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News Details

RenaissanceRe Reports Operating Income of $147.8 Million for the First Quarter of 2008 or $2.21 Per Common Share

April 29, 2008
Net Income of $137.2 Million for the First Quarter of 2008 or $2.05 Per Common Share

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PEMBROKE, Bermuda, Apr 29, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: RNR) today reported $147.8 million in first quarter operating income available to common shareholders compared to $186.7 million in the first quarter of 2007. Operating income excludes net realized losses on investments of $10.7 million and net realized gains on investments of $4.1 million in the first quarters of 2008 and 2007, respectively. Operating income per diluted common share was $2.21 in the first quarter of 2008, compared to $2.57 in the first quarter of 2007. Net income available to common shareholders was $137.2 million or $2.05 per diluted common share in the quarter, compared to net income available to common shareholders of $190.8 million or $2.63 per diluted common share for the same quarter of 2007. The Company reported an annualized operating return on average common equity of 21.3% and an annualized return on average common equity of 19.7% in the first quarter of 2008, compared to 29.1% and 29.7%, respectively, in the first quarter of 2007. Book value per common share increased to $42.14 at March 31, 2008, a 2.7% increase in the first quarter of 2008, compared to a 6.8% increase in the first quarter of 2007.

Neill A. Currie, CEO, commented: "I am pleased to report another solid quarter with an annualized operating ROE of over 21% and almost 3% growth in book value per share, inclusive of the impact of share buybacks. We continue to actively manage capital and returned over $239 million to our shareholders through share buybacks during the quarter, bringing our total purchases to date to over $460 million since the start of 2007."

Mr. Currie added, "We remain disciplined in our underwriting given current market conditions, while continuing to build out our franchise and capabilities through strategic hires, additional modeling capabilities and strategic new investments. These initiatives further enhance our ability to react quickly and grow our portfolio when the right opportunities present themselves."

FIRST QUARTER 2008 RESULTS

Underwriting Results

Gross premiums written for the first quarter of 2008 were $527.0 million compared to $632.7 million for the first quarter of 2007. The decrease in gross premiums written was primarily driven by a reduction in business written in several lines of business due to softening market conditions in the Company's Reinsurance and Individual Risk segments compared to the first quarter of 2007, combined with the prior termination of a program manager and a quota share relationship in the Company's Individual Risk segment. As described in more detail below, the Company generated $150.2 million of underwriting income and had a combined ratio of 51.4% in the first quarter of 2008, compared to $124.4 million of underwriting income and a 65.6% combined ratio in the first quarter of 2007, principally driven by lower insured catastrophic events compared to the first quarter of 2007, which was impacted by European windstorm Kyrill. The relatively low level of insured catastrophe losses offset a $53.7 million decrease in net premiums earned which was driven by lower gross premiums written and the impact of higher ceded premiums written. In addition, the Company experienced $45.1 million of favorable development on prior year reserves in the first quarter of 2008, compared to $47.1 million of favorable development in the first quarter of 2007, primarily due to lower than expected claims emergence in the Company's specialty reinsurance unit and Individual Risk segment, including a decrease in net claims and claim expenses associated with the close of the 2007 crop year for the Company's multi-peril crop business.

Reinsurance Segment

Gross premiums written for the Company's Reinsurance segment decreased $72.2 million, or 14.0%, to $443.7 million in the first quarter of 2008, compared to the first quarter of 2007, due primarily to the impact of softening market conditions across all lines of business. The Company's managed catastrophe premiums decreased $31.1 million, or 7.2%, from the first quarter of 2007 and the Company's specialty reinsurance premiums decreased $37.4 million, or 32.0%, from the first quarter of 2007.

The Reinsurance segment generated $145.5 million of underwriting income and had a combined ratio of 37.3% in the first quarter of 2008, compared to $116.1 million of underwriting income and a 54.4% combined ratio in the first quarter of 2007. The increase in underwriting income in the first quarter of 2008 was primarily due to the comparably low level of insured catastrophic events in the quarter. The Reinsurance segment experienced $23.5 million of favorable development on prior year reserves in the first quarter of 2008, compared to $30.3 million of favorable development in the first quarter of 2007. The favorable development in the first quarters of 2008 and 2007 was principally attributable to lower than expected claims emergence in the Company's specialty reinsurance unit.

