Sidecar

In context of reinsurance, a sidecar is an insurance investment vehicle created by the reinsurance company. By investing in sidecar, investors can participate in the risk and return of a specific group of insurance policies and the liability of investors is limited to the funds of the sidecar. This structure became popular after Hurricane Katrina as a vehicle for reinsurers/insurers to add risk-bearing capacity and for investors to participate in the potential profits from a sharp increase in reinsurance premium.