IAG is set to boost stake in Thai insurer
14 March 2006
IAG is set to increase its stake in Thailand’s Safety Insurance Public Company after acquiring an additional 16.7% interest, taking its existing 21.6% shareholding…
Corporate
Promina targets 148 countries for merger opportunities
07 March 2006
Having posted a record profit of $505 million for the full year ended December 31 – an increase of 9.8% on 2004 – Promina CEO Mike Wilkins says the company has identified…
OAMPS profit rises 17.1%
07 March 2006
The second half of 2005 was profitable for diversified insurance group OAMPS, which finished the year with a net profit of $16.6 million, up 17.1% on the corresponding six months…
Newcomer Calliden expected its loss
07 March 2006
A year down the track since it was formed from the hulk of ReAC, general insurer Calliden has announced a net loss of $5.7 million on gross written premiums of $11.9 million…
Nothing can stop QBE
28 February 2006
Australia’s No 1 insurer QBE is like dynamite…
IAG flags more expansion but returns $200 million
28 February 2006
After posting a smaller-than-expected 2% rise in first-half profit as premium growth slowed, IAG has pledged to return $200 million in capital to shareholders…
Suncorp profits rise 7.2%
28 February 2006
Despite recording an underlying profit increase for last year of 7.2% to $491 million, Suncorp is keeping the lid shut tightly on any plans for overseas expansion within the next five years…
Austbrokers on track despite soft market
28 February 2006
Insurance broking network Austbrokers, which listed on the Australian Stock Exchange last November, has announced a profit of $7.2 million for the six months ending December 2005…
IBNA loses another member to Austbrokers
28 February 2006
Succession planning has led former IBNA member Premier Auspac Insurance Brokers to sell 80% of the business to insurance cluster rival Austbrokers…
Axa Asia Pacific acquires Asian life insurers
28 February 2006
Axa Asia Pacific has agreed to purchase MLC Hong Kong and MLC Indonesia from National Australia Bank for $575 million…
Promina adopts a different strategy
21 February 2006
Promina has entered into an innovative joint venture to market life insurance direct to the customer in New Zealand…
Wesfarmers insurance stable
21 February 2006
Strong competition pushed the insurance earnings of Perth-based conglomerate Wesfarmers down slightly over the first half of 2005/06…
Coface launches down under
21 February 2006
French credit insurer Coface has expanded its global underwriting network by formally launching its Australian operation in Sydney…
Zurich is top life risk provider
21 February 2006
A major survey of life risk advisers in the Australian market has ranked Zurich Australia as the top life risk provider…
IAG is China’s big spender
14 February 2006
IAG is continuing on its Asian acquisition splurge, signing a deal with Shanghai-based China Pacific Property Insurance which sets out the key terms of proposed investment…
Tower chief retires
14 February 2006
Tower Chairman Olaf O’Duill has announced he will retire by June 30…
Aon acquires Freeman McMurrick
14 February 2006
International broker Aon has acquired Melbourne-based brokerage Freeman McMurrick…
Tower Australia grooms itself for takeovers
07 February 2006
Is life insurer Tower Australia setting itself up for takeover by its larger Australian competitors..?
Jackson stays as journos hunt IAG heads
07 February 2006
Following the NSW Parliamentary StaySafe Committee’s publication of a highly critical report on IAG’s latest smash repairer system, the media has been having a good time speculating…
A new face in Australian underwriting
07 February 2006
New underwriting agency London Australia Underwriting has opened its doors for business in Sydney, specialising in professional indemnity, directors’ and officers’…