Natural catastrophes (Nat Cats)
No major Caribbean losses from Irene
The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility has announced that, while Hurricane Irene resulted in registered losses in six of its member countries (Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, the Bahamas, Haiti, St. Kitts & Nevis and the Turks & Caicos Islands),…
Hurricane Irene could cost insurers as much as $6bn
Catastrophe modeling firm Air Worldwide estimates insured losses from Hurricane Irene to onshore properties in the US will be between $3bn and $6bn.
US reinsurers hit by claims
The Reinsurance Association of America says its group of 19 US property and casualty reinsurers wrote $13.8bn of net premiums during the six months ended June 30, 2011, an increase from the $12.3bn written in the first six months of 2010
Irene to cost insurers as much as $6bn
Catastrophe modelling firm AIR Worldwide estimates that insured losses from Hurricane Irene to onshore properties in the US will be between $3bn and $6bn.
Willis develops interruption cover in wake of recent disasters
Willis has responded to the devastating impact of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March by developing an insurance product to cover business interruption costs for companies in catastrophe hotspots.
Hurricane Irene expected to reach cat 4
Colorado-based Lloyd’s underwriters ICAT has warned that Hurricane Irene strengthened significantly overnight and is now a category three hurricane.
Hardy's catastrophe losses still 'uncertain'
Specialist Bermuda-based Lloyd’s insurer Hardy Underwriting has said catastrophe losses added 30 points to its combined ratio and warned revisions of estimates could paint an even worse picture.
Market update - High net worth: Time to raise rates in HNW?
Rates in the high net worth market are failing to reflect the risks posed, despite high claims costs. Chinwe Akomah reports on a sector that is starting to come under pressure to deliver results.
Ecclesiastical hit with £419m catastrophe costs
Specialist insurer Ecclesiastical has managed to make a pre-tax profit of £15.6m despite a £7.6m loss in the first half of the year and catastrophe claims costs of £419m.
US insurers lost $27bn on H1 catastrophes
AM Best estimates US insurers’ pre-tax catastrophe-related losses in the first half of 2011, were $27bn, up $15.1bn, or 127%, from $11.9bn reported during the same period a year ago.
Hurricane Irene gets stronger
Hurricane Irene has intensified to a category 2 hurricane and is expected to continue to strengthen, becoming a major hurricane of category 3 and above, warns Risk Management Solutions.
Hurricane Irene heading for the US, Met Office warns
Hurricane Irene, the first of this year’s North Atlantic tropical storm season, is heading for the Bahamas and is expected to move on to the United States in the next few days, the Met Office has warned.
First Hurricane Irene could hit US
AIR Worldwide has said that Irene became the Atlantic basin's first hurricane of the 2011 season when its winds strengthened to 75mph as it was leaving Puerto Rico's northern coast.
ACI helps Amlin France GWP double but group reports £192.3m loss
Amlin France doubled its gross written premiums for the first half of 2011 compared to 2010, but over the group reported losses of £192.3m before tax (H1 2010: £107m profit).
Amlin posts £192.3m loss
Lloyd’s insurer Amlin blamed catastrophe claims of £314.3m (H1 20010 £127.1m) that added 34 percentage points to its combined ratio for a pre-tax loss of £192.3m (H1 2010: profit of £107.6m).
RMS unveils toolkit with building valuation
Risk Management Solutions has unveiled the latest version of its Data Quality Toolkit, which enables re/insurers to assess, manage, and improve the quality of their exposure data.
Eqecat helps ERD transfer European windstrom risks to capital markets
Catastrophe risk modeling firm Eqecat Inc has provided risk modeling services to Electricité Réseau Distribution France SA in the issuance of a €150m catastrophe bond transferring European windstorm risk to the capital markets.
Risk map warns investors of countries that cannot cope with natural disasters
China, India, Philippines and Indonesia have the highest economic risk for investors from natural disasters because of their lack of resilience, risk mapping firm Maplecroft has warned.
Zurich claims Q2 bounce back
Zurich has announced a half year operating profit 7% down on the same time last year at £2.1bn, but said its second quarter was 7% up at $1.3bn.
Insurance no ‘safe haven’ despite stock resilience
Leading analysts have warned insurers that the industry is not a “safe haven” for investors, despite share prices falling less than the stock market average of 5.5% since Friday 5 August.
View from the top: The going gets tough
Tough is probably a rather English understatement to describe the state of the world — and the world of reinsurance and insurance — today.
Terrorism remains major threat to insurance industry
The reinsurance industry continues to meet the current demands for terrorism risk transfer despite high levels of terrorism according to a new report.
Weather related catastrophes hit Markel's COR
Markel International has reported gross written premiums of $227.7m for the quarter ended 30 June 2011, compared to $187.2m for the second quarter of 2010.
Markel's 107% COR hit by catastrophes
Niche property and casualty insurer Markel blamed catastrophe losses of $99m for adding 10 points to its combined ratio, taking it to 107%, up from 102% for the same period last year.