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Risk Overview Q2, 2026
Risk Distribution
48% Finance & Corporate
25% Legal & Regulatory
14% Production
5% Ability to Sell
5% Macro & Political
3% Tech & Innovation
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
This chart displays the stock's most recent risk distribution according to category. TipRanks has identified 6 major categories: Finance & corporate, legal & regulatory, macro & political, production, tech & innovation, and ability to sell.
Risk Change Over Time
S&P500 Average
Sector Average
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Kestrel Group Risk Factors
New Risk (0)
Risk Changed (0)
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No changes from previous report
The chart shows the number of risks a company has disclosed. You can compare this to the sector average or S&P 500 average.
The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.
The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.
Risk Highlights Q2, 2026
Main Risk Category
Finance & Corporate
With 31 Risks
Finance & Corporate
With 31 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
64
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 32
64
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 32
Recent Changes
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Since Jun 2026
0Risks added
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Number of Risk Changed
0
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 0
0
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S&P 500 Average: 0
See the risk highlights of Kestrel Group in the last period.
Risk Word Cloud
The most common phrases about risk factors from the most recent report. Larger texts indicate more widely used phrases.
Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 64
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 31/64 (48%)Below Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights9 | 14.1%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
We may change our strategy without shareholder approval.Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2
Maiden Reinsurance owns approximately 22.4% of our total outstanding common shares and thus has a significant ownership and voting stake in our common shares.Maiden Reinsurance owns approximately 22.4% of our total outstanding common shares and due to a recent change in our bye-laws, its voting power is no longer restricted at 9.5% of these shares. Due to the combination with Kestrel, Maiden Reinsurance is able to vote all of its shares in Kestrel Group, which represents a significant increase in its overall voting power. As our wholly owned subsidiary, Maiden Reinsurance's economic and voting interests in our common shares may not be aligned with other shareholders and it could take positions that may differ from, and which could adversely affect the interests of, other shareholders.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3
Our common shares owned by Maiden Reinsurance are not retired and could be sold to other shareholders, which could dilute the ownership interests of other shareholders and reduce our book value and earnings per common share.For the purposes of our consolidated financial statements, our common shares owned by Maiden Reinsurance are treated similar to treasury shares and not included in the computation of consolidated book value and earnings per common share. However, these shares are not retired and Maiden Reinsurance retains both economic and voting interests in our shares. Maiden Reinsurance thus retains the ability to sell those shares in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions, subject to applicable securities laws and regulations. If Maiden Reinsurance were to engage in such transactions, then the number of outstanding shares for consolidated financial reporting purposes would increase and thus reduce our book value and earnings per common share.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4
A few significant shareholders may influence or control the direction of our business. If the ownership of our common shares continues to be highly concentrated, it may limit your ability and the ability of other shareholders to influence significant corporate decisions.The interests of our significant shareholders may not be fully aligned with our interests, and this may lead to a strategy that is not in our best interest. Although they do not have any voting agreements or arrangements, our significant shareholders could exercise significant influence over matters requiring shareholder approval, and their concentrated holdings and voting power may delay or deter possible changes in control of Kestrel Group, which may reduce the market price of our common shares. As more particularly described in Note 10 "Related Party Transactions," certain of our shareholders have the ability to nominate directors to the Board for so long as they and their affiliates exceed certain ownership percentages.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5
Our revenues and results of operations may fluctuate as a result of factors beyond our control, which may cause the price of our shares to be volatile.The revenues and results of operations of reinsurance companies historically have been subject to significant fluctuations and uncertainties. In addition, we are not currently engaged in reinsurance underwriting of new prospective risks and may not do so for the foreseeable future. This has resulted in a significant reduction in our revenues. Our profitability can also be affected significantly by:
- fluctuations in interest rates, inflationary pressures and other changes in the investment environment that impact returns on invested assets;- changes in the frequency or severity of claims;- volatile and unpredictable developments, including man-made, weather-related and other natural catastrophes, terrorist attacks or pandemics, such as the spread of the COVID-19 virus;- price competition;- inadequate loss and LAE reserves;- cyclical nature of the property and casualty insurance market; and - negative developments in the specialty property and casualty reinsurance sectors in which we operate.
These factors may cause the price of the Company's shares to be volatile.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6
The market price for our common shares has been and may continue to be highly volatile, and if there is a further sustained decline in our share price there could be limited liquidity for our common shares.The market price for our common shares has fluctuated significantly. Future sales of our common shares by our shareholders or us, or the perception that such sales may occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common shares. As of March 6, 2026, 7,741,943 common shares were outstanding when the ownership by our affiliate Maiden Reinsurance of 2,237,534 common shares were excluded. These shares are reflected as treasury shares on the Consolidated Balance Sheet and not treated as outstanding shares in the computation of consolidated book value and earnings per common share on December 31, 2025. A significant percentage of our outstanding common shares are held by affiliates, including Maiden Reinsurance, and as a result, your common shares may not have sufficient liquidity in the trading markets.
In addition, we have reserved 1,267,543 common shares remaining for issuance under our 2025 Equity Incentive Plan. As of March 6, 2026, there were 4,275 stock options outstanding and 136,197 restricted shares outstanding. Sales of substantial amounts of our shares, or the perception that such sales could occur, could adversely affect the prevailing price of the shares and may make it more difficult for us to sell our equity securities in the future, or for shareholders to sell their shares, at a time and price that they deem appropriate.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7
Anti-takeover provisions in our bye-laws could impede an attempt to replace or remove our directors, which could diminish the value of our common shares.Our bye-laws contain provisions that may entrench directors and make it more difficult for shareholders to replace directors even if the shareholders consider it beneficial to do so. In addition, these provisions could delay or prevent a change of control that a shareholder might consider favorable. For example, these provisions may prevent a shareholder from receiving the benefit from any premium over the market price of our common shares offered by a bidder in a potential takeover. Even in the absence of an attempt to effect a change in management or a takeover attempt, these provisions may adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common shares if they are viewed as discouraging changes in management and takeover attempts in the future.
Examples of provisions in our bye-laws that could have such an effect include the following:
- our Board may reduce the total voting power of any shareholder to avoid adverse tax, legal or regulatory consequences to us or any direct or indirect holder of our shares or its affiliates; and - our Board may, in their discretion, decline to record the transfer of any common shares on our share register, if they are not satisfied that all required regulatory approvals for such transfer have been obtained or if they determine such transfer may result in a non-de minimis adverse tax, legal or regulatory consequence to us or any direct or indirect holder of shares or its affiliates.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 8
U.S. persons who own our shares may have more difficulty in protecting their interests than U.S. persons who are shareholders of a U.S. corporation.The Companies Act 1981 (as amended) (the "Companies Act") in Bermuda, which applies to us, differs in certain material respects from laws generally applicable to U.S. corporations and their shareholders. As a result of these differences, U.S. persons who own our shares may have more difficulty protecting their interests than U.S. persons who own shares of a U.S. corporation. Set forth below is a summary of certain significant provisions of the Companies Act, including modifications adopted pursuant to our bye-laws, applicable to us, which differ in certain respects from provisions of Delaware corporate law. Because the following statements are summaries, they do not discuss all aspects of Bermuda law that may be relevant to us and our shareholders.
Interested Directors. Bermuda law provides that if a director has a personal interest in a transaction to which the company is also a party and if the director discloses the nature of this personal interest at the first opportunity, either at a meeting of directors or in writing to the directors, then the company will not be able to declare such transaction void solely due to the existence of that personal interest and the director will not be liable to the company for any profit realized from such transaction. In addition, Bermuda law and our bye-laws provide that, after a director has made the declaration of interest referred to above, he is allowed to be counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present and to vote on a transaction in which he has an interest, unless disqualified from doing so by the chairman of the relevant board meeting.
Under Delaware law, such transaction would not be voidable if:
- the material facts as to such interested director's relationship or interests are disclosed or are known to the board of directors and the board in good faith authorizes such transaction by the affirmative vote of a majority of the disinterested directors;- such material facts are disclosed or are known to the shareholders entitled to vote on such transaction and such transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the majority of shares entitled to vote thereon; or - such transaction is fair as to the corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified.
Under Delaware law, such interested director could be held liable for a transaction in which such director derived an improper personal benefit.
Mergers and Similar Arrangements. The amalgamation or merger of a Bermuda company with another Bermuda company or with a body incorporated outside Bermuda (a "foreign corporation") (other than certain affiliated companies) requires the amalgamation or merger agreement to be approved by the company's board of directors and by its shareholders. Under our bye-laws, we may, with the approval of a majority of votes cast at a general meeting of our shareholders at which a quorum is present, amalgamate or merge with another Bermuda company or with a foreign corporation. In the case of an amalgamation or merger, a shareholder that did not vote in favor of the amalgamation or merger may apply to a Bermuda court for a proper valuation of such shareholder's shares if such shareholder is not satisfied that fair value has been paid for such shares. Under Delaware law, with certain exceptions, a merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all the assets of a corporation must be approved by the board of directors and a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon. Under Delaware law, a shareholder of a corporation participating in certain major corporate transactions may, under certain circumstances, be entitled to appraisal rights pursuant to which such shareholder may receive cash in the amount of the fair value of the shares held by such shareholder (as determined by a court) in lieu of the consideration such shareholder would otherwise receive in the applicable transaction.
