AM Best
Ratings agencies stable on CNA after cyber attack
AM Best and Fitch have both maintained their ratings for CNA Financial Corporation with a stable outlook after the insurer suffered a sophisticated cybersecurity attack on 21 March.
Analysis: Deconstructing Aviva
With a new group CEO in role, Aviva has made serious strides in offloading its overseas operations. What inspired these moves and what does this mean for its core operations in the UK, Ireland and Canada?
Ratings agencies see ‘meaningful debate’ between insurers and reinsurers over Covid-19 recoveries
Experts have reiterated that insurer ratings are unlikely to be hit by the outcome of the Supreme Court’s Covid-19 business interruption claims ruling but noted that there will “meaningful debate” over how much insurers can claim from their reinsurers.
Intelligence: State insurance - The last resort
The global pandemic of 2020 saw insurers stepping back from coverage in some areas of the market and led to calls of a Pandemic Re backed by the government. Post asks if the government can and should step into the void as the insurer of last resort
Analysis: The class of 2020 emerges
The emergence of a cluster of start up and scale up carriers, or a class of 2020, caught analysts by surprise despite the hardening market.
Top 30 Asia-Pacific Insurers: Bracing for uncertainty
Although non-life insurers in Asia performed modestly in 2019, the past nine months has been bumpy for the industry. Christie Lee, senior director of analytics for Asia-Pacific at AM Best, discusses the region’s performance over the past year
The Top 100 UK Insurers 2020
A ranking of the top 100 Prudential Regulation Authority-regulated UK insurance companies, with each business broken down by gross written premium, net written premium, underwriting result, retention ratio, solvency capital requirement and SCR Ratio.
Editor's comment: What a difference a year makes
I’m a firm believer that even when you are facing your darkest days things will be better on the other side and good things will always follow.
Top 100 UK Insurers 2020
The 100 largest UK-regulated insurers reported a combined underwriting profit in 2019, albeit lower than in 2018. Bond yields fell in 2019, however, investment earnings benefited from the strong performance of equity markets. How will the impact of the…
Top 30 European Insurers 2020: A year of profit
The top 30 European insurers saw growth in non-life premiums in 2019 and overall profit after tax was significantly higher than in 2018. Mathilde Jakobsen, director, analytics, AM Best, explains what the market is facing
Analysis: Beirut blast – cost of humanitarian crisis could top $10bn
The explosion in Beirut, Lebanon at around 6pm local time on Tuesday 4 August tragically killed at least 157 people and wounded another 5000, with more than a hundred still missing as rescue efforts continue.
Analysis: The Covid crunch in insurer results
With analysts cautioning the Covid crunch will begin to bite insurers in the second quarter of 2020, Post investigates what impact the coronavirus pandemic has already had in the first quarter
Analysis: Constructing Pandemic Re
The insurance industry stands ready to participate in the creation of a Pandemic Re vehicle but opinions differ on how it would work.
Ratings agencies assessing coronavirus impact on insurers' balance sheets
Ratings agencies have moved to assess the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on insurers. Among them is AM Best, which is developing stress tests that will assess the impact on insurance companies’ balance sheets.
Q&A: Gary Humphreys, Markerstudy
Markerstudy’s group underwriting director, Gary Humphreys, discusses taking a pause on commercial business, progress on the Co-op Insurance buy, debt, making further acquisitions and the rated versus unrated debate as well as backing MGAs and the future…
Markerstudy not 'exercised' by May debt deadline
Markerstudy is in discussions with Qatar Re over the repayment of its $316m (£244m) loan ahead of the next deadline of May this year, group underwriting director Gary Humphreys told Post.
This month in Post: Thomas Cook-up
In a week that was dominated by personal injury fracas, the revelation that Thomas Cook self-insured against all but the “very largest” PI claims may well take the cake for biggest botch up.
Top 30 Asia Insurers: A volatile year
2018 was a volatile year for Asian insurers with the majority of them posting declines in gross written premium or sluggish growth. Christie Lee, senior director of analytics for Asia-Pacific at AM Best, explains the challenges they are facing.
CFC's Dave Walsh on creating a culture for innovation
AM Best has confirmed it is launching a new innovation score for carriers, because innovation is seen to be "just as critical to insurers’ success as the strength of their balance sheet" and, according to Dave Walsh, CEO of CFC Underwriting, it seems…
Top 100 UK Insurers 2019
The 100 largest UK-regulated insurers, ranked by non-life gross premium written, reported a combined underwriting profit in 2018, compared to a loss in 2017. Catherine Thomas, senior director of analytics in London at AM Best, explains how they achieved…
Top 30 European Insurers 2019: Insurers see 4.4% growth
Gross written premium reported by the 30 largest European insurers in 2018 was 4.4% higher than the aggregated figure for the previous year but those writing significant business outside of the eurozone have seen foreign exchange rate movements having an…
Analysis: How insurers are preventing the Brexit brain drain
Insurers are coming up with ways to get round obstacles to doing business in Europe after Brexit
This Week: We'll be watching you
At long last, the Civil Liability Bill cleared its final parliamentary hurdle this week, opening the way for a much-awaited review of the personal injury discount rate.
California wildfire losses expected to hit record levels
The losses from the continuing 8 November California wildfires are expected to reach record levels, according to ratings agencies.