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Reactions from the global insurance market

News analysis, features and opinion

  • February issue of Reactions now online

    03 February 2012

    The February 2012 issue of Reactions is now online. Click through to read a selection of stories from the issue.

  • Economic and regulatory issues face Bermuda market

    02 February 2012

    Feature: Woeful investment returns, cat losses and evolving regulatory pressures are causing concern for Bermuda’s insurers and reinsurers.

  • Bermuda Insurance and Reinsurance Market Review

    01 February 2012

    Bermuda’s insurers and reinsurers have weathered a torrid 2011 for catastrophes and are now looking optimistically forward to this year, with further price increases and M&A the talk of the island.

  • UK insurers ready to pull plug on flood cover

    31 January 2012

    Comment: Insurers have issued an ultimatum to the UK Government