Exhibit 99.1

LOGO

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

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

Pembroke, Bermuda, April 29, 2008 — 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.

 

1


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.

 

2


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.

 

INVESTOR CONTACT:

 

   MEDIA CONTACT:

 

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

 

3


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, 2008     March 31, 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, 2008    December 31, 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 Risk     Eliminations (1)    Other     Total  

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 Risk     Eliminations (1)    Other     Total  

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, 2008    March 31, 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, 2008    March 31, 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)

 

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

Total investments

   $ 6,340,194    100.0 %              

Mortgage-backed securities: (1)

                   

Residential mortgage-backed securities

                   

Agency securities

   $ 539,041    8.5 %   1.0 %   3.9 %   2.3 %   0.6 %   0.4 %   0.3 %   30.5 %

Non-agency securities

     167,178    2.6 %   0.0 %   0.7 %   0.8 %   0.5 %   0.5 %   0.1 %   9.5 %

Non-agency securities - Alt A

     65,132    1.0 %   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 %   0.0 %
                                                       

Total residential mortgage-backed securities

     771,351    12.1 %   1.0 %   4.9 %   3.3 %   1.4 %   1.0 %   0.5 %   43.7 %

Commercial mortgage-backed securities

     434,858    6.9 %   0.0 %   1.2 %   1.0 %   1.1 %   0.3 %   3.3 %   24.6 %
                                                       

Total mortgage-backed securities

     1,206,209    19.0 %   1.0 %   6.1 %   4.3 %   2.5 %   1.3 %   3.8 %   68.3 %

Asset-backed securities: (1)

                   

Auto

     204,867    3.2 %   0.0 %   0.5 %   1.4 %   1.3 %   0.0 %   0.0 %   11.6 %

Credit cards

     201,838    3.2 %   0.0 %   0.9 %   0.7 %   0.5 %   0.0 %   1.1 %   11.4 %

Other

     153,524    2.4 %   0.0 %   0.8 %   0.0 %   0.6 %   0.1 %   0.9 %   8.7 %
                                                       

Total asset-backed securities

     560,229    8.8 %   0.0 %   2.2 %   2.1 %   2.4 %   0.1 %   2.0 %   31.7 %
                                                       

Total securitized assets

   $ 1,766,438    27.8 %   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 for per share amounts)    March 31, 2008     March 31, 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.