LONDON, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Fitch has changed its outlook

on global reinsurers to neutral from improving, adding on

Thursday it expected the sector to remain strong but that prices

had probably passed their peak.

Reinsurers, which insure insurers, have raised their rates

in recent years in response to losses from the COVID-19

pandemic, wars and natural catastrophes. Industry sources,

however, have mixed views on whether prices will keep rising.

"We expect balance sheet strength and financial performance

to remain resilient in 2025, but further improvement is less

likely," Fitch analyst Manuel Arrive told a media briefing.

There was likely to be a "moderate softening" in property

catastrophe reinsurance rates at the key Jan. 1 renewal date for

reinsurers, Arrive said, adding that risks from large natural

catastrophes such as hurricanes remained.

"If there is a high magnitude event, rates could harden

again," Arrive said.

Insurance ratings agency AM Best said this week it expected

"hard" - or high - reinsurance pricing conditions to last longer

than in previous cycles.

Meanwhile, Lloyd's of London chairman Bruce

Carnegie-Brown told Reuters that commercial insurance rates may

not be falling yet.

Tracy Hatlestad, head of property reinsurance at broker Aon

, however, told a webinar that she expected property

reinsurance prices to soften.

S&P Global this week retained its stable outlook for

reinsurers, while Moody's raised its outlook to positive from

stable.

Reinsurers meet for their annual conference in Monte Carlo

next week to hammer out January pricing deals with insurers.