Wilton Re

About Wilton Re

In the world of insurance, not all companies are focused on writing new policies. Some find opportunity in the policies that already exist. In 2004, Chris Stroup, in partnership with Trident, founded Wilton Re to specialize in acquiring and managing blocks of in-force life insurance and annuities. The company's core business is to provide risk capital and services to other U.S. life insurance companies, essentially taking over their existing books of business. The strategy was to help other insurers manage their legacy issues, which in turn frees up their capital and allows them to focus on new growth areas. Wilton Re’s model involves providing reinsurance for these blocks of business or acquiring them outright. This niche focus on what is known as "in force solutions" allowed the company to build deep expertise in managing the complexities of existing life insurance and annuity contracts. A significant chapter in Wilton Re's story unfolded in 2014 when it was acquired by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) for $1.8 billion. This was a strategic move for CPPIB, which saw Wilton Re as a platform to invest at scale in the U.S. life insurance sector. For Wilton Re, the acquisition provided access to substantial capital resources, positioning the company for further growth and enhancing its ability to take on larger transactions. Founder Chris Stroup continued to lead the company for several years after the acquisition, with a new leadership team appointed in 2021.