Individual Risk Segment

Gross premiums written for the Company's Individual Risk segment decreased $42.5 million, or 34.5%, to $80.8 million in the first quarter of 2008, compared to $123.3 million in the first quarter of 2007. The decrease was due to a combination of factors including the prior termination of a commercial multi-line program and a commercial property quota share relationship. The premium from these relationships was included in the Individual Risk segment's gross premiums written for the first quarter of 2007, but not in the first quarter of 2008. In addition, the Company's participation in a personal lines property quota share relationship decreased in the second quarter of 2007 and as a result the gross premiums written from this relationship are down in the first quarter of 2008. Finally, the overall softening of market conditions with respect to property and casualty premium rates has resulted in a decrease in gross premiums written across the Company's commercial multi-line, commercial property and personal property lines of business as the Company has maintained its underwriting discipline.

Offsetting the decreases in gross premiums written noted above was the addition of two new programs which incepted in late 2007, and anticipated growth in the Company's multi-peril crop insurance program on a full year basis, both of which would be expected to favorably impact the Company's Individual Risk gross premiums written in 2008. As a result, the Company is maintaining its full year forecast of a 5% decrease in gross premiums written in 2008, compared to 2007. Gross premiums written in the Company's Individual Risk segment can fluctuate, perhaps significantly between quarters and between years based on several factors, including, without limitation, the timing of the inception or cessation of new program managers and quota share reinsurance contracts, including whether or not the Company has portfolio transfers in, or portfolio transfers out, of quota share reinsurance contracts of in-force books of business.

The Individual Risk segment generated $4.7 million of underwriting income and had a combined ratio of 93.9% in the first quarter of 2008, compared to $8.3 million of underwriting income and a 92.3% combined ratio in the first quarter of 2007. The decrease in underwriting income in the first quarter of 2008 compared to the first quarter of 2007 was primarily due to a $31.2 million decrease in net premiums earned, offset by an $18.8 million decrease in net claims and claim expenses as well as an $8.8 million decrease in underwriting expenses. The Individual Risk segment experienced favorable development of $21.6 million and $16.8 million on prior year reserves in the first quarters of 2008 and 2007, respectively, principally attributable to lower than expected claims emergence. The favorable development in the first quarter of 2008 includes $16.4 million attributable to the close of the 2007 crop year for the Company's multi-peril crop insurance program. This portion of the favorable development was mostly offset by the combination of a $12.1 million decrease in net premiums earned and $1.4 million of additional profit related acquisition expenses, resulting in a $2.9 million net favorable underwriting impact in the first quarter of 2008.

Other Items

-- Net investment income for the first quarter of 2008 was $52.5 million, compared to $108.0 million for the same quarter in 2007 as a result of lower returns in the Company's investment portfolio. Other investments incurred a loss of $16.4 million in the first quarter of 2008 compared with net investment income of $37.0 million in the first quarter of 2007. Included in net investment income from other investments is a $1.9 million net investment loss from hedge funds and private equity investments in the first quarter of 2008 compared to $28.5 million of net investment income in the first quarter of 2007. In addition, net investment income includes a $14.4 million loss from other investments, primarily arising from the Company's investments in senior secured bank loan funds and non-U.S. fixed income funds, compared to $8.6 million of income in the first quarter of 2007.

-- During the first quarter of 2008, the Company incurred $25.4 million of other than temporary impairments on the Company's fixed maturity investments available for sale, compared to $1.5 million in the first quarter of 2007.

-- The Company's cash flows from operations were $276.8 million for the first quarter of 2008, compared to $150.6 million for the first quarter of 2007.

-- During the first quarter of 2008, the Company repurchased approximately 4.3 million common shares in open market transactions at an aggregate cost of $239.6 million and at an average share price of $56.11.

This press release includes certain non-GAAP financial measures including "operating income", "operating income per common share - diluted", "operating return on average common equity - annualized" and "managed catastrophe premium". A reconciliation of such measures to the most comparable GAAP figures in accordance with Regulation G is presented in the attached supplemental financial data.