Shareholders' Suit. The rights of shareholders under Bermuda law are not as extensive as the rights of shareholders under legislation or judicial precedent in many U.S. jurisdictions. Class actions and derivative actions are generally not available to shareholders under the laws of Bermuda. However, the Bermuda courts ordinarily would be expected to follow English case law precedent, which would permit a shareholder to commence an action in the name of the company to remedy a wrong done to the company where the act complained of is alleged to be beyond the corporate power of the company, is illegal or would result in the violation of our memorandum of association or bye-laws. Furthermore, consideration would be given by the court to acts that are alleged to constitute a fraud against the minority shareholders or where an act requires the approval of a greater percentage of our shareholders than actually approved it. Shareholders would first need to seek leave from the Bermuda courts to proceed with such claims. In addition, shareholders can apply to court for an oppression remedy (namely a clean break, with the company required to pay the shareholders fair value for their shares) against the company and directors personally in circumstances where they were subject to oppressive or unfairly prejudicial conduct. However, there is a strict test which the shareholders would need to satisfy, namely proof of bad faith rather than poor management. The winning party in such an action generally would be able to recover from the losing party a portion (or all) of attorneys' fees incurred in connection with such action. Our bye-laws provide that shareholders waive all claims or rights of action that they might have, individually or in the right of the company, against any director or officer for any act or failure to act in the performance of such director's or officer's duties, except with respect to any fraud or dishonesty of such director or officer. Class actions and derivative actions generally are available to shareholders under Delaware law for, among other things, breach of fiduciary duty, corporate waste and actions not taken in accordance with applicable law. In such actions, the court has discretion to permit the winning party to recover attorneys' fees incurred in connection with such action.
Indemnification of Directors. We may indemnify our directors or officers in their capacity as directors or officers of any loss arising or liability attaching to them by virtue of any rule of law in respect of any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust of which a director or officer may be guilty in relation to the company other than in respect of his or her own fraud or dishonesty. Under Delaware law, a corporation may indemnify a director or officer of the corporation against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in defense of an action, suit or proceeding by reason of such position if such director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, such director or officer had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and officers.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 9
We are a Bermuda company, and it may be difficult to enforce judgments against us or our directors and executive officers.We are incorporated under the laws of Bermuda. In addition, all of our directors and officers reside outside Bermuda and a substantial portion of our assets will be and the assets of these persons are, and will continue to be, located in jurisdictions outside Bermuda. As such, it may be difficult or impossible to effect service of process within the U.S. upon us or those persons or to recover against us or them on judgments of U.S. courts, including judgments predicated upon civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws. Further, no claim may be brought in Bermuda against us or our directors and officers in the first instance for violation of U.S. federal securities laws because these laws have no extraterritorial jurisdiction under Bermuda law and do not have force of law in Bermuda. A Bermuda court may, however, impose civil liability, including the possibility of monetary damages, on us or our directors and officers if the facts alleged in a complaint constitute or give rise to a cause of action under Bermuda law. As noted above, even if such liability were imposed on the directors and officers, they could be indemnified by the company, provided the liability is not in respect of a claim of fraud or dishonesty which they are guilty of.
We have been previously advised by Conyers Dill & Pearman Limited, our Bermuda counsel, that there is doubt as to whether the courts of Bermuda would enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained in actions against us or our directors and officers, as well as the experts named in this Annual Report, predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws or original actions brought in Bermuda against us or these persons predicated solely upon U.S. federal securities laws. Further, we have been advised by Conyers Dill & Pearman Limited that there is no treaty in effect between the U.S. and Bermuda providing for the enforcement of judgments of U.S. courts, and there are grounds upon which Bermuda courts may not enforce judgments of U.S. courts. Some remedies available under the laws of U.S. jurisdictions, including some remedies available under the U.S. federal securities laws, may not be allowed in Bermuda courts as contrary to that jurisdiction's public policy. Because judgments of U.S. courts are not automatically enforceable in Bermuda, it may be difficult for you to recover against us based upon such judgments.
Accounting & Financial Operations8 | 12.5%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common shares for the foreseeable future.Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2
Significant changes in our reinsurance relationship with AmTrust have reduced our current and future revenues and create significant uncertainty for sources of future liquidity.During 2019, we, through our subsidiary Maiden Reinsurance, executed the partial termination amendment ("Partial Termination Amendment") effective January 1, 2019 which amended the AmTrust Quota Share, and several post-termination endorsements. These transactions served to eliminate all new premium revenues from AmTrust, return certain unearned premiums to AmTrust, commuted and returned certain workers' compensation loss reserves to AmTrust, capped the loss corridor on certain program business reinsured from AmTrust and increased the levels of collateral provided to AmTrust as security against the obligations we have assumed under the reinsurance contracts with AmTrust.
While these transactions have contributed significantly to the reduction in required regulatory capital needed to operate our business and the subsequent strengthening of our capital and solvency ratios, these transactions have resulted in a significant reduction in revenues which is likely to continue for the foreseeable future as we are not presently engaged in active reinsurance underwriting on prospective risks. As a result, our financial condition could be adversely affected by these actions. Due to this loss of revenue, we will need to rely on unrestricted cash from operations and returns on our investments to fund our operations, maintain liquidity and meet our financial obligations and capital allocation priorities. While we believe we have sufficient sources to meet these obligations, deterioration in our results of operations or other adverse financial events could impact our ability to continue meeting these obligations.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3
If market conditions cause reinsurance to be more costly or difficult to obtain, we may be required to bear increased risks or reduce the level of our underwriting commitments.We provide access to the U.S. property and casualty insurance markets in exchange for fees through our fronting business by providing access to the AmTrust Insurance Companies with expansive licensing and an "A-" (Excellent) rating by A.M. Best through our relationship with AmTrust. As part of our business strategy, we recommend to the AmTrust Insurance Companies reinsurance for a substantial portion of underwriting risk, credit risk and business risk related to our fronting business. We may be unable to maintain our current reinsurance arrangements or to obtain other reinsurance in adequate amounts and at favorable rates, particularly if reinsurers become unwilling or unable to support our specialized fronting model in the future. A decline in the availability of reinsurance, increases in the cost of reinsurance or a decreased level of activity by general agents could limit the amount of fronting business we could write through the AmTrust Insurance Companies and materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 4
A decline in the financial strength rating or financial size category of our fronting companies may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.Each of our fronting companies has an "A-" (Excellent) financial strength rating and a XV financial size category from A.M. Best. A downgrade or withdrawal of the financial strength rating or reduction in the financial size category of any of Kestrel Group's fronting companies could cause current and future general agents and insureds to choose other competitors and could severely limit or prevent writing of new and renewal insurance contracts.
A.M. Best's analysis includes comparisons to peers and industry standards as well as assessments of operating plans, philosophy and management. A.M. Best periodically reviews each insurance carrier's financial strength rating and may adjust upward or downward at its discretion based primarily on analyzing the balance sheet strength, operating performance and business profile of each insurance carrier.
In addition, in view of the earnings and capital pressures experienced by many financial institutions, including insurance companies, it is possible that rating organizations will heighten the level of scrutiny that they apply to such institutions, increase the frequency and scope of their credit reviews, request additional information from the companies that they rate or increase the capital and other requirements employed in the rating organizations' models for maintenance of certain ratings levels.
As we leverage our strategic relationship with such fronting companies for lines of business that require an "A-" financial strength rating from A.M. Best, any downgrade or withdrawal of any insurance carrier's rating could have a material adverse effect on our business. A.M. Best assigns ratings that are intended to provide an independent opinion of an insurance company's ability to meet its obligations to policyholders and is neither an evaluation directed to investors nor a recommendation to buy, sell or hold stock or any other securities an insurance group may issue.
There can be no assurances that our fronting companies will be able to maintain this rating. Any downgrade in ratings would likely materially adversely affect our business adversely through the loss of certain existing and potential policyholders and the loss of relationships with clients that might move to other companies with higher ratings. If such fronting companies lose their "A-" rating, we may need to secure a new fronting arrangement or risk losing the business of our capacity providers to higher rated issuing carriers.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 5
The failure of any of the loss limitation methods we have employed or could employ in the future could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.We seek to limit loss exposure through loss limitation provisions in policies we write, such as limitations on the amount of losses that can be claimed under a policy, limitations or exclusions from coverage and provisions relating to choice of forum, which are intended to ensure that our policies are legally interpreted as intended. These contractual provisions may not be enforceable in the manner expected and disputes relating to coverage may not be resolved in our favor. If the loss limitation provisions in the policies are not enforceable or disputes arise concerning the application of such provisions, the losses that we incur could be materially higher than expected and our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 6
If we are unable to establish and maintain accurate loss reserves, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.There is inherent uncertainty in the process of establishing insurance loss reserves. As a result of these uncertainties, the ultimate paid loss and LAE may deviate, perhaps substantially, from the point-in-time estimates of such losses and expenses, as reflected in the loss reserves included in our consolidated and combined financial statements. To the extent that loss and LAE exceed estimates, we will be required to immediately recognize any retained unfavorable development and increase loss reserves, with a corresponding reduction in our net income in the period in which the reserve levels are increased. Consequently, ultimate losses paid could materially exceed reported loss reserves and have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 7
A decrease in the fair value of our subsidiaries may result in future impairments.The determination of impairments taken on our investments and loans varies by type of asset and is based upon our periodic evaluation and assessment of known and inherent risks associated with the respective asset class. Such evaluations and assessments are revised as conditions change and new information becomes available. Management updates its evaluations regularly and reflects impairments in operations as such evaluations are revised. There can be no assurance that our management has accurately assessed the level of impairments taken in our financial statements. Furthermore, additional impairments may need to be taken in the future, which could materially impact our financial position or results of operations. Historical trends may not be indicative of future impairments.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 8
Changes in accounting principles and financial reporting requirements could result in material changes to our reported results of operations and financial condition.U.S. GAAP and related financial reporting requirements are complex, continually evolving and may be subject to varied interpretation by the relevant authoritative bodies. Such varied interpretations could result from differing views related to specific facts and circumstances. Changes in U.S. GAAP and financial reporting requirements, or in the interpretation of U.S. GAAP or those requirements, could result in material changes to our reported results and financial condition.
