United States of America (USA)
Hardy suspends Singapore underwriting amid refocus on US risk
Hardy Underwriting is refocusing its property treaty business on US risk and away from the international business that brought catastrophic losses over the past two years.
Aspen reshapes management
Aspen Insurance Holdings has made changes to the management of its insurance segment.
BMS appointment signals US MGA growth plan
BMS Group has appointed delegated authority underwriter Gene Hinman to establish a US managing general agent platform.
Oil markets blasé as sanctions force Iran's Asian buyers to cease imports
Iran's Asian oil buyers look set to halt imports when EU sanctions come in on 1 July, with potential repercussions for the global oil market.
Willis restructure aims to integrate "siloed and independent businesses"
Willis Global, the reinsurance, specialties and wholesale arm of Willis Group, will implement a series of "client-centric" structural changes aimed at growing the premiums placed annually through its three core segments.
RK Harrison buys up Marsh businesses
RK Harrison has acquired four businesses from Marsh UK-owned Gibbs Hartley Cooper.
Travelers considering India market entry
US-based Travelers Group is believed to be in talks with Indian farm equipment maker Mahindra & Mahindra regarding a bid to enter the country's fast growing general insurance market.
Near norm Atlantic hurricane season predicted
Hurricane activity in the 2012 Atlantic season is likely to be close to the long-time norm values, but 10-40% below the norm values for the past 10 years, according to a forecast by Tropical Storm Risk.
Two hurricanes predicted to strike US in 2012
Hurricane activity this season is expected to be close to average, with scientists predicting four tropical storms including two hurricanes to strike the US between June and November.
Xchanging targets North American growth
Business process outsourcing company Xchanging is to expand its insurance offering to the North American market.
McLoughlin returns to Sevitt as project director
Setanta Insurance's former Ireland general manager, Deirdre McLoughlin, has returned to Sevitt Group as project director.
AIG to divest shares in AIA in September
American International Group will sell its shares in Asian insurer AIA Group after a lock-up period expires in early September, Reuters has reported.
Extraterritorial regulation prevents firms entering foreign jurisdictions
Extraterritorial regulation is preventing financial firms from entering overseas jurisdictions, according to a recent survey.
Markel promotes Leach to senior contingency underwriter
Specialist insurer Markel International has promoted James Leach to the position of senior contingency underwriter in its speciality division.
'Significant' loss will harden rates outside cat exposed regions in July renewals
Price increases in the July reinsurance renewal period could be restricted to loss-affected sectors unless there is a further significant insured loss for the industry, Fitch Ratings has said.
Top 10 news stories
The top 10 most popular articles published on insuranceinsight.com over the past seven days.
Swiss Re secures nat-cat buffer of $400m via bond market
Swiss Re has obtained an extra $400m in natural-catastrophe protection via a catastrophe bond through newly formed issuer Mythen Ltd.
Adverse April conditions wreak havoc across the globe
Severe weather conditions across central and southern sections of the US last month have caused upwards of $1bn (£620m) in insured losses, according to Aon Benfield's Global Catastrophe Recap report.
Marsh sells portfolio of four businesses to R K Harrison
Marsh has reached an agreement to sell a portfolio of four businesses within Gibbs Hartley Cooper, a part of Marsh UK, to R K Harrison.
Willis Re appoints Welsch as executive director
Willis Re has named Andrea Welsch as executive director effective from 28 May.
US Solvency II equivalence suffers setback
The US National Association of Insurance Commissioners has been vocal in its opinion of the EU's aim to make the country a Solvency II equivalent.
Canopius details Omega takeover savings and possible Tower Bermuda sale
Canopius chairman Michael Watson said that taking over Omega will be the "last big deal", but is not the end of its "ambitions".
Natural disaster: Filling the $254bn insurance gap
The problem of underinsurance has been seen with a number of natural catastrophes recently. Lucia Bevere explains why relying on governments as a last resort is a risky strategy, and what insurers can do to tackle this area.
Chubb's A++ financial strength rating affirmed
AM Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of A++ (Superior) and issuer credit rating of AA+ for the Chubb Group and its property/casualty members.