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International

Silverstein’s new hurdle: slow claims payments

23 May 2006

Construction of the new Freedom Tower on the World Trade Centre site in New York will not be able to start if insurers continue to withhold payments promised to the developer…

Zurich to enter Beijing

23 May 2006

Zurich has become the first foreign insurer to be granted a business licence by the Chinese regulator to establish a general insurance branch in Beijing…

Zurich strong despite accounting settlement

23 May 2006

Zurich has recorded a first-quarter result reflecting strong operating performance in all segments of its business, despite the $US262 million ($348.4 million) it was slugged…

AIG gets practical on climate change

23 May 2006

Although climate change has been a hot topic for the global insurance industry for some time, American International Group has become the first big US company to build…

Hurricane season is back in the US

23 May 2006

Businesses and homeowners on the US Gulf Coast are underinsured against floods and hurricanes, the New York-based Insurance Information Institute says…

Axa life insurance sued

23 May 2006

A life insurance division of Axa, Axa Equitable Life Insurance, has been sued following claims the company classified all juveniles as smokers and charged higher life insurance rates…

AIG looks to European SMEs

16 May 2006

American International Group is looking to expand its presence in Europe, and it hasn’t ruled out acquisition as a strategy…

Profit up for international insurers

16 May 2006

Reinsurers Munich Re and Hannover Re have revealed big first-quarter results, with Munich Re’s profit rising by 41.7% from last year and Hannover Re profit by 38.6%…

UK asbestos ruling cuts payout

16 May 2006

Sufferers of the asbestos-caused cancer mesothelioma face a huge cut in compensation following a decision by Britain’s highest court on May 3…

NAIC compact begins soon

16 May 2006

The launch of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Compact is expected to become a reality once Alaska and Ohio…

Liberty to face court

09 May 2006

Boston-based insurer Liberty Mutual is vowing to fight charges that it has been involved in kickbacks and overpriced policies…

Hurricanes don’t worry Buffett

09 May 2006

US business guru Warren Buffett, whose Berkshire Hathaway investment company owns two major reinsurers, says he still has plenty of appetite for catastrophe reinsurance…

Aon restructures its restructure

09 May 2006

Aon Corporation has rejigged the cost estimates for its corporate restructure, saying it will spend an additional $US30 million ($39 million) on the strategy…

Ace settles with regulators

02 May 2006

Bermuda-based global insurer Ace has settled a bid-rigging investigation by the US states of New York, Illinois and Connecticut for $US80 million ($105 million) in restitution…

Net income rise for Chubb

02 May 2006

US-based insurer Chubb has reported a rise in net income from $US470 million ($620 million) to $US672 million ($887 million) for the first quarter of this year…

Aon plots terrorism risk

02 May 2006

The overall threat of terrorism has not changed in the past year but it has moved around a little, according to global insurance giant Aon…

Doomsday hurricane scenario

02 May 2006

The US may be facing a steady terrorism risk but it could need to prepare for even bigger storms on its coast around the Gulf of Mexico…

Swiss Re wins buyer approval

02 May 2006

Swiss Re has gained permission from the European Commission to buy US-based GE Insurance Solutions for $US7.5 billion ($9.87 billion)…

We’ve grown up: Marsh

26 April 2006

Marsh & McLennan CEO and President Mike Cherkasky says insurers and governments should be planning for global warming and the risks associated with it…