Moreover, our insurance subsidiaries are required to comply with SAP. SAP and various components of SAP are subject to constant review by the NAIC and its task forces and committees, as well as state insurance departments, in an effort to address emerging issues and otherwise improve financial reporting. Various proposals are pending before committees and task forces of the NAIC, some of which, if enacted and adopted on a state level, could have negative effects on insurance industry participants. The NAIC continuously examines existing laws and regulations. We cannot predict whether or in what form such reforms will be enacted and, if so, whether the enacted reforms will positively or negatively affect us.
Debt & Financing10 | 15.6%
Debt & Financing - Risk 1
We may not have sufficient unrestricted liquidity to meet our obligations and favorable terms to obtain additional capital may not be available.Debt & Financing - Risk 2
Our investments in alternative investments and our investments in joint ventures and/or entities accounted for using the equity method may be illiquid and volatile in terms of value and returns, which could negatively affect our investment income and liquidity.In addition to fixed maturity securities, as a result of the Combination with Maiden, we have invested, and may from time to time continue to invest, in alternative investments such as hedge funds, fixed income funds, equity funds, privately held investments, private equity and private credit funds and co-investments, real estate funds and co-investments and other alternative investments.
At December 31, 2025, approximately 54.8% of our total cash and investments were categorized as equity securities, other investments and equity method investments on our consolidated balance sheets compared to 0% as of December 31, 2024. We do not presently expect to make further new commitments to alternative investments in future periods and have accordingly reduced our commitments to $24.8 million to future alternative investments as of December 31, 2025.
These and other similar investments may be illiquid due to restrictions on sales, transfers and redemption terms, may have different, more significant risk characteristics than our investments in fixed maturity securities and may also have more volatile values and returns, all of which could negatively affect our investment income and overall portfolio liquidity.
We have also invested, and from time to time may continue to make investments in joint ventures and in other entities that we do not control. In these investments, many of which are accounted for using the equity method, we may lack management and operational control over the entities in which we are invested, which may limit our ability to take actions that could protect or increase the value of our investment. In addition, these investments may be illiquid due to contractual provisions, and our lack of operational control may prevent us from obtaining liquidity through distributions from these investments in a timely manner or on favorable terms.
Alternative or "other" investments may not meet regulatory admissibility requirements or may result in increased regulatory capital charges to our insurance subsidiaries that hold these investments, which could limit those subsidiaries' ability to make capital distributions to us and, consequently, negatively impact our liquidity. For more information on our alternative investments, please see Item 7. "Management's Discussion & Analysis: Liquidity and Capital Resources - Cash & Investments".
Typically, there is not a public market for these alternative investments and other similar investments in which Maiden has invested. As a result, certain of these securities are valued quarterly at fair value based on assessments from our third-party valuation firms. The determination of fair value and, consequently, the amount of unrealized gains and losses in our portfolio are, to a certain degree, subjective and dependent on the valuation process of these third-party valuation firms. Certain factors that may be considered in determining the fair value of certain of Maiden's alternative investments and other similar investments include external events, such as private mergers, sales and acquisitions involving comparable companies. Because such valuations are inherently uncertain, they may fluctuate over short periods of time and may be based on estimates by our third-party valuation firms. Maiden holds a high level of illiquid investments and has a high proportion of assets that are fair valued relative to other assets which requires our third-party valuation firms to rely on a high degree of unobservable valuation inputs. In addition, the review of fair valuations of certain of these alternative investments and other similar investments requires a high degree of auditor judgment and extensive effort to audit management's determination of fair value of such alternative investments and other similar investments, including the need to involve fair value specialists possessing relevant valuation experience to evaluate the appropriateness of the valuation techniques and the significant unobservable inputs used in the valuation of such investments which may differ from the valuation techniques and inputs utilized by us and third-party valuation firms and/or may change over time. The effect of all these factors on our portfolio may reduce our net asset value by increasing unrealized depreciation in our portfolio. Depending on market conditions, we could incur substantial realized losses and may suffer additional unrealized losses in future periods, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
In addition, alternative or "other" investments may not meet regulatory admissibility requirements or may result in increased regulatory capital charges to Maiden's insurance subsidiaries that hold these investments, which could limit those subsidiaries' ability to make capital distributions to us, which in turn could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Debt & Financing - Risk 3
We may require additional capital and liquidity in the future, which may not be available on favorable terms or at all.Our future capital and liquidity requirements will depend on many factors. We also may not be able to grow significantly without additional capital. We may also require additional sources of liquidity if we are unable to sufficiently monetize our alternative investments either sufficiently and/or on a timely basis. Our future business needs therefore are uncertain and we may need to raise additional funds to further capitalize Maiden Reinsurance or our other entities.
We anticipate that any such additional funds would be raised through equity, debt, hybrid financings or entering into reinsurance agreements. While we currently have no commitment from any lender with respect to a credit facility or a loan facility, we may enter into an unsecured or secured revolving credit facility or a term loan facility with one or more syndicates of lenders. Any equity, debt or hybrid financing, if available at all, may be on terms that are not favorable to us. Recent turbulence in financial markets due to higher interest rates along with tighter credit underwriting may limit our ability to access the credit or equity markets. If we are able to raise capital through equity financings, the interest of shareholders in our Company would be diluted, and the securities we issue may have rights, preferences and privileges that are senior to those of our common shares.
We no longer have an S&P rating or A.M. Best rating. The absence of credit ratings on our outstanding securities could impact our ability to obtain additional debt or hybrid capital at reasonable terms or at all. Credit ratings are an opinion by third parties of our financial strength and ability to meet ongoing obligations to our future policyholders. The lack of a credit rating may make it difficult for investors to evaluate an investment in our securities and for us to raise additional capital in the future on acceptable terms or at all. Similarly, our access to funds may be impaired if regulatory authorities take negative actions against us. Finally, our operating results in the last several years may make investors reluctant to commit capital to us at reasonable valuations and/or pricing. Our internal sources of liquidity may prove to be insufficient, and in such case, we may not be able to successfully obtain additional financing on favorable terms, or at all. Establishing a credit rating on our securities, if needed in the future, may be difficult to obtain.
The availability of additional financing will also depend on a variety of other factors such as market conditions, the general availability of capital, the volume of trading activities and the overall availability of capital to the financial services industry. As such, we may be forced to delay raising capital, issue shorter maturity securities than we prefer, or bear an unattractive cost of capital which could decrease our profitability and significantly reduce our financial flexibility. If we cannot obtain adequate capital, our liquidity, business prospects, results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.
Debt & Financing - Risk 4
Performance of our investment portfolio will be subject to a variety of investment risks.Our operating results will be affected, in part, by the performance of our investment portfolio. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors, including governmental monetary policies, domestic and international economic and political conditions and other factors beyond our control. Although we take measures to manage investment risks, we may not be able to fully or effectively mitigate interest rate sensitivity. Despite any mitigation efforts, a significant change in interest rates could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. In addition, the performance of our investment portfolio will generally be subject to other risks, such as the:
- deterioration in the financial condition, operating performance or business prospects of one or more issuers of our fixed-income securities;- heavy concentration of the investment portfolio in the securities of a few issuers, sectors or industries;- inability to convert investment securities into cash on favorable terms and on a timely basis; and - general movements in the securities markets.
A substantial decline in the value of our investment portfolio could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Debt & Financing - Risk 5
A significant amount of our invested assets are subject to changes in interest rates and market volatility. If we are unable to realize our investment objectives, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.Investment income is an important component of our consolidated net income. At December 31, 2025, total investments of $381.8 million represented 95.7% of our total cash and investments. Total investments included other investments of $173.4 million, or 45.4% of our total investment portfolio, comprised of a combination of private credit funds, private equity funds, other privately held investments and investments in direct lending activities. As a result of market conditions prevailing at a particular time, the allocation of our portfolio to various asset types may vary. The fair market value of these assets and the investment income from these assets will fluctuate depending on general economic and market conditions. We classify our fixed maturity investments as available-for-sale ("AFS") and therefore changes in the market value are reflected in our shareholders' equity through accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI").
Our Board has established our investment policies, including the purchase of affiliated securities, approved by the Vermont DFR, and our executive management is implementing our investment strategy with the assistance of our investment managers. Although these guidelines stress diversification and capital preservation, our investment results will be subject to a variety of risks, including risks related to changes in the business, financial condition or results of operations of the entities in which we invest, as well as changes in general economic conditions and overall market conditions, interest rate fluctuations and market volatility. Given our reliance on external investment managers, we are also exposed to operational risks, which may include, but are not limited to, a failure of these managers to follow our investment policy guidelines, a failure to maintain proper internal controls, technological and staffing deficiencies and inadequate disaster recovery plans.
A substantial portion of our investment portfolio consists of interest rate-sensitive instruments, such as bonds, which may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors, including governmental monetary policies and domestic and international economic and political conditions and other factors beyond our control. Changes in interest rates could have an adverse effect on the value of our fixed maturity investment portfolio and future investment income. For example, changes in interest rates can expose us to prepayment risks on U.S. Government Agency MBS included in our investment portfolio (all Agency MBS are currently "AA+" rated by S&P). Increases in interest rates will decrease the fair market value of our investments in fixed-income securities. If increases in interest rates occur during periods when we sell investments to satisfy liquidity needs, we may experience investment losses. In addition, a declining interest rate environment can result in reductions in our investment yield as new funds and proceeds from sales and maturities of fixed income securities are reinvested at lower rates which reduces our overall profitability.
Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors, including governmental monetary policies, inflation, domestic and international economic and political conditions and other factors beyond our control. To limit our exposure to unexpected interest rate increases which would reduce the value of our fixed income securities and reduce our shareholders' equity, we attempt to maintain the duration of our fixed maturity investment portfolio combined with our cash and cash equivalents, both restricted and unrestricted, within a reasonable range of the duration of our loss reserves. As a result of the LPT/ADC Agreement, the duration of our liability for loss reserves will be materially shortened and if we do not correspondingly shorten the duration of the investments in our fixed maturity investment portfolio, our risk of exposure to unexpected changes in interest rates could adversely affect our operations and financial condition.
At December 31, 2025, these respective durations in years were as follows:
At December 31,2025Fixed maturities and cash and cash equivalents1.0Reserve for loss and LAE - gross of LPT/ADC Agreement reserves6.2Reserve for loss and LAE - net of LPT/ADC Agreement reserves2.7
The differential in duration between these assets and liabilities may fluctuate over time and in the case of fixed maturities, is affected by factors such as market conditions, asset allocations and prepayment speeds in the case of Agency MBS.
We believe we have historically mitigated our exposure to liquidity risk through prudent duration management and strong operating cash flow. Our business has undergone significant changes since 2019, which have transformed our operations and materially reduced the risk on our balance sheet. As a result, our gross and net premiums written will continue to be materially lower going forward and investment income will continue to be a significantly larger portion of our revenues. We believe this will significantly reduce our operating cash flow.
However, we generally expect negative operating cash flows to be met or exceeded by positive investing cash flows. Overall, we expect our cash flows, together with our existing capital base and unrestricted cash and investments to be sufficient to meet cash requirements and to operate our business. We also have very limited property catastrophe exposures which could cause an immediate need for cash. However, if we do not structure our investment portfolio so that it is appropriately matched with our reinsurance liabilities or our operating cash flow declines, we may be forced to liquidate investments prior to maturity at a significant loss to cover such liabilities. For this or any of the other reasons discussed above, investment losses could significantly decrease our asset base, which would adversely affect our ability to conduct business. Any significant decline in our investment income would adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Debt & Financing - Risk 6
The determination of the fair values of our investments and whether a decline in the fair value of an investment is other-than-temporary are based on management's judgment and may prove to be incorrect.We hold a significant amount of assets without readily available, active, quoted market prices or for which fair value cannot be measured from actively quoted prices. These assets are generally deemed to require a higher degree of judgment used in measuring fair value. The assumptions used by management to measure fair values could turn out to be inaccurate and the actual amounts that may be realized in an orderly transaction with a willing market participant could be either lower or higher than our estimates of fair value. We review our investment portfolio for factors that may indicate that a decline in the fair value of an investment is other-than-temporary. This evaluation is based on subjective factors, assumptions and estimates and may prove to be materially incorrect, which may result in us recognizing additional losses in the future as new information emerges or recognizing losses in the current period that may never materialize in the future in an orderly transaction with a willing market participant.
Debt & Financing - Risk 7
We have significant levels of debt service and operating expenses that may make it difficult to produce an operating profit.Our ability to generate operating profits may be adversely affected by the level of our debt service obligations and operating expenses. We incur significant fixed costs, including interest and principal payments on outstanding indebtedness, as well as substantial operating expenses associated with maintaining our insurance operations, distribution channels, technology infrastructure, regulatory compliance, and administrative functions. These obligations must be satisfied regardless of our revenue levels or underwriting performance.
As a result of the Combination, the Company has significant levels of debt service and operating expenses which Maiden had previously incurred. Maiden had issued debt when it was a significantly larger company with much higher revenue levels and that interest expense totals $19.1 million annually. The Company is also incurring significant levels of non-payroll expenditures related to multiple ongoing legal matters, costs associated with its reinsurance recoverables, corporate insurance and other expenditures. In addition, as a regulated, public company, the Company must maintain significant staffing levels to ensure it has an adequate control environment and can fulfill its obligations as a regulated public company. Despite current growth in the Company's Program Services agreement, our revenues are currently insufficient to offset those fixed costs. We continue to take measures to reduce expenses where appropriate and believe our revenue will continue to grow to an acceptable level to ultimately produce an operating profit, but it may take several periods for that to occur.
If our premium revenue, investment income, or other sources of operating income are insufficient to cover these costs, our operating results could be materially adversely affected. Elevated debt service requirements reduce our financial flexibility and may limit the capital available to support growth, invest in strategic initiatives, or absorb adverse developments in claims experience or investment performance. In addition, increases in interest rates, refinancing costs, or operating expenses could further increase our cost structure. As a result, our significant debt service and operating expense obligations may make it more difficult for us to achieve or sustain operating profitability, particularly during periods of unfavorable increased claims, adverse reserve development, lower investment returns, or broader economic or market volatility. If we are unable to generate sufficient income to meet these obligations while maintaining adequate capital levels required by regulators and rating agencies, our financial condition, results of operations, and business prospects could be materially adversely affected.
Debt & Financing - Risk 8
We have risks related to the Company's Senior Notes.Maiden NA issued the 2013 Senior Notes and Maiden Holdings issued the 2016 Senior Notes, both of which are currently outstanding. We are presently completely dependent on dividends from Maiden Reinsurance, which require regulatory approval, to provide cash flows to pay interest on both the 2013 Senior Notes and the 2016 Senior Notes. If we are unable to maintain a level of cash flows from operating and investment activities, our ability to pay our obligations on our Senior Notes could be adversely affected.
We may also incur additional indebtedness in the future. The level of debt outstanding could adversely affect our financial flexibility. Our indebtedness could have adverse consequences, including:
- limiting our ability to pay dividends to our common shareholders;- limiting our subsidiaries' ability to pay dividends;- increasing our vulnerability to changing economic, regulatory and industry conditions;- limiting our ability to compete and our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry;- limiting our ability to borrow additional funds;- requiring us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our debt, thereby, reducing funds available for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other purposes; and - impacting regulators assessment of our capital position, adequacy and flexibility and therefore, the financial strength ratings of rating agencies and regulators' assessment of our solvency.
Debt & Financing - Risk 9
Our failure to comply with restrictive covenants contained in the documents governing our Senior Notes or any future credit facility could trigger prepayment obligations, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.The indentures governing our Senior Notes contain covenants that impose restrictions on us and certain of our subsidiaries with respect to, among other things, the incurrence of liens and the disposition of capital stock of these subsidiaries. In addition, any future credit facility may require us and/or certain of our subsidiaries to comply with certain covenants, which may include the maintenance of a minimum consolidated net tangible worth and restrictions on the payment of dividends. Our failure to comply with these covenants could result in an event of default under the indentures or any future credit facility, which, if not cured or waived, could result in us being required to repay the notes or any amounts outstanding under such credit facility prior to maturity. We believe we are in compliance with all of the covenants in the indentures governing the Senior Notes. However, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected if we were found to be in default of these covenants. Please refer to Note 11. Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees for ongoing litigation regarding an alleged breach of a sole provision of Maiden's indenture governing its 2013 Senior Notes. Maiden believes it has substantial procedural and substantive defenses to the asserted claims, and it intends to vigorously defend against these claims.
For more details on our indebtedness, see "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" included under Item 7 and "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements: Note 7. Long-Term Debt included under Item 8. "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Debt & Financing - Risk 10
The amount of collateral we provide to AmTrust could limit our unrestricted liquidity and impact our ability to fulfill our obligations in certain circumstances.As a result of our use of trust accounts, letters of credit and a loan, a substantial portion of our assets will not be available to us for other uses, have reduced our financial flexibility and our ability to fulfill our obligations in certain circumstances. If further collateral is required to be provided to any other AmTrust subsidiaries under applicable law or regulatory requirements, Maiden Reinsurance will provide collateral to the extent required.
At December 31, 2025, we provided $190.6 million of collateral to AmTrust, AII and AEL in the form of trusts, letters of credit, and a loan receivable. Maiden Reinsurance is not a party to the reinsurance agreements between AII and AmTrust's U.S. insurance subsidiaries or the related reinsurance trust agreements and has no rights thereunder. If one or more of these AmTrust subsidiaries withdraws Maiden Reinsurance's assets from their trust account and that subsidiary is or becomes insolvent, we believe it may be more difficult for Maiden Reinsurance to recover any such amounts to which we are entitled than it would be if Maiden Reinsurance had entered into reinsurance and trust agreements with these AmTrust subsidiaries directly. AII has agreed to immediately return to Maiden Reinsurance any collateral provided by Maiden Reinsurance that one of those subsidiaries improperly utilizes or retains, and AmTrust has agreed to guarantee AII's repayment obligation and AII's payment obligations under its loan agreement with Maiden Reinsurance. We are subject to the risk that AII and/or AmTrust may be unable or unwilling to discharge these obligations.
Corporate Activity and Growth4 | 6.3%
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1
Our initial arrangements with AmTrust were negotiated while Maiden was its affiliate. The arrangements could be challenged as not reflecting terms that we would agree to in arm's-length negotiations with an independent third party; moreover, our business relationship with AmTrust and its subsidiaries may present, and may make us vulnerable to, possible adverse tax consequences, difficult conflicts of interest, and legal claims that we have not acted in the best interest of our shareholders.Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2
Our risk management policies and procedures may prove to be ineffective and leave us exposed to unidentified or unanticipated risk.We have developed and continue to develop enterprise-wide risk management policies and procedures to mitigate risk and loss to which we are exposed. There are inherent limitations to risk management strategies because there may exist, or develop in the future, risks that we have not anticipated, identified or accurately assessed. If our risk management policies and procedures are ineffective, we may suffer unexpected losses and could be materially adversely affected. As our business changes and the markets in which we operate evolve, our risk management framework may not adapt at the same pace as those changes. As a result, there is a risk that new products or new business strategies may present risks that are not adequately identified, monitored or managed. In times of market stress, unanticipated market movements or unanticipated claims experience, the effectiveness of our risk management strategies may be insufficient, resulting in losses to us. In addition, we may be unable to effectively review and monitor all risks and our employees may not follow our risk management policies and procedures.
