insurers can buy
from investors. Those options give an insurer the right to sell a specified amount of its
stock to investors at a predetermined price if catastrophe losses surpass a specified
trigger. Thus, catastrophe equity puts can provide insurers with additional equity capital
precisely when they need funds to cover catastrophe losses.
An insurer that uses catastrophe equity puts faces a counter-party risk -- the risk that the
sellers of the catastrophe equity puts will not have enough cash available to purchase the
insurer’s stock. Insurers can minimize this risk by buying catastrophe equity puts only
from investors with superior credit ratings. These puts can also contain language that
requires investors to collateralize the options if their credit ratings deteriorate.