New broker promises to be noticed
22 June 2004
New Australian broking and risk advisory business InterRisk Australia aims to “increase service standards and lower prices” for its clients, and it has some big names to back it up…
Corporate
Marsh appoints new boss for Pacific region
16 June 2004
Broking giant Marsh has appointed David Bidmead as its new Region Head for the Pacific, replacing John Richardson, who is retiring at the end of the year…
Suncorp signals huge profits rise
16 June 2004
Brisbane-based allfinanz company Suncorp expects its profits to rise at least 25% this year due to strong performances in its insurance, banking and wealth management businesses…
IAG’s buy-back deadline looms
16 June 2004
Insurance Australia Group’s off-market share buy-back closes at 5pm on Friday…
Axa disputes Hong Kong market loss claims
08 June 2004
Axa Asia Pacific Holdings has disputed official statistics suggesting it is losing market share in Hong Kong…
Zurich Australia unveils heavy motor claims unit
08 June 2004
Zurich Australia has set up a heavy motor specialist claims unit in its NSW motor claims division. The number of NSW claims in this area is about 1,000 a year…
What’s in a name?
01 June 2004
QBE won’t be looking to the Greek gods or traditional Latin when deciding on a new name for QBE Mercantile Mutual…
ReAC set to try again
01 June 2004
Reinsurance Australia Corporation – the last of the local reinsurers swept out the door by the industry shake-up of the late 1990s – plans to seek a new licence…
NAB keeps its local insurance arm
01 June 2004
The National Australia Bank won’t be outsourcing its Australian commercial insurance operations, despite plans to do just that in the UK…
QBE secures its spot in the Asian market
25 May 2004
QBE CEO Frank O’Halloran has spent much of this year hinting at plans to gain a bigger foothold in the Asian general insurance market…
NAB seals UK insurance deal with Axa
25 May 2004
The National Australia Bank is forming an alliance with Axa in the UK to provide commercial insurance products and financial services to customers of its three British banks…
ING sells to QBE
18 May 2004
Funds management giant ING is selling its half share in QBE Mercantile Mutual as well as Mercantile Mutual Insurance to QBE…
OAMPS alleges media beat-up over NAB bid
11 May 2004
National broking network OAMPS has confirmed it has been hit with a discovery motion from National Australia Bank for more than $63 million…
Wesfarmers praises its new insurance business
11 May 2004
Perth-based conglomerate Wesfarmers has never said much about its insurance assets, which have always performed creditably…
Dexta’s trade credit overtaken by Coface
11 May 2004
A desired increase in Australian market share is at the root of an agreement between insurance underwriting agency Dexta Corporation and Coface to transfer…
NZ insurer acquires Lumley Life’s NZ operations
11 May 2004
New Zealand’s only locally owned insurer, Fidelity Life, has acquired the well-established Australian Lumley Life operation in NZ…
Aviva’s Asian assets on the table for Oz insurers
04 May 2004
London-based insurer Aviva is planning to sell some of its businesses in Asia, with QBE and IAG tipped by analysts to be among the likely bidders…
IAG announces $350 million share buy-back
04 May 2004
IAG is continuing its bid to boost the value of its shares with a $350 million off-market buy-back tender for about $350 million worth of shares…
$300 million in shares for Promina
04 May 2004
Promina yesterday allotted 3 million reset preference shares on the ASX on a deferred settlement basis…
Sirius costs for IAG NZ’s new IT system
04 May 2004
British IT company Sirius marked its entry into the Australasian insurance market in March with the appointment of former Lumley Technology CEO Stephen Browne as its Regional Manager…