In addition, the NAIC and state legislatures and regulators have increased their focus on risks within an insurer's holding company system that may pose enterprise risk to insurers. Our insurance company subsidiaries are subject to regulation in Vermont. Vermont has adopted regulations for insurance holding companies to adopt a formal ERM function and to file an annual enterprise risk report. The regulations also require most domestic insurers to conduct an ORSA and to submit an ORSA summary report prepared in accordance with the NAIC's ORSA Guidance Manual. While we operate within an ERM framework designed to assess and monitor our risks, we may not be able to effectively review and monitor all risks, our employees may not all operate within the ERM framework and our ERM framework may not result in our accurately identifying all risks and limiting our exposures based on our assessments.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 3
We have a limited operating history and may not be able to manage our growth effectively.We intend to continue to grow our business, which could require additional capital, systems development and skilled personnel. However, our limited operating history may make it difficult to evaluate our current capital structure and future capital requirements, which may have an adverse impact on potential strategic initiatives. We will encounter risks and difficulties frequently experienced by growing companies in rapidly changing industries, including increasing and unforeseen expenses as we continue to grow our business. Our inability to manage these risks successfully may have a direct impact on our ability to exercise the option to acquire the AmTrust Insurance Companies from AmTrust, as we must be able to meet our capital needs, expand our systems and internal controls effectively, allocate our human resources optimally, identify, hire, train and develop qualified employees and effectively incorporate the components of any business we may acquire in our effort to grow. The failure to manage our growth effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 4
Our inability to maintain the strategic relationship with AmTrust could adversely affect Kestrel Group's business.AmTrust currently owns approximately 7.8% of the issued and outstanding Kestrel Group common shares and selected three directors who serve on the Kestrel Group board. See Note 10. Related Party Transactions for more details. We presently write business on a fronting basis exclusively through the AmTrust Insurance Companies who cede up to 100% of the underwriting risk associated with the business. We oversee the placement of effective insurance policies in exchange for a fee based on gross premiums written. In addition, AmTrust provides additional services in relation to the AmTrust Insurance Companies pursuant to a management agreement with Kestrel Insurance Agency, including compliance, data reporting, data flow and information technology systems. As a result, we are substantially dependent upon this strategic partnership with AmTrust, and any inability to maintain such relationship with AmTrust or to exercise the option to acquire the AmTrust Insurance Companies from AmTrust would materially adversely affect our business. These contractual arrangements may terminate or be terminated under certain circumstances. There is no assurance that AmTrust will not, due to disagreements or dissatisfaction with our management or the economic terms of our arrangement, terminate these contractual arrangements, and there can be no assurance that this strategic relationship will continue in the future, including on the same or similar terms, and if not, that we would be able to find a suitable replacement or another strategic partnership on favorable terms, if at all. If we are not able to find other insurance carriers with similar financial strength ratings with which we could partner, our ability to write new and renewal business would be significantly impacted and would have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 16/64 (25%)Above Sector Average
Regulation9 | 14.1%
Regulation - Risk 1
Our industry is highly regulated and we are subject to significant legal restrictions and these restrictions may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, cash flows and prospects.Regulation - Risk 2
Compliance by our insurance subsidiaries with the legal and regulatory requirements to which they are subject is expensive. Any failure to comply could have a material adverse effect on our business.Kestrel Group's insurance subsidiaries are required to comply with a wide variety of laws and regulations applicable to insurance or reinsurance companies, both in the jurisdictions in which they are organized and where they sell their insurance and reinsurance products. The insurance and regulatory environment has become subject to increased scrutiny in many jurisdictions, including the U.S., various states within the U.S. and the EU. In the past, there have been Congressional and other initiatives in the U.S. regarding increased supervision and regulation of the insurance industry. It is not possible to predict the future impact of changes in laws and regulations on our operations.
Compliance with applicable laws and regulations is time-consuming and personnel-intensive, and changes in these laws and regulations may materially increase costs of compliance. In the future, states may make existing insurance laws and regulation more restrictive or enact new restrictive laws. In such event, we may seek to reduce our business in, or withdraw entirely from, these states. Additionally, from time to time, the United States Congress and certain federal agencies investigate the current condition of the insurance industry to determine whether federal regulation is necessary. Currently, the U.S. federal government does not directly regulate the property and casualty insurance business. However, Dodd-Frank Act established a Federal Insurance Office ("FIO") within the Department of the Treasury. The FIO initially is charged with monitoring all aspects of the insurance industry (other than health insurance, certain long-term care insurance and crop insurance), gathering data and developing methods to modernize and improve the insurance regulatory system in the United States. The FIO continues to support the current state-based regulatory regime but will consider federal regulation should the states fail to take steps to greater uniformity. We cannot fully predict the impacts of any new legislation on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, our subsidiaries may not always be able to obtain or maintain necessary licenses, permits, authorizations or accreditations. We also may not be able to fully comply with, or to obtain appropriate exemptions from, the laws and regulations applicable to them. Any failure to comply with applicable law or to obtain appropriate exemptions could result in restrictions on either the ability of the company in question, as well as potentially its affiliates, to do business in one or more of the jurisdictions in which they operate or on brokers on which we may rely. In addition, any such failure to comply with applicable laws or to obtain appropriate exemptions could result in the imposition of fines or other sanctions. Any of these sanctions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Regulation - Risk 3
Legislation enacted in Bermuda in response to the EU's review of harmful tax competition could adversely affect our operations.During 2017, the EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council released a list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes. The stated aim of this list, and accompanying report, was to promote good governance worldwide in order to maximize efforts to prevent tax fraud and tax evasion. Bermuda was not on the list of non-cooperative jurisdictions but did feature in the report (along with approximately 40 other jurisdictions) as having committed to address concerns relating to economic substance by December 31, 2018. In accordance with that commitment, Bermuda enacted the Economic Substance Act 2018 (as amended) of Bermuda (the "ESA") that came into force on January 1, 2019. As noted above under "Regulatory Matters – Certain Bermuda Law Regulations", the ESA requires an in-scope registered entity (other than an entity which is resident for tax purposes in certain jurisdictions outside Bermuda) that carries on as a business any one or more of the "relevant activities" referred to in the ESA, to comply with economic substance requirements.
Under the ESA, holding entity activities (as defined in the ESA and the Economic Substance Regulations 2018, as amended) satisfy the requirement of undertaking a "relevant activity" and therefore would apply to Kestrel Group. However, because Kestrel Group's primary function is to acquire and hold shares or equitable interests in other entities and it does not perform any commercial activities, we believe we are only subject to the ESA's minimum economic substance requirements, and we file an annual economic substance declaration with the Registrar on that basis.
Even as a pure equity holding entity, Kestrel Group will still be required to demonstrate compliance with the ESA that we have "adequate" economic substance in Bermuda, and therefore should have adequate people for holding and managing equity participation, and adequate premises in Bermuda.
What is considered "adequate" for an entity will depend on the nature, scale and complexity of that entity and its "relevant activity". As a result, the level of economic substance requirement may evolve over time. Any entity that must satisfy economic substance requirements but fails to do so could face financial penalties or could be ordered by a court to take action to remedy such failure. It may also be faced with a restriction of its business activities, automatic reporting by the Bermuda authorities to competent authorities in the EU member state or other jurisdiction in which the entity has its holding entity, its ultimate parent entity, an owner or beneficial owner on an entity's non-compliance or may be struck off as a registered entity in Bermuda. If any one of the foregoing were to occur, it may adversely impact our business operations.
Regulation - Risk 4
Legislation enacted in Bermuda as to Corporate Income Tax may affect our operations.Bermuda's Corporate Income Tax Act 2023 (as amended) (the "CIT Act") came into operation in its entirety on January 1, 2025 along with corresponding changes to Exempted Undertakings Tax Protection Act 1966, as amended, of Bermuda (the "EUTPA") (defined below). As a result, for tax years starting on or after January 1, 2025, there may be an imposition of corporate income tax to certain Bermuda constituent entities of certain multinational groups with annual revenues of at least €750 million in the consolidated financial statements of their ultimate parent entity for at least two of the four fiscal years immediately preceding the applicable fiscal year. Tax under CIT Act is charged at a rate of 15% of the net taxable income of such Bermuda constituent entities as determined in accordance with and subject to the adjustments set out in CIT Act (including in respect of foreign tax credits applicable to the Bermuda constituent entities) and related regulations. Our consolidated revenues do not presently meet the minimum amounts for taxation under the CIT Act, however it is possible that the CIT Act may have an adverse effect on our results of operations going forward. We are considering the CIT Act and will evaluate the impact of the CIT Act on our operations as further information and guidance becomes available.
Regulation - Risk 5
Regulators may challenge our use of fronting arrangements in states in which our capacity providers are not licensed.We enter into fronting arrangements via the AmTrust Insurance Companies with general agents and domestic and foreign insurers that want to access specific U.S. property and casualty insurance business in states in which such capacity providers are not licensed or are not authorized to write particular lines of insurance. The capacity providers or the general agents administer the business, settle all claims and reinsure a substantial portion of the risks. We receive fees but generally will not share in the profits or losses of the business we write for the capacity providers unless Maiden Reinsurance participates on a quota share basis to a limited extent in certain programs. Some state insurance regulators may object to such fronting arrangements. In certain states, insurance regulators have the authority to prohibit an authorized insurer from acting as an issuing carrier for an unauthorized insurer. In addition, insurance departments in states without such prohibition could still deem the assuming insurer as transacting insurance business without a license and the issuing carrier as aiding and abetting the unauthorized sale of insurance.