Please refer to the Investor Information - Financial Reports - Financial Supplements section of the Company's website at www.renre.com for a copy of the Financial Supplement which includes additional information on the Company's financial performance.

RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. will host a conference call on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. (ET) to discuss this release. Live broadcast of the conference call will be available through the Investor Information - Company Webcasts section of the Company's website at www.renre.com.

RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. is a global provider of reinsurance and insurance. The Company's business consists of two segments: (1) Reinsurance, which includes catastrophe reinsurance, specialty reinsurance and certain joint ventures and other investments managed by the Company's subsidiary RenaissanceRe Ventures Ltd., and (2) Individual Risk, which includes primary insurance and quota share reinsurance.

Cautionary Statement under "Safe Harbor" Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements made in this news release contain information about the Company's future business prospects. These statements may be considered "forward-looking." These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. For further information regarding cautionary statements and factors affecting future results, please refer to RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007.

             RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. and Subsidiaries
            Summary Consolidated Statements of Operations
          For the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007
  (in thousands of United States Dollars, except per share amounts)
                             (Unaudited)

                                                   Three months ended
                                                  --------------------
                                                  March 31, March 31,
                                                     2008      2007
                                                  --------- ----------
Revenues
   Gross premiums written                         $ 527,038 $  632,729
                                                  ========= ==========

   Net premiums written                           $ 403,116 $  571,027
   Increase in unearned premiums                   (94,202)  (208,409)
                                                  --------- ----------

   Net premiums earned                              308,914    362,618
   Net investment income                             52,503    108,015
   Net foreign exchange gains                         4,936      5,167
   Equity in earnings of other ventures               6,250     10,701
   Other income (loss)                                8,012    (2,203)
   Net realized (losses) gains on investments      (10,670)      4,085
                                                  --------- ----------

   Total revenues                                   369,945    488,383
                                                  --------- ----------

Expenses
   Net claims and claim expenses incurred            82,156    145,992
   Acquisition expenses                              46,428     63,729
   Operational expenses                              30,113     28,524
   Corporate expenses                                 8,703      7,004
   Interest expense                                   6,804     11,979
                                                  --------- ----------

   Total expenses                                   174,204    257,228
                                                  --------- ----------

Income before minority interest and taxes           195,741    231,155
Minority interest - DaVinciRe                      (40,315)   (29,107)
                                                  --------- ----------

Income before taxes                                 155,426    202,048
Income tax expense                                  (7,686)      (107)
                                                  --------- ----------

   Net income                                       147,740    201,941
Dividends on preference shares                     (10,575)   (11,136)
                                                  --------- ----------

   Net income available to common shareholders    $ 137,165 $  190,805
                                                  ========= ==========

Operating income available to common shareholders
 per Common Share - diluted (1)                   $    2.21 $     2.57

Net income available to common shareholders per
 Common Share - basic                             $    2.09 $     2.68
Net income available to common shareholders per
 Common Share - diluted                           $    2.05 $     2.63

Average shares outstanding - basic                   65,528     71,281
Average shares outstanding - diluted                 66,803     72,514

Net claims and claim expense ratio                    26.6%      40.2%
Underwriting expense ratio                            24.8%      25.4%
                                                  --------- ----------

Combined ratio                                        51.4%      65.6%
                                                  ========= ==========

Operating return on average common equity -
 annualized (1)                                       21.3%      29.1%
                                                  ========= ==========

(1) See Comments on Regulation G for a reconciliation of non-GAAP
 financial measures.

             RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. and Subsidiaries
                 Summary Consolidated Balance Sheets
  (in thousands of United States Dollars, except per share amounts)

                                                        At
                                             -------------------------
                                              March 31,   December 31,
                                                 2008         2007
                                             ------------ ------------
                                             (Unaudited)   (Audited)
Assets
Fixed maturity investments available for
 sale, at fair value                           $3,816,518   $3,914,363
Short term investments, at fair value           1,565,589    1,821,549
Other investments, at fair value                  858,621      807,864
Investments in other ventures, under equity
 method                                            99,466       90,572
                                             ------------ ------------

    Total investments                           6,340,194    6,634,348
Cash and cash equivalents                         335,409      330,226
Premiums receivable                               499,384      475,075
Ceded reinsurance balances                        122,631      107,916
Losses recoverable                                151,555      183,275
Accrued investment income                          36,337       39,084
Deferred acquisition costs                        106,310      104,212
Receivable for investments sold                   349,835      144,037
Other secured assets                              107,784       90,488
Other assets                                      120,503      177,694
                                             ------------ ------------

    Total assets                               $8,169,942   $8,286,355
                                             ============ ============

Liabilities, Minority Interest and
 Shareholders' Equity
Liabilities
Reserve for claims and claim expenses          $1,986,006   $2,028,496
Reserve for unearned premiums                     673,991      563,336
Debt                                              450,999      451,951
Reinsurance balances payable                      263,700      275,430
Payable for investments purchased                 387,838      422,974
Other secured liabilities                         106,420       88,920
Other liabilities                                 156,185      162,294
                                             ------------ ------------

    Total liabilities                           4,025,139    3,993,401
                                             ------------ ------------

Minority interest - DaVinciRe                     758,851      815,451

Shareholders' Equity
Preference shares                                 650,000      650,000
Common shares                                      64,927       68,920
Additional paid-in capital                              -      107,867
Accumulated other comprehensive income             65,363       44,719
Retained earnings                               2,605,662    2,605,997
                                             ------------ ------------

    Total shareholders' equity                  3,385,952    3,477,503
                                             ------------ ------------

    Total liabilities, minority interest and
     shareholders' equity                      $8,169,942   $8,286,355
                                             ============ ============

Book value per common share (unaudited)        $    42.14   $    41.03
                                             ============ ============

Common shares outstanding                          64,927       68,920
                                             ============ ============

             RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. and Subsidiaries
          Supplemental Financial Data - Segment Information
               (in thousands of United States Dollars)
                             (Unaudited)

                         Three months ended March 31, 2008
              --------------------------------------------------------
              Reinsurance  Individual  Eliminations   Other    Total
                              Risk          (1)
              ----------- ----------- ------------- --------- --------

Gross
 premiums
 written         $443,728     $80,821        $2,489    $-     $527,038
              =========== =========== =============           ========

Net premiums
 written         $342,920     $60,196                   -     $403,116
              =========== ===========                         ========

Net premiums
 earned          $232,227     $76,687                   -     $308,914
Net claims
 and claim
 expenses
 incurred          47,069      35,087                   -       82,156
Acquisition
 expenses          18,515      27,913                   -       46,428
Operational
 expenses          21,139       8,974                   -       30,113
              ----------- -----------               --------- --------

Underwriting
 income          $145,504      $4,713                   -      150,217
              =========== ===========
Net
 investment
 income                                                52,503   52,503
Equity in
 earnings of
 other
 ventures                                               6,250    6,250
Other income                                            8,012    8,012
Interest and
 preference
 share
 dividends                                           (17,379) (17,379)
Minority
 interest -
 DaVinciRe                                           (40,315) (40,315)
Other items,
 net                                                 (11,453) (11,453)
Net realized
 losses on
 investments                                         (10,670) (10,670)
                                                    --------- --------

Net income
 available
 to common
 shareholders                                       $(13,052) $137,165
                                                    ========= ========

Net claims
 and claim
 expenses
 incurred -
 current
 accident
 year             $70,576     $56,665                         $127,241
Net claims
 and claim
 expenses
 incurred -
 prior
 accident
 years           (23,507)    (21,578)                         (45,085)
              ----------- -----------                         --------

Net claims
 and claim
 expenses
 incurred -
 total            $47,069     $35,087                          $82,156
              =========== ===========                         ========

Net claims
 and claim
 expense
 ratio -
 current
 accident
 year               30.4%       73.9%                            41.2%
Net claims
 and claim
 expense
 ratio -
 prior
 accident
 years            (10.1%)     (28.1%)                          (14.6%)
              ----------- -----------                         --------

Net claims
 and claim
 expense
 ratio -
 calendar
 year               20.3%       45.8%                            26.6%
Underwriting
 expense
 ratio              17.0%       48.1%                            24.8%
              ----------- -----------                         --------

Combined
 ratio              37.3%       93.9%                            51.4%
              =========== ===========                         ========

(1)Represents gross premiums ceded from the Individual Risk segment to
 the Reinsurance segment.

