AM Best
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.
Top 30 Asian insurers: Diverse markets
AM Best’s ranking of Asia-Pacific non-life insurers remains dominated by the same companies as last year, writes director of analytics Chi-Yeung Lok, noting the market characteristics of mature and emerging markets stay as disparate as ever
This Month in Post: Top 100 teachings
My first three weeks reporting on the insurance industry has taught me how broad the sector is. Covering the claims beat I'm expecting to be learning more about escape of water, floods and storms. Our Top 100 UK insurers ranking has already shown me how…
Top 100 UK insurers 2018
In 2017, the combined underwriting results of the largest 100 UK non-life insurers improved but remained in the red. How well did insurers perform under pressure from strong competition and unfavourable claims trends?
Hurricane Florence insured losses in the billions, flooding may still 'worsen'
Insured losses from Hurricane Florence are likely to be between $1.7bn and $4.6bn, Air Worldwide estimates.
AM Best: Flooding not wind biggest Hurricane Lane concern for insurers
In addition to insurers exposed to property risk, AM Best expects that motor insurers will see claims resulting from heavy rainfall.
This week in Post: One every minute
For those of us back in the office while the holiday season continues it might seem like time is moving slowly but the Association of British Insurers revealed this week that for every minute we count down until silly season is over and the out of office…
Lloyd’s Brussels receives ‘A’ rating from AM Best
AM Best has assigned the Lloyd’s Brussels hub a Financial Strength Rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and a Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of ‘a+’.
Analysis: Has the industry learned its lesson after the collapse of a third unrated insurer in two years?
After three months of solvent run-off, Danish insurer Alpha finally fell over last month. Its collapse sent shockwaves through the market and prompted black cab drivers to besiege the offices of their London broker.
Direct cyber market grew 32% last year
US property and casualty insurers wrote $1.8bn (£1.34bn) of direct cyber premium last year, a growth of 32% from the previous year.
Analysis: Takaful, all promise and little delivery
With more than three million Muslims in the UK, there has long been a feeling that sharia-compliant insurance products should find a market but the reality has proved the opposite. So far, every attempt to establish a takaful insurer in the UK domestic…
Analysis: What happened to CBL Insurance?
Last month once again saw a passported insurer placed into liquidation, with the collapse of CBL causing ripples throughout Europe