If regulators in any of the states where we conduct our fronting business were to prohibit or limit the arrangement, we would be prevented or limited from conducting the business for which a capacity provider is not authorized in those states, unless and until such capacity provider is able to obtain the necessary licenses. This could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
While it is expected that the fronting business will be ceded to a number of unaffiliated reinsurers, Maiden Reinsurance may be ceded a small percentage of the reinsurance, subject to prior approval from the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation ("Vermont DFR") of our ability to reinsure the business that we expect to underwrite. If the Vermont DFR fails to provide this approval, or places certain limitations on such approval, we may not be able to operate our fronting business efficiently, which could reduce our effectiveness in the marketplace.
In addition, the Vermont DFR may place certain restrictions on our fronting business, such as requiring Maiden Reinsurance to no longer be licensed as a captive or affiliated reinsurer. Such limitations could further impact our ability to operate our fronting business, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Notwithstanding these state law restrictions on ceding insurers, the Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act ("NRRA") contained in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act ("Dodd-Frank Act") provides that all laws of a ceding insurer's nondomestic state (except those with respect to taxes and assessments on insurers or insurance income) are preempted to the extent that they otherwise apply the laws of the state to reinsurance agreements of nondomestic ceding insurers. The NRRA places the power to regulate reinsurer financial solvency primarily with the reinsurer's domiciliary state and requires credit for reinsurance to be recognized for a nondomestic ceding company if it is allowed by the ceding company's domiciliary state. A state insurance regulator might not view the NRRA as preempting a state regulator's determination that an unauthorized reinsurer must obtain a license or that any statute prohibits us from doing fronting business. However, such a determination or a conflict between state law and the NRRA could cause regulatory uncertainty about our fronting business, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Regulation - Risk 6
State insurance regulation could materially adversely affect our business.Some states have adopted changes to their insurance laws and regulations that permit insurers to obtain credit for reinsurance from reinsurers who are able to post reduced collateral if they satisfy certain requirements, including specific rating criteria. We require many of our capacity providers to post collateral to secure their reinsurance obligations to the AmTrust Insurance Companies. If regulatory changes are adopted in the states in which the AmTrust Insurance Companies are domiciled that permit non-admitted reinsurers to post reduced or no collateral in order for the insurer to obtain credit for that reinsurance, it may become more difficult for us to obtain collateral from our capacity providers who meet the applicable rating agency requirements, which could materially and adversely affect the amount of business that we can write through the AmTrust Insurance Companies.
In addition, state insurance regulators maintain broad discretion to deny, delay, suspend, non-renew or revoke licenses for various reasons, including violation of regulations. In some instances, where there is uncertainty as to applicability, we may follow practices based on interpretations of regulations or practices that we believe generally to be followed by the industry. These practices may turn out to be different from the interpretations of regulatory authorities. If we do not have the requisite licenses and approvals or do not comply with applicable regulatory requirements, state insurance regulators could preclude or temporarily suspend us from carrying on some or all regulated activities or could otherwise penalize us. In particular, Kestrel Insurance Agency, LLC ("Kestrel Insurance Agency"), which is licensed as a reinsurance broker and general lines agent by the Texas Department of Insurance, has entered into a management agreement with AmTrust that governs our fronting arrangement with each of the AmTrust Insurance Companies. If either of these licenses is suspended, non-renewed or revoked, we may be unable to maintain our fronting arrangement with AmTrust and, further, we may be unable to exercise our option to acquire the AmTrust Insurance Companies from AmTrust. This could adversely affect our ability to operate our business. Further, changes in the level of regulation of the insurance industry or changes in laws or regulations themselves or interpretations by regulatory authorities could interfere with our operations and require us to bear additional costs of compliance, which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business.
Insurers are also regulated by state insurance departments for solvency issues and are subject to reserve requirements. We cannot guarantee that all of the AmTrust Insurance Companies comply with regulations instituted by state insurance departments. We may need to expend resources to address questions or concerns regarding our relationships with the AmTrust Insurance Companies, diverting management resources away from operating our business.
Regulation - Risk 7
The general lines of authority or business we are licensed to conduct, as well as the rates charged under the policies we write through the AmTrust Insurance Companies, will be subject to prior regulatory approval in most of the states in which we operate.We are impacted by the regulation of the AmTrust Insurance Companies. Admitted insurance companies are subject to various state laws that govern organization, licensing, capitalization, policy forms, rate approvals and claims handling. Since the AmTrust Insurance Companies are admitted in most of the states in which we operate, we may need to obtain prior regulatory approval of general lines of authority or business we may be lacking in such states, as well as prior regulatory approval of program-specific insurance rates charged to our insureds and our clients' insureds in such states, including any increases in the rates. The timing of such approval processes, as well as the willingness of insurance regulators to approve licensing changes or rate increases, can impact the profitability of new policies written by us, which in turn can cause fluctuations in our revenue and earnings. If we are unable to obtain approval for the requested licensing or rate changes, or if such approval is delayed, our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity may be adversely affected.
Regulation - Risk 8
Our offices that operate in jurisdictions outside Bermuda and the U.S. are subject to certain limitations and risks that are unique to foreign operations.Our international operations are regulated in various jurisdictions with respect to licensing requirements, currency, reserves, employees and other matters. International operations may be harmed by political developments in foreign countries, which may be hard to predict in advance. Regulations governing technical reserves and remittance balances in some countries may hinder remittance of profits and repatriation of assets.
Regulation - Risk 9
Our holding company structure and certain regulatory and other constraints affect our ability to pay dividends and make other payments.We are a holding company. As a result, we do not have, and will not have, any significant operations or assets other than our ownership of the shares of our subsidiaries. We expect that dividends and other permitted distributions from our operating subsidiaries will be our sole source of funds to pay any dividends to common shareholders and meet ongoing cash requirements, including debt service payments, if any, and other expenses. The jurisdictions in which our operating subsidiaries are licensed to write business impose regulations requiring companies to maintain or meet statutory solvency and liquidity requirements and also place restrictions on the declaration and payment of dividends and other distributions. The inability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends in an amount sufficient to enable us to meet our cash requirements at the holding company level could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Any capital distribution of any kind out of Maiden Reinsurance requires the prior approval of the Vermont DFR.
The timing and amount of any cash dividends on our common shares are at the discretion of our Board, subject to applicable laws, and will depend upon the results of operations and cash flows, our financial position and capital requirements, and any other factors that our Board deems relevant.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities2 | 3.1%
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1
Maiden Reinsurance's legacy business is subject to risks related to litigation. Losses from legal and regulatory actions may have a material adverse effect on our reputation, which in turn may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and prospects.Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 2
Significant litigation could be costly, disruptive, and strain our limited resources as a newly public company.We are, and may in the future become, involved in various claims and legal proceedings, including arbitrations, arising in the ordinary course of business and generally relating to our business operations. As a newly public company with limited financial and personnel resources, the expense, time commitment, and operational distraction associated with significant litigation present heightened risks to our business. Please see discussion in Note 11. Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees for information regarding ongoing legal proceedings.
Litigation-regardless of merit-can be costly to defend, may require substantial attention from senior management, and can divert significant internal resources away from strategic initiatives, business development, and commercial execution. Legal proceedings can also be unpredictable, and we may be required to incur expenses or pay settlements, damages, penalties, or other costs that exceed our insurance coverage or for which insurance is unavailable. In addition, adverse judgments or regulatory outcomes could harm our reputation, restrict our operations, or require changes to our business practices.
As a newly public company, we face additional exposure to securities class actions, derivative suits, and regulatory inquiries, particularly during periods of stock price volatility. Defending against these matters can be especially burdensome given our size and resource constraints. Any significant litigation or regulatory action could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and ability to execute our growth strategy.
Taxation & Government Incentives4 | 6.3%
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1
We may become subject to taxes in Bermuda after 2035, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and operating results and on an investment in our shares.Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 2
OECD two-pillar solution to address the tax challenges arising from the digital economy may apply to our activities.On May 31, 2019, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ("OECD") published a "Programme of Work" designed to address the tax challenges created by an increasing digitalized economy which was divided into two pillars. Pillar One addresses the broader challenge of a digitalized economy and focuses on the allocation of group profits among taxing jurisdictions based on a market based concept rather than historical "permanent establishment" concepts, but includes explicit exclusions for Regulated Financial Services, so is not expected to have a material impact on insurance and reinsurance groups. Pillar Two addresses the risk of profit shifting to entities in low tax jurisdictions by introducing a global minimum tax and a proposed tax on base eroding payments, which would operate through a denial of a deduction or imposition of source-based taxation (including withholding tax) on certain payments.
In 2021, significant steps were taken to develop a plan for implementing the two-pillar solution. In October 2021, the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework ("Inclusive Framework") released a statement agreeing a two-pillar solution to address the tax challenges arising from the digital economy. In December 2021, the OECD issued Pillar Two model rules for domestic implementation of the global minimum tax (the "GloBE Rules"), which consist of (1) an Income Inclusion Rule ("IIR"), which imposes top-up tax on a parent entity in respect of the low-taxed income of a constituent entity within that parent entity's group; and (2) an Undertaxed Profits Rule ("UTPR"), which denies deductions or requires an equivalent adjustment to the extent the low-taxed income of a constituent entity is not subject to tax under an IIR. Pillar Two also includes a treaty-based Subject To Tax Rule ("STTR") that allows source jurisdictions to impose limited source taxation on certain related party payments subject to tax below a minimum rate, and a limited number of Inclusive Framework members have either signed or expressed an intention to sign a multilateral convention to implement the STTR. The timeline for implementation of this STTR remains uncertain. A number of jurisdictions (including Sweden and the UK) have passed legislation to implement the GloBE Rules into domestic law and these rules now apply to in scope entities in those jurisdictions.
