News
ART demand grows, finds Swiss Re study
Demand for alternative risk transfer (ART) products is continuing to grow, despite concerns about the...
Fitch maintains ratings of delisted ESG Re
Fitch has maintained on rating watch negative its 'B' (weak) insurer financial strength ratings of ES...
Markel moves into profit
In the fourth quarter of 2002 the US-based (re)insurer Markel made its first quarterly underwriting p...
Trenwick gets more downgrades
AM Best has joined other rating companies in downgrading the troubled Bermuda-based (re)insurer Trenw...
Max Re reveals loss in 2002
Bermudian reinsurer Max Re made a net loss of $5.7m in 2002, compared with a $2.5m profit the year be...
Backstop blues
The long wait for a federal US backstop for terrorism cover ended late last year but details of the government's new terrorism insurance programme and its implications remain unclear. Peter Chaffetz and Fred Reinke report.
Movie misery
Despite high hopes and significant investment, (re)insurers that gambled on film finance insurance in the 1990s are paying the price with the business itself becoming the biggest flop of all, says Adrian Leonard.
Reweb - First seen on the Reinsurance website
- Goshawk Insurance Holdings of the UK has used a $40m loan facility with Barclays Bank to increase ...
Aviation losses light in 2002
Last year was a good year for aviation (re)insurers, with just $1.1bn of incurred hull and liabilit...
Appointment at PartnerRe.
Bermudian reinsurer PartnerRe has appointed Jean-Marie Nessi (right), the former head of Axa Corpora...
Appointment at Watson Wyatt.
Watson Wyatt, the global consulting firm, has appointed Philip Brook as global head of the insurance...
London profits if US slumps
What would be the effect on the London insurance market of recession in the US or a US stock market slump? Robert CB Miller compares past ups and downs on both sides of the Atlantic and discovers good news for London's underwriters.
Rebriefs - Losses in Canberra bushfires.
Insured losses from last month's Canberra bushfires could total A$150m ($89m), according to Australi...
Unhealthy environment
Given the strong growth in policy sales the casual observer would be forgiven for thinking all is well in the UK's life and health markets. Not so, said the experts at Reinsurance's latest Lunch Forum, sponsored by Swiss Re. Janina Clark reports on a…
Earthquake risks
Earthquake risk in France, Germany, Switzerland and the Benelux countries is higher than previously...
The pulse is weak
Industry analysts are taking a negative view of the immediate prospects for the world's mature life and health (re)insurance markets. Janina Clark investigates.
India opens its doors
Foreign (re)assurers are steadily becoming more involved in India's life business. Oscar Smith explains why the market is so attractive.
US success for Endurance
Endurance Specialty has received an 'A-' (excellent) rating from AM Best for its new US subsidiary,...
Tolle: discipline is needed at Lloyd's
Lloyd's franchise performance director-elect, Rolf Tolle, has rejected any notion that the market i...
US faces up to change
Demand for US life and health reinsurance has begun to level off but the need for economies of scale will force companies to decide whether to make acquisitions or sell up, reports Patricia Vowinkel.
Rebriefs - PWS opens new offices.
Reinsurance broker PWS has opened offices in Madrid, Spain, in Sydney, Australia and in Bucharest, R...
Appointment at American Re.
American Re, part of the Munich Re group, has named Steven Levy as its new chief financial officer, ...
Rebriefs - Loss for GE Global Insurance business.
Fourth-quarter and full-year 2002 results have confirmed General Electric's previous forecast of a $...
Arbitration takes after litigation
Arbitration and litigation have historically taken fundamentally different routes to resolve disput...