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International

Swiss Re: cat bill $75 billion

17 March 2008

Economic losses from catastrophes topped $US70 billion ($75.1 billion) last year, with insurance claims of $US28 million ($30 million), according to Swiss Re...

US rates down 14%

17 March 2008

US property and casualty premiums declined by an average of 14% in February, according to analysis group MarketScout...

Hannover Re profit up 43%

17 March 2008

Hannover Re has booked a 43% increase in net profit, due partly to a €165 million ($274 million) benefit from German corporate tax reform...

US insurance jobs on the slide

17 March 2008

The number of jobs in the US insurance sector fell 2.3% in February from the previous month, the country’s Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported...

Buffett: the party’s over for underwriters

10 March 2008

Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett has told shareholders “the party is over” for insurers’ profit margins after the company posted an 18% dip in fourth-quarter earnings…

Willis keeps Joe Plumeri

10 March 2008

Willis Group has endorsed Chairman and CEO Joe Plumeri with an 18-month contract extension as part of several senior management appointments announced by the company...

Ping An share issue in doubt

10 March 2008

Shareholders at China’s second-largest insurer Ping An Insurance have voted in favour of a RMB160 billion ($24 billion) share-raising, in apparent defiance of the country’s…

Windstorm Emma claims near $2 billion

10 March 2008

US Catastrophe risk modelling company AIR Worldwide has estimated insured losses from Windstorm Emma at between €750 million ($1.25 billion) and €1.3 billion ($2.16 billion)...

Willis withdraws from Burma

10 March 2008

Willis Group has agreed to end its involvement in Burma in a decision welcomed by human rights advocates...

Swiss Re happy with big 2007 result

03 March 2008

Swiss Re has reported a strong net income for 2007 of CHF 4.2 billion ($4.36 billion) - nearly as good as its record 2006 return…

RSA profit up 4%

03 March 2008

Royal & SunAlliance recorded a 4% rise in operating profit last year to £814 million ($1.7 billion), despite the impact of widespread flooding in Britain…

UK floods dampen Aviva profit

03 March 2008

British insurance giant Aviva has blamed summer floods in the UK for wiping out profitability in its general insurance lines…

Aon acquires bulk of Gallagher Re

03 March 2008

Aon has picked up Arthur J Gallagher's US and UK reinsurance brokerages for an initial $US30 million ($31.8 million) and up to $15 million extra, depending on revenues…

Euro run-off about to take off: PWC

03 March 2008

The European run-off market is likely to increase over the next five years as a result of legislative changes, says a PricewaterhouseCoopers report…