The release of further updates to the GloBE Rules and adoption of Pillar Two legislation by additional jurisdictions may give rise to consequential amendments to tax laws (other than those which seek to enact or modify Pillar Two rules) in other jurisdictions, in particular the introduction of domestic minimum top-up taxes. As noted above (see Legislation enacted in Bermuda as to Corporate Income Tax may affect our operations) Bermuda has enacted the CIT Act in response to the Pillar Two initiative.
On January 5, 2026, members of the Inclusive Framework agreed several amendments to the Pillar Two rules aimed at simplification, reducing compliance burdens and ensuring fair treatment of substance-based tax incentives. This package includes a significant new safe harbor which will enable certain groups which are parented in a jurisdiction which has a qualifying tax regime to elect for relevant group entities to be deemed to have a top up tax of zero for the purposes of the IIR and UTPR for financial years commencing on or after January 1, 2026. As of January 1, 2026 only the U.S. (which does not apply the Pillar Two rules) has been designated as having a qualifying tax regime for this purpose, with the effect that certain U.S. headquartered groups will not be subject to taxes under IRR or UTPR rules applicable to group entities.
The proposals, in particular in relation to Pillar Two, are broad in scope and include a number of exemptions which may be available to us, however, the Company's consolidated revenues do not presently meet the minimum amounts for taxation under the GloBE Rules, therefore, the legislation implementing these rules is currently not expected to directly impact our operations and results. If the consolidated revenue threshold for multinational enterprises within the scope of the GloBE Rules is reduced or if the Company's consolidated revenues exceed €750 million in two out of the four previous fiscal years, the Company may fall within the scope of domestic top-up taxes in certain jurisdictions in which we operate and our operations and results may be adversely impacted as a result.
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 3
U.S. NOL (and certain other tax attributes or tax benefits of Kestrel Group and its U.S. subsidiaries) may be subject to limitation under Section 382 of the Tax Code.Kestrel Group and its U.S. subsidiaries have significant tax NOL carryforwards as of December 31, 2025. As a result of the NOL and other tax attributes, the Company presently has a net deferred tax asset with a full valuation allowance against it which may be recognized in future periods. It is possible that certain ownership changes of the Company, if they were to occur, could result in an "ownership change" of Kestrel Group and its U.S. subsidiaries for purposes of Section 382 of the Tax Code. If such an ownership change (as defined) were to occur, the value and amount of the NOL would be substantially impaired, increasing the U.S. federal income tax liability of the Company and materially reducing the value of the Company. Should the NOL be limited in any way, it could also limit or eliminate the Company's ability to recognize and realize that asset in the future.
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 4
We may be subject to U.K. taxes, which would have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations and on an investment in our shares.A company which is resident in the U.K. for U.K. corporation tax purposes is subject to U.K. corporation tax in respect of its worldwide income and gains. While Maiden Global is a U.K. company, neither Kestrel Group nor Maiden Reinsurance are incorporated in the U.K. Nevertheless, Kestrel Group or Maiden Reinsurance would be treated as being resident in the U.K. for U.K. corporation tax purposes if its central management and control were exercised in the U.K. The concept of central management and control is indicative of the highest level of control of a company's affairs, which is wholly a question of fact. The directors and officers of both Kestrel Group and Maiden Reinsurance intend to manage their affairs so that both companies are resident in Bermuda, and not resident in the U.K., for U.K. tax purposes. However, HM Revenue & Customs could challenge our tax residence status.
A company which is not resident in the U.K. for U.K. corporation tax purposes can nevertheless be subject to U.K. corporation tax at the rate of 25% if it carries on a trade in the U.K. through a permanent establishment in the U.K., but the charge to U.K. corporation tax is limited to profits (both income profits and chargeable gains) attributable directly or indirectly to such permanent establishment.
The directors and officers of Maiden Reinsurance intend to operate the business of Maiden Reinsurance in such a manner that it does not carry on a trade in the U.K. through a permanent establishment in the U.K. Nevertheless, HM Revenue & Customs might contend successfully that Maiden Reinsurance is trading in the U.K. through a permanent establishment in the U.K. because there is considerable uncertainty as to the activities which constitute carrying on a trade in the U.K. through a permanent establishment in the U.K.
The U.K. has no income tax treaty with Bermuda. Companies that are neither resident in the U.K. nor entitled to the protection afforded by a double tax treaty between the U.K. and the jurisdiction in which they are resident may in certain circumstances be liable to income tax in the U.K., at the basic rate of 20%, on the profits of a trade carried on in the U.K., where that trade is not carried on through a permanent establishment in the U.K. The directors and officers of Maiden Reinsurance intend to operate the business in such a manner that Maiden Reinsurance will not fall within the charge to income tax in the U.K. (other than by way of deduction or withholding).
In addition, diverted profits tax ("DPT") applies to foreign companies with sales in the U.K. (such as Maiden Reinsurance) that design their affairs to avoid creating a taxable presence (in the form of a permanent establishment) in the U.K., or to U.K. corporate tax payers that enter into transactions with connected companies which lack economic substance to exploit differentials in tax rates (the "Substance Change"). DPT is charged at 31% of, broadly, the profits representing the contribution of the U.K. activities to the group's results. It is expected that DPT will be abolished under legislation expected to be enacted in March or April 2026 and replaced in part with a new set of Unassessed Transfer Pricing Profit Rules ("UTPP"). Applying (retrospectively and prospectively) in respect of accounting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2026, the UTPP is intended to have the same scope as the Substance Charge and is an anti-avoidance tool which aims to deter and counter the use of contrived arrangements by multinationals to circumvent the UK's transfer pricing rules and thereby avoid paying tax on profits that have been generated in the UK. Companies will be subject to the UTPP upon assessment by the U.K. tax authorities, and if applicable could be subject to corporation tax at 31%.
If either Kestrel Group or Maiden Reinsurance were treated as being resident in the U.K. for U.K. corporation tax purposes, or if Maiden Reinsurance were treated as carrying on a trade in the U.K., whether through a permanent establishment or otherwise, or if DPT applied, the results of our operations would be materially adversely affected.
Any arrangements (including with regard to the provision of services or financing) between Maiden Global and any non-U.K. resident members of the group are subject to the U.K. transfer pricing regime. Consequently, if any such arrangement were found not to be on arm's length terms and, as a result, a U.K. tax advantage was being obtained, an adjustment would be required to compute U.K. tax profits as if such arrangement were on arm's length terms. Any transfer pricing adjustment (or UTPP charge) could adversely impact the tax charge suffered by Maiden Global. The U.K. has implemented the BEPS recommendation for "country-by-country" reporting. As a result, our approach to transfer pricing may become subject to greater scrutiny from the U.K. tax authorities.
Environmental / Social1 | 1.6%
Environmental / Social - Risk 1
Legislation enacted in Bermuda as to Privacy and Protection of Personal Information.Production
Total Risks: 9/64 (14%)Above Sector Average
Employment / Personnel1 | 1.6%
Employment / Personnel - Risk 1
Our business is dependent on the efforts of our executive officers and other personnel. If we are unsuccessful in our efforts to attract, train and retain qualified personnel, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may be materially adversely affected.Supply Chain6 | 9.4%
Supply Chain - Risk 1
Collateral arrangements with ceding insurers may subject our assets to security interests, pledges or other restrictions which may result in lower investment yields and may adversely affect our profitability.Supply Chain - Risk 2
The AmTrust Insurance Companies may not be able to recover amounts due from reinsurers, which would adversely affect our financial condition.We are a specialty program group offering fronting arrangements to domestic and foreign insurers that want to access specific U.S. property and casualty insurance business, which are collectively referred to as "capacity providers," and we generally reinsure on a quota share basis up to 100% of the risk under these policies issued by the AmTrust Insurance Companies in exchange for fees. We presently write business exclusively through the AmTrust Insurance Companies, all subsidiaries of AmTrust through which we have been writing our business, and we currently have an option to acquire the AmTrust Insurance Companies from AmTrust.
The AmTrust Insurance Companies reinsure a substantial portion of the underwriting and operating risks in connection with our fronting arrangements to capacity providers. We generally recommend either well capitalized, highly rated authorized capacity providers or capacity providers that post collateral and/or obtain guarantees to secure the reinsured risks on the policies issued by the AmTrust Insurance Companies. However, if any of the capacity providers becomes insolvent, are unwilling or unable to post collateral, or otherwise refuse to reimburse losses paid to these policyholders in a timely manner, the corresponding impact to our ability to continue writing business through the AmTrust Insurance Companies could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Although the AmTrust Insurance Companies will ultimately take the risk of insolvency or other failure to pay by a capacity provider, any adverse impact to the business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects of the AmTrust Insurance Companies may have an adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations as we are and continue to be reliant on the AmTrust Insurance Companies to write our business. For example, any risks or difficulties that result in a negative impact on the financial strength ratings, licenses or reputation of any of the AmTrust Insurance Companies may limit or restrict our ability to continue to write business on behalf of our capacity providers, which in turn may have a material and adverse impact on our ability to generate fee revenues and on our financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Supply Chain - Risk 3
Failure of capacity providers or general agents to properly market, underwrite or administer policies could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.The marketing, underwriting, claims administration and other administration of policies will be the responsibility of our capacity providers or general agents. Any failure by them to properly handle these functions could result in liability to the AmTrust Insurance Companies, which may have an adverse impact on our financial condition. Even though these capacity providers or general agents may be required to compensate the AmTrust Insurance Companies for any such liability, there are risks that any such failure could create regulatory or reputational issues for the AmTrust Insurance Companies, which could limit or restrict our ability to continue to write business on behalf of our capacity providers. Any such limitations or restrictions could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Supply Chain - Risk 4
We may not be successful in building more direct relationships with general agents and capacity providers.We may rely on our relationship-driven channels to generate new fronting business. In addition, we may rely on brokers to identify general agents in need of fronting. Although we build direct relationships with general agents and capacity providers and hire additional fully-dedicated sales staff, we may not be successful in our efforts to expand our fronting business.
