More than $4 million has been donated to deserving projects across the community during the past year by companies that are members of the Bermuda International Long Term Insurers and Reinsurers.

The companies have also supported more than 50 charitable initiatives. In addition Biltir, as an association, has donated directly to the Bermuda Hospitals Board and the Bermuda Community Foundation in support of Covid relief.

The life reinsurance has supported initiatives through including volunteering, fundraising, sponsorships, scholarships, mentoring and donations to local causes and schools. Some examples include:

• Athene Life Re (a subsidiary of Athene Holding), together with Athora Holding Ltd, Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited and Catalina Holdings (Bermuda) Ltd announced a $3.5 million donation to the Bermuda College Foundation to create a career development centre at Bermuda College. The companies also donated more than $400,000 to fund the purchase of eight life-assisting ventilators for the Bermuda Hospitals Board.

• Biltir association gave $50,000 to Bermuda Hospitals Board and Bermuda Community Foundation in support of Covid-19 emergency funds, as well as providing scholarships, tutoring and internship programmes for Bermudian students

• Athene Life Re established the Athene Scholarship with Bermuda College which awards 10 students, each academic year, scholarships covering the full cost of each student's associate degree programme and required books. The programme supports students pursuing degrees in accounting, actuarial science, business, economics, finance, human resources, information technology, insurance and risk management, legal studies or mathematics, and provides them with work study opportunities with Athene.

• Athene Life Re donated $25,000 to the Third Sector Coordinated Crisis Response in Bermuda to help provide essential items for vulnerable populations.

• Hannover Life Re donated more than $35,000 to Northlands School and supporting charities such as Bermuda Education Network, Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, Bermuda Music School and Bermuda Basketball Youth Federation.

• Global Atlantic Re volunteered and donated to charities such as SCARS, Family Centre, Hamilton Seventh Day Adventist feeding programme, funding local children’s sports teams and athletic programmes and sponsoring student workbooks through Planet Math.

• Legal and General contributed $50,000 to the Covid-19 Emergency Funds, Lighthouse Connect project to purchase laptops for students and other scholarships.

• Kuvare provided a treasurer for the board of the Windreach Foundation and contributed to the Covid-19 Emergency Fund.

• Resolution Re donated $40,000 to the Bermuda Emergency Fund for Covid-19, and has supported other initiatives such as the Coalition for Protection of Children breakfast programme and the Gina Spence Productions school uniform drive.

• Sun Life Financial International contributed almost $100,000 to a range of charities, including the Covid-19 Emergency Fund, Bermuda Zoological Society, Meals on Wheels, Women’s Resource Centre, and Bermuda Diabetes.

• Wilton Re donated towards laptops and school shoes for students at Prospect Primary and supported an asthma medical assistance programme for Open Airways, as well as staff volunteering for various local charities and churches.

Sylvia Oliveira, chairwoman of Biltir, said: “I am very proud of the efforts our members make every year to support Bermuda’s worthwhile charitable initiatives and give back to the local community. 2020 has been a particularly difficult year due to Covid-19, and I would like to thank our members for the hard work and solidarity they have shown in supporting the island through this crisis.”