Free Trial

Reactions from the global insurance market

News analysis, features and opinion

  • Turbulence ahead for aviation insurance market

    25 January 2012

    Aviation insurers are flying high after stellar results in 2011. But how long will it last?

  • Interview: Eric Smith, Swiss Re Americas CEO

    24 January 2012

    Interview: Eric Smith, CEO of Swiss Re Americas, tells Reactions his views on the January 1 2011 reinsurance renewals and what areas he sees opportunities for growth.

  • Aon's Greg Case on insurance broking's future

    23 January 2012

    INTERVIEW: Greg Case, CEO of Aon, believes that the insurance broker can help its customers manage their way through the tough global operating environment and rise to the challenge of new and complex risks by working on a more robust fact basis.

  • Marine insurers assess Costa Concordia loss

    23 January 2012

    Analysis: Willis and Moody’s have provided views on the severity of damage to the insurance and reinsurance industry Costa Concordia, and the indications are not positive, while Munich Re and Hannover Re give initial loss estimates.

  • ILS Data: Cat bonds set for "banner year"

    19 January 2012

    A strong fourth-quarter for cat bonds has some predicting a “banner year" for the insurance-linked securities market in 2012. Includes full-year data for ILS issuance.

  • CRO Risk Forum foreword: The chief risk officer comes of age

    09 January 2012

    It has been a long time coming – but the chief risk officer role seems to have finally, quietly come of age, says Reactions' contributing editor Garry Booth.

  • January 1 Reinsurance Renewals Debriefing - The thinking man’s market

    18 January 2012

    There was plenty to consider at the 1/1 reinsurance renewals, such as near-record catastrophe losses and irksome risk modelling issues. Now that feedback is in from reinsurers, brokers and cedants, we try to make sense of it all.

  • Property-cat up 9.5% at renewal – Guy Carp

    11 January 2012

    ANALYSIS: A report on January renewals from reinsurance broker Guy Carpenter says after a costly year of Asian catastrophes in supposed “cold spots”, capital levels have recovered but cat rates are sharply up at renewal.

  • Florida ups demand; renewals shun models

    06 January 2012

    ANALYSIS: An Aon Benfield report suggests that overhaul of cat models in 2011 “missed” the mark, Florida will seek added reinsurance, and reinsurers remain well capitalised – managing an aggregate profit for 2011.

  • December/January issue now online

    03 January 2012

    The December 2011/January 2012 issue of Reactions is now online. Click through to read a selection of stories from the issue.

  • Future shock 2012: 10 emerging risks

    23 December 2011

    Emerging risks by definition are no longer hidden. Here are 10 that you can no longer bury your head in the sand about.

  • Montpelier Re passes tough reinsurance test

    22 December 2011

    INTERVIEW: Montpelier Re’s 10th anniversary has been marked by a punishing volley of catastrophe losses. The good news for the Bermuda property-catastrophe specialist is its risk management has passed this test, says its CEO Christopher Harris.

  • Ironshore’s Kelley on euro crisis impact

    22 December 2011

    Kevin Kelley, CEO of Bermudian specialty insurer Ironshore, assesses the impact of the European financial crisis on the global insurance industry in the latest in Reactions’ View From The Top series.

Latest News by Sector

North America

Casualty/liability

  • The 10 (re)insurance themes for 2012

    26 January 2012

    Comment: Guy Carpenter’s reinsurance renewals report included a handy checklist of the big themes facing the global insurance and reinsurance market this year. it is noticeable what themes don’t make the list, says Michael Loney, managing editor of Reactions.

Bermuda

  • Alterra expects $55m-$70m 2011 profit

    27 January 2012

    Gross premiums written for the year was around $1.9bn, while overall combined ratio reached around 98%, Alterra’s CEO Marston Becker says.

Property-catastrophe

  • Alterra expects $55m-$70m 2011 profit

    27 January 2012

    Gross premiums written for the year was around $1.9bn, while overall combined ratio reached around 98%, Alterra’s CEO Marston Becker says.

Europe

Financial management

Lloyd's and London Market

Legal and regulation

  • EU denies Solvency II delay rumours

    26 January 2012

    A spokesperson for Michel Barnier has denied reports that the Solvency II implementation could be pushed back by as much as two years.

  • US Severe Convective Storm 24 Jan 2012 - A severe weather outbreak across the southern U.S. late Sunday, 22 / ...
  • Tropical Cyclone Heidi 12 Jan 2012 - Around 18:30UTC on Wednesday, 11 January (04:30am Wednesday, 12 January, local time) ...
  • Windstorm Andrea 11 Jan 2012 - Updated 11 JAN On Wednesday, 4 to Thursday, 5 January a low pressure ...
For more catastrophe reports, data and news, click through to the RMS/Reactions Catastrophe Centre.

Poll

Which emerging risk are you most worried about?

Climate change
43%
Nanotechnology
7%
Space weather
7%
Contingent business interruption
29%
Cyber risks
14%
Longevity
0%
Pandemics
0%

Quote

I really admire anyone who can figure out how to make money in the next couple of years.

Tom Bolt, performance management director at Lloyd's