The Rendez-Vous de Septembre in Monte Carlo

Life at SCOR

Every September, players from across the P&C (re)insurance industry come together in Monte Carlo for the Rendez-Vous de Septembre, a cornerstone event that has shaped industry dialogue since the 1950s. But what makes this event stand out from other industry gatherings? To find out, we caught up with three SCOR colleagues during the event, to capture their first-hand impressions and insights.

Can you explain what the Rendez-Vous de Septembre in Monte Carlo is, and why this is such an important event for (re)insurance? How does it help reinforce SCOR’s position in the industry?

Daniel Duesterhaus: The Monte Carlo Rendez-Vous or Les Rendez-Vous de Septembre has been an annual event since 1957 and can be described as the key event in the global reinsurance and insurance industry. It also kicks off the annual “conference season,” with conferences taking place afterwards in Baden-Baden, Singapore and the US, to name just a few. In Monte Carlo, insurance and reinsurance executives discuss mutual growth opportunities and trends, and more notably also the capacities and conditions available for upcoming renewals.

Marc Büker: Monte-Carlo RDVs have been a unique set-up for the industry for many reasons: The timing is just after the summer holiday season, participants come with fresh ideas, developed strategies, and specific language. Moreover, there are participants from all geographies, from different stakeholders (underwriters, brokers, cedants, financial institutions, press, and so on) in a much broader sense than at other conferences. Lastly, the location itself leads to attendances by C-suite executives, allowing them to spread messages that will give a flavor for the renewals ahead, especially 1/1.

How does participating in this event support SCOR’s relationship with clients, brokers, and partners, and how does it help SCOR to stay at the forefront of innovation?

DD: Meeting our partners in person, not only during conferences, is part of our daily business and allows for open and detailed discussions. These personal connections also help us to reach direct and concrete agreements on topics like capacity being offered and deployed, and to align terms and conditions for upcoming renewals.

MB: Monte Carlo RDVs are “a must”, to strengthen relationships, engage with stakeholders, and pass on our messages.

What were the main themes discussed (including SCOR solutions that clients and partners may have been interested in, such as mobility, alternative solutions, etc.)? Were there any emerging risks that caught your attention during this year’s discussions?

DD: The main topics included the geopolitical situation, tariffs, and how they affect cross border insurance and reinsurance trade. While geopolitics creates uncertainty, it also leads to opportunities as cedants are looking for additional balance sheet protection. Other discussions circled around the frequency and severity of secondary peril events such as the hail and heavy rain/flashfloods that occurred again in France, Germany, and the US. Such perils need to be adequately priced, both on the reinsurance and the insurance side. 
Cedants are looking for tailor-made reinsurance solutions that are in line with their balance sheet objectives, and in this regard SCOR’s Alternative Solutions products contribute significantly to how we assist our current and future clients, notably on the capital management side. 
In mobility solutions we are in detailed discussions with our clients as to how they will approach the future expansion of their electric vehicle portfolio, and where SCOR can contribute with its longstanding experience in this field.

Eric Le Mercier: In structured reinsurance, we discussed some technical topics with specialized brokers, such as structuring deals compliant with IFRS 17, and responding to the European Commission’s review of the Solvency II Delegated Regulation. But there were also discussions about the appetite for “spread loss” contracts and “LPT” solutions. And with existing clients, we discussed the options they have for renewal.

What did your schedule at Monte Carlo look like?

DD: My own schedule started on Saturday afternoon with meetings and a first dinner with the broker AON in the evening, and ended on Wednesday after lunch. I had a full schedule, with more than 45 formal meetings and quite a few informal ones. While walking between the various meeting locations you always meet business partners, whether you just shake hands quickly or have a coffee together. This is what makes Monte Carlo so pleasant. It is all about personal connections, with insurance and reinsurance very much being a people’s business.

ELM: Monte Carlo is well above 40 meetings, with Monday and Tuesday being quite busy.

What is the importance of in-person meetings at Monte Carlo, and do you notice a difference compared to online negotiations and discussions?

ELM: With a few exceptions, meetings have been with people I either didn't know before, or I haven't met in months. Nowadays we very much favor Teams meetings over travel. But in-person meetings have a very different and positive impact on the business experience. This is emphasized when you discuss complex contracts with meaningful financial implications. Monte Carlo is a unique opportunity for these in-person meetings.

MB: Meeting clients face-to-face is incomparable to virtual negotiations. It allows for one-to-one meetings where the engagement is more intense, reinforcing our relationships, fostering trust and collaboration. Also, the “late drinks” at our SCOR Lounge provide an informal setting that often leads to some of the most meaningful conversations.

For you as part of the P&C leadership team, what was the most valuable takeaway from participating in Monte Carlo this year?

DD: For me personally, it was once more very good to see how strong the SCOR brand is, and that clients are looking to grow further with us thanks to the expertise we have, from underwriting to risk modeling and claims. We have the capabilities and capacities to provide tailor-made solutions, which in particular assist clients from a balance sheet point of view. The collaboration across all SCOR teams makes us an attractive partner as we are able to assist clients along the entire value chain.

MB: A confirmation that the SCOR Lounge is a great feature for our business and our franchise. For the late drinks, it’s definitely “the place to be”!

What did you personally learn from peers at the event?

ELM: With one exception, we did not meet with peers. Our meetings were focused on business partners. But those partners provided us with indications on the risk appetite of our main competitors, which this year appears to remain unchanged. 
We also heard that many new competitors are entering the structured market, but it seems our structuring expertise keeps us ahead in many cases.

MB: A lot of information about the overall trends of the industry (excess capacity, additional needs in capacity, price decreases forecasted) and more precise info by market (Turkey, Israel, Africa).

How does this event set the tone for the year ahead in P&C reinsurance? Do you see the insights from Monte Carlo shaping SCOR’s strategy or priorities?

DD: Monte Carlo allows us to have open and frank exchanges with our trading partners, cedants, brokers, retro providers, capital partners, and others. By listening closely to our clients this allows SCOR to offer our reinsurance solutions while keeping focused on our strategic ambitions and profitability targets.

As the industry continues to evolve, events like the Rendez-Vous de Septembre remain essential for fostering collaboration, sparking innovation, and strengthening relationships across the global (re)insurance community. SCOR is proud to be part of these conversations, and we look forward to being at the next Rendez-Vous in Monte Carlo.

Related articles

Back to blog