                         Three months ended March 31, 2007
              --------------------------------------------------------
              Reinsurance  Individual  Eliminations   Other    Total
                              Risk          (1)
              ----------- ----------- ------------- --------- --------

Gross
 premiums
 written         $515,967    $123,316      $(6,554)    $-     $632,729
              =========== =========== =============           ========

Net premiums
 written         $476,219     $94,808                   -     $571,027
              =========== ===========                         ========

Net premiums
 earned          $254,779    $107,839                   -     $362,618
Net claims
 and claim
 expenses
 incurred          92,127      53,865                   -      145,992
Acquisition
 expenses          28,362      35,367                   -       63,729
Operational
 expenses          18,191      10,333                   -       28,524
              ----------- -----------               --------- --------

Underwriting
 income          $116,099      $8,274                   -      124,373
              =========== ===========
Net
 investment
 income                                               108,015  108,015
Equity in
 earnings of
 other
 ventures                                              10,701   10,701
Other loss                                            (2,203)  (2,203)
Interest and
 preference
 share
 dividends                                           (23,115) (23,115)
Minority
 interest -
 DaVinciRe                                           (29,107) (29,107)
Other items,
 net                                                  (1,944)  (1,944)
Net realized
 gains on
 investments                                            4,085    4,085
                                                    --------- --------

Net income
 available to
 common
 shareholders                                         $66,432 $190,805
                                                    ========= ========

Net claims
 and claim
 expenses
 incurred -
 current
 accident
 year            $122,406     $70,659                         $193,065
Net claims
 and claim
 expenses
 incurred -
 prior
 accident
 years           (30,279)    (16,794)                         (47,073)
              ----------- -----------                         --------

Net claims
 and claim
 expenses
 incurred -
 total            $92,127     $53,865                         $145,992
              =========== ===========                         ========

Net claims
 and claim
 expense
 ratio -
 current
 accident
 year               48.0%       65.5%                            53.2%
Net claims
 and claim
 expense
 ratio -
 prior
 accident
 years            (11.9%)     (15.6%)                          (13.0%)
              ----------- -----------                         --------

Net claims
 and claim
 expense
 ratio -
 calendar
 year               36.1%       49.9%                            40.2%
Underwriting
 expense
 ratio              18.3%       42.4%                            25.4%
              ----------- -----------                         --------

Combined
 ratio              54.4%       92.3%                            65.6%
              =========== ===========                         ========

(1)Represents gross premiums ceded from the Individual Risk segment to
 the Reinsurance segment.

             RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. and Subsidiaries
    Supplemental Financial Data - Gross Premiums Written Analysis
               (in thousands of United States Dollars)
                             (Unaudited)

                                                 Three months ended
                                               -----------------------
Reinsurance Segment                            March 31,   March 31,
                                                   2008        2007
---------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------

Renaissance catastrophe premiums                  $224,968    $240,027
Renaissance specialty premiums                      75,463     107,590
                                               ----------- -----------

    Total Renaissance premiums                     300,431     347,617
                                               ----------- -----------

DaVinci catastrophe premiums                       139,178     158,937
DaVinci specialty premiums                           4,119       9,413
                                               ----------- -----------

    Total DaVinci premiums                         143,297     168,350
                                               ----------- -----------

Total Reinsurance premiums                        $443,728    $515,967
                                               =========== ===========

Total specialty premiums                           $79,582    $117,003
                                               =========== ===========

Total catastrophe premiums                        $364,146    $398,964

    Catastrophe premiums written on behalf of
     our joint venture, Top Layer Re (1)            31,621      36,903
    Catastrophe premiums assumed from the
     Individual Risk segment                         2,489     (6,554)
                                               ----------- -----------

        Total managed catastrophe premiums (2)     398,256     429,313

        Managed premiums assumed for fully-
         collateralized joint ventures                   -       6,435
                                               ----------- -----------

Total managed catastrophe premiums, net of
 fully-collateralized joint ventures (2)          $398,256    $435,748
                                               =========== ===========

(1)Top Layer Re is accounted for under the equity method of
 accounting.
(2)See Comments on Regulation G for a reconciliation of non-GAAP
 financial measures.