Supply Chain - Risk 5
We rely on third-party service providers that provide the infrastructure for our technological systems, and any failure to maintain these relationships could harm our business.Information technology systems form a key part of our business and accordingly we are dependent on our relationships with third parties that provide the infrastructure for our technological systems. For example, as previously noted, AmTrust is providing services in relation to the AmTrust Insurance Companies pursuant to a management agreement with Kestrel Insurance Agency, which includes compliance, data reporting, data flow and information technology systems. If these third parties experience difficulty providing the services we require or meeting our standards for those services, or experience disruptions or financial distress or cease operations temporarily or permanently, it could make it difficult for us to operate some aspects of our business. In addition, such events could cause us to experience increased costs and delay our ability to provide services until we have found alternative sources of the services provided by these third parties. If we are unsuccessful in identifying high-quality partners, if we fail to negotiate cost-effective relationships with them or if we ineffectively manage these relationships, it could materially and adversely affect our business, operating results, financial condition and prospects.
If any of our third-party service providers experience difficulties or terminate their services and we are unable to replace them with other service providers, our operations could be interrupted. It may be difficult for us to replace some of our third-party vendors, particularly vendors providing our core operational and technological infrastructure, in a timely manner if they were unwilling or unable to provide us with these services in the future for any reason. If an interruption were to continue for a significant period of time, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. Even if we are able to replace them, it may be at higher cost, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. In addition, if a third-party provider fails to provide the services we require, fails to meet contractual requirements, such as compliance with applicable laws and regulations, or suffers a cyber-attack or other security breach, our business could suffer economic and reputational harm that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Supply Chain - Risk 6
Maiden's reinsurers may not pay losses in a timely fashion, or at all, which could have a material adverse effect on Kestrel Group's results of operations or financial condition.At December 31, 2025, Maiden had $459.8 million of recoverables due from one reinsurer, Cavello, consisting of losses recoverable from Cavello under a retrocession agreement of $32.8 million and reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses under an adverse development cover agreement of $427.0 million. Cavello provided collateral in the form of a letter of credit in the amount of $445.0 million to AmTrust under the LPT/ADC Agreement with Cavello on July 31, 2019, pursuant to which Cavello assumed the loss reserves as of December 31, 2018 associated with a quota share reinsurance agreement between certain insurance subsidiaries of Maiden and AmTrust that went in run-off effective January 1, 2019, subject to additional collateral funding requirements.
As of December 31, 2025, the amount of collateral required was $362.5 million. See Note 8. Reinsurance for additional information regarding these reinsurance and collateral arrangements with Cavello. Maiden's reinsurers may not pay losses in a timely fashion, or at all. Either of these events would increase Kestrel Group's costs and could have a material adverse effect on Kestrel Group's business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
On July 18, 2025, the Company received correspondence from Cavello disputing the dates of loss assigned by Maiden Reinsurance's cedant in the underlying reinsurance contract to a significant number of claims regarding certain coverage. In that correspondence, Cavello asserts that $46.7 million in identified claims and approximately $25.0 million in potential additional claims would fall outside the applicable coverage and reserves all of its rights under the applicable agreements if these matters are not resolved. This correspondence and the asserted amounts resulted from an audit requested by Cavello in December 2024 pursuant to its rights under the LPT/ADC Agreement. The Company continues to discuss and exchange information with Cavello on these matters and believes the terms of the LPT/ADC Agreement support both the Company's position on the dates of loss and the current reinsurance recoverable Maiden Reinsurance has recognized for these claims. At this time, the Company cannot predict the outcome of these issues.
Costs2 | 3.1%
Costs - Risk 1
Some of our fronting arrangements may contain limits on the reinsurer's obligations.Costs - Risk 2
Our business, and therefore our results of operations and financial condition, may be adversely affected by conditions that result in reduced insurer capacity.Our results of operations presently depend on the continued capacity of the AmTrust Insurance Companies to adequately and appropriately underwrite risk and provide coverage. Capacity could be reduced by the AmTrust Insurance Companies failing or withdrawing from writing certain coverages that we offer and we have limited control over these matters. In addition, to the extent that reinsurance becomes significantly more expensive, we may experience restrictions and limitations on our ability to continue to write the amount or types of business we anticipated, which could have a negative impact on our ability to generate fee revenue and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 3/64 (5%)Below Sector Average
Competition2 | 3.1%
Competition - Risk 1
We may face increased competition.Competition - Risk 2
The property and casualty insurance and reinsurance industry is competitive and cyclical in nature, which may affect our overall financial performance.Historically, the financial performance of the property and casualty insurance and reinsurance industry has tended to fluctuate in cyclical periods of price competition and excess capacity (known as a soft market) followed by periods of high premium rates and shortages of underwriting capacity (known as a hard market). Although the financial performance of an individual insurance or reinsurance company is dependent on its own specific business characteristics, the profitability of most property and casualty insurance and reinsurance companies tends to follow this cyclical market pattern.
In recent years, the market has been in a competitive environment in which underwriting capacity has expanded, risk selection became less disciplined and price competition increased sharply. During that period, market participants' capital levels have continued to improve due to positive earnings and improved values of risk assets over that time. In addition, an influx of new market participants with different operating models than traditional reinsurers such as us have entered the market place. Significant increases in the use of risk-linked securities and derivative and other non-traditional risk transfer mechanisms and vehicles are being developed and offered by other parties, including entities other than insurance and reinsurance companies. The availability of both these non-traditional products and sources of capital could reduce the demand for traditional insurance and reinsurance, and if we were to resume active reinsurance underwriting of new prospective risks, it may result in fewer contracts written, lower premium rates, increased expenses for customer acquisition and retention and less favorable policy terms and conditions, which could have a material adverse impact on our growth and profitability.
Because this cyclically is due in large part to the actions of our competitors and general economic factors beyond our control, we cannot predict with certainty the timing or duration of changes in the market cycle. These cyclical patterns, the actions of our competitors, and general economic factors could cause our revenues and net income to fluctuate, which may cause the price of our common shares to be volatile. The ultimate outcome of these events and their market impact is not known at this time.
We are not presently engaged in active reinsurance underwriting of new prospective risks. If and when we do decide to resume active reinsurance underwriting of new prospective risks, most if not all of these risks will likely emanate from our Program Services segment, which is dominated by insurance programs that are either new or have limited experience which, when combined with significant competitive pressures in both its sector as well as in reinsurance could compel us to write business at unprofitable operating margins. As the insurance and reinsurance industry consolidates, competition may become more intense and the importance of acquiring and properly servicing each customer will become greater.
Many of these entities have significantly larger amounts of capital, higher ratings from rating agencies and more resources than us. We currently do not have a financial strength or credit rating from S&P or A.M. Best and the lack of such ratings will likely limit the opportunities we have to write new reinsurance business if we resume active underwriting of new prospective risks. Historically, periods of increased capacity levels in our industry have led to increased competition which puts pressure on reinsurance pricing.
Demand1 | 1.6%
Demand - Risk 1
We derive a significant portion of our fee revenues from a limited number of general agents and capacity providers, the loss of which could result in our inability to continue to write a significant portion of the current business, additional expense and a material decrease in fee revenues. The loss of business provided by any one of them could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.Macro & Political
Total Risks: 3/64 (5%)Below Sector Average
Economy & Political Environment1 | 1.6%
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1
We may be adversely impacted by claims inflation.Natural and Human Disruptions1 | 1.6%
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1
Catastrophic losses may exceed expectations.Capital Markets1 | 1.6%
Capital Markets - Risk 1
Foreign currency fluctuations may reduce our net income and our capital levels, adversely affecting our financial condition.Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 2/64 (3%)Below Sector Average
Cyber Security1 | 1.6%
Cyber Security - Risk 1
Technology breaches or failures, including, but not limited to, those resulting from cyber-attacks on us or our business partners and service providers, could disrupt or otherwise negatively impact our business.Technology1 | 1.6%
Technology - Risk 1
Artificial intelligence could increase competitive, operational, legal and regulatory risks to our businesses in ways that we cannot predict.See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.
FAQ
What are “Risk Factors”?
Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment.
They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result.
It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.
How do companies disclose their risk factors?
Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process.
Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”.
Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report.
According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.
How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?
Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing.
You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector.
Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements.
A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.
What are all the risk factor categories?
TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below.
1. Financial & Corporate
- Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing.
- Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments.
- Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances.
2. Legal & Regulatory
- Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company.
- Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation.
- Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy.
- Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives.
3. Production
- Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory.
- Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers.
- Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls.
- Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation.
4. Technology & Innovation
- Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development.
- Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology.
- Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks.
- Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying.
5. Ability to Sell
- Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers.
- Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes.
- Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration.
- Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation.
6. Macro & Political
- Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions.
- Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19.
- International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company.
- Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.