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International

… and Swiss Re goes the same way

10 November 2008

Reinsurer Swiss Re has reported a surprising third-quarter loss, hurt by lower investment performance and a higher level of catastrophe claims...

Insurance falls buffet Berkshire Hathaway

10 November 2008

Falling revenue from US investment company Berkshire Hathaway’s insurance operations has been the major contributor to a 77% fall in third-quarter profit...

S&P downgrades ratings on AIG subsidiaries

10 November 2008

Credit ratings agency Standard & Poor’s has downgraded the ratings of a number of AIG property and casualty subsidiaries from “developing” to “negative”...

Global D&O losses to push up premiums

10 November 2008

The subprime meltdown and global credit crisis will have a major impact on directors’ and officers’ insurance, with losses predicted to far exceed earned premium...

XL Capital posts large third-quarter loss

10 November 2008

Bermuda-based insurer XL Capital has posted a quarterly net loss of $US1.65 billion ($2.45 billion), which is in line with preliminary estimates...

All directors go as Fortis changes course

10 November 2008

Banking and insurance group Fortis will elect a new board of directors and CEO at its upcoming AGM after its spectacular rescue by three European governments in September...

Premiums will have to harden, says Benfield

03 November 2008

Leading reinsurance broker Benfield says pricing trends in the global reinsurance market are shifting as the market approaches the January 1 renewal season...

Reinsurers signal turn in the cycle

03 November 2008

German reinsurers say the reinsurance market cycle is turning and expect substantial rate rises to start flowing through...

Bermuda insurers take a hammering

03 November 2008

Bermuda-based insurer Ace has been hit by financial market volatility in the credit and equity markets in the third quarter, with net profit down 92% from last year to $US54 million…

Top US brokers fall

03 November 2008

Aon Corporation has recorded total revenue growth of 6% during the third quarter as the No 2 global broker banked a $US117 million ($175 million) net profit...

Thanks but no thanks, say US insurers

03 November 2008

US insurance associations have rejected as unnecessary a Treasury plan to include insurers in a $US700 billion ($1.042 billion) rescue package...

US urged to centralise insurance regulation

03 November 2008

Financial services industry representatives have urged the US Congress to give the Federal Government a wider role in regulating the nation’s insurance industry…

US third-quarter cat losses among worst in a decade

03 November 2008

Property and casualty insurers in the US will pay $US11.5 billion ($16.9 billion) in third-quarter catastrophe claims, the fourth-largest insured property loss for that period since 1998...

Financial crisis takes its toll on Generali

03 November 2008

Italy’s largest insurer, Generali, has been hard hit by the global financial crisis with a 29% slide in nine-month net profit to €1.67 billion ($3.2 billion) from €2.36 billion ($4.55 billion) last year...

Flu pandemic due, says Lloyd’s

27 October 2008

A repeat of the 1918 Spanish flu outbreak is statistically overdue, and any mass outbreak will contribute to a global recession, according to a report from Lloyd’s...

General insurance sector faring well, says Willis

27 October 2008

A Willis report shows the global general insurance sector has so far survived the credit crisis, with little exposure to subprime investments and few negative ratings actions...