                                                 Three months ended
                                               -----------------------
Individual Risk Segment                        March 31,   March 31,
                                                   2008        2007
---------------------------------------------- ----------- -----------

Commercial multi-line                              $31,384     $47,890
Multi-peril crop                                     5,372      11,251
Commercial property                                 30,853      42,505
Personal lines property                             13,212      21,670
                                               ----------- -----------
    Total Individual Risk premiums                 $80,821    $123,316
                                               =========== ===========

             RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. and Subsidiaries
           Supplemental Financial Data - Securitized Assets
               (in thousands of United States Dollars)
                             (Unaudited)



                                                 Fair Value   % of
                                                             Portfolio
                                                 ---------- ----------

Total investments                                $6,340,190     100.0%

Mortgage-backed securities: (1)
    Residential mortgage-backed securities
    Agency securities                              $539,041       8.5%
    Non-agency securities                           167,178       2.6%
    Non-agency securities - Alt A                    65,132       1.0%
    Non-agency securities - Sub-prime                     -       0.0%
                                                 ---------- ----------

    Total residential mortgage-backed securities    771,351      12.1%

    Commercial mortgage-backed securities           434,858       6.9%
                                                 ---------- ----------

Total mortgage-backed securities                  1,206,209      19.0%

Asset-backed
securities: (1)
    Auto                                            204,867       3.2%
    Credit cards                                    201,838       3.2%
    Other                                           153,524       2.4%
                                                 ---------- ----------

Total asset-backed securities                       560,229       8.8%
                                                 ---------- ----------

Total securitized assets                         $1,766,438      27.8%
                                                 ========== ==========



                           Vintage Year as a % of Total
                                 Securitized Assets
                          -------------------------------
                          2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 & % of Total
                                                    Prior  Securitized
                                                             Assets
                          ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ------ ------------

Total investments

Mortgage-backed
 securities: (1)
    Residential mortgage-
     backed securities
    Agency securities     1.0% 3.9% 2.3% 0.6% 0.4%   0.3%        30.5%
    Non-agency securities 0.0% 0.7% 0.8% 0.5% 0.5%   0.1%         9.5%
    Non-agency securities
     - Alt A              0.0% 0.3% 0.2% 0.3% 0.1%   0.1%         3.7%
    Non-agency securities
     - Sub-prime          0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%   0.0%         0.0%
                          ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ------ ------------

    Total residential
     mortgage-backed
     securities           1.0% 4.9% 3.3% 1.4% 1.0%   0.5%        43.7%

    Commercial mortgage-
     backed securities    0.0% 1.2% 1.0% 1.1% 0.3%   3.3%        24.6%
                          ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ------ ------------

Total mortgage-backed
 securities               1.0% 6.1% 4.3% 2.5% 1.3%   3.8%        68.3%

Asset-backed
securities: (1)
    Auto                  0.0% 0.5% 1.4% 1.3% 0.0%   0.0%        11.6%
    Credit cards          0.0% 0.9% 0.7% 0.5% 0.0%   1.1%        11.4%
    Other                 0.0% 0.8% 0.0% 0.6% 0.1%   0.9%         8.7%
                          ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ------ ------------

Total asset-backed
 securities               0.0% 2.2% 2.1% 2.4% 0.1%   2.0%        31.7%
                          ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ------ ------------

Total securitized assets  1.0% 8.3% 6.4% 4.9% 1.4%   5.8%       100.0%
                          ==== ==== ==== ==== ==== ====== ============


(1) All of the Company's mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities
 are rated AAA.

Comments on Regulation G

In addition to the GAAP financial measures set forth in this Press Release, the Company has included certain non-GAAP financial measures in this Press Release within the meaning of Regulation G. The Company has provided these financial measurements in previous investor communications and the Company's management believes that these measurements are important to investors and other interested persons, and that investors and such other persons benefit from having a consistent basis for comparison between quarters and for the comparison with other companies within the industry. These measures may not, however, be comparable to similarly titled measures used by companies outside of the insurance industry. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these non-GAAP measures in assessing the Company's overall financial performance.

The Company uses "operating income" as a measure to evaluate the underlying fundamentals of its operations and believes it to be a useful measure of its corporate performance. "Operating income" as used herein differs from "net income available to common shareholders," which the Company believes is the most directly comparable GAAP measure, by the exclusion of net realized gains and losses on the Company's investments. The Company's management believes that "operating income" is useful to investors because it more accurately measures and predicts the Company's results of operations by removing the variability arising from fluctuations in the Company's investment portfolio, which is not considered by management to be a relevant indicator of business operations. The Company also uses "operating income" to calculate "operating income per common share - diluted" and "operating return on average common equity - annualized". The following is a reconciliation of: 1) net income available to common shareholders to operating income available to common shareholders; 2) net income available to common shareholders per common share - diluted to operating income available to common shareholders per common share - diluted; and 3) return on average common equity - annualized to operating return on average common equity - annualized:

                                                   Three months ended
                                                  --------------------
(in thousands of United States dollars, except    March 31, March 31,
 for per share amounts)                              2008      2007
                                                  --------- ----------

Net income available to common shareholders        $137,165   $190,805
    Adjustment for net realized losses (gains) on
     investments                                     10,670    (4,085)
                                                  --------- ----------

Operating income available to common shareholders  $147,835   $186,720
                                                  ========= ==========

Net income available to common shareholders per
 common share - diluted                            $   2.05   $   2.63
    Adjustment for net realized losses (gains) on
     investments                                       0.16     (0.06)
                                                  --------- ----------

Operating income available to common shareholders
 per common share - diluted                        $   2.21   $   2.57
                                                  ========= ==========

Return on average common equity - annualized          19.7%      29.7%
    Adjustment for net realized losses (gains) on
     investments                                       1.6%     (0.6%)
                                                  --------- ----------

Operating return on average common equity -
 annualized                                           21.3%      29.1%
                                                  ========= ==========

The Company has also included in this Press Release "managed catastrophe premiums" and "managed catastrophe premiums, net of fully-collateralized joint ventures." "Managed catastrophe premiums" is defined as gross catastrophe premiums written by Renaissance Reinsurance and its related joint ventures. "Managed catastrophe premiums" differ from total catastrophe premiums, which the Company believes is the most directly comparable GAAP measure, due to the inclusion of catastrophe premiums written on behalf of the Company's joint venture Top Layer Re, which is accounted for under the equity method of accounting. "Managed catastrophe premiums, net of fully-collateralized joint ventures" differ from total catastrophe premiums, which the Company believes is the most directly comparable GAAP measure, due to: 1) the inclusion of catastrophe premiums written on behalf of the Company's joint venture Top Layer Re, which is accounted for under the equity method of accounting; and 2) the deduction of catastrophe premiums that are written by the Company and ceded directly to the Company's fully-collateralized joint ventures which include Starbound Reinsurance Ltd., Starbound Reinsurance II Ltd. and Timicuan Reinsurance Ltd. The Company's management believes "managed catastrophe premiums" is useful to investors and other interested parties because it provides a measure of total catastrophe reinsurance premiums assumed by the Company through its consolidated subsidiaries and related joint ventures. The Company believes "managed catastrophe premiums, net of fully-collateralized joint ventures" is also a useful measure to investors and other interested parties because it provides a measure of total catastrophe reinsurance premiums assumed by the Company through its consolidated subsidiaries and related joint ventures, net of catastrophe premiums written directly on behalf of the Company's fully-collateralized joint ventures.

SOURCE: RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd.

Investor: RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd.
Fred R. Donner, 441-295-4513
Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President
or
Media:
Kekst and Company
David Lilly or Dawn Dover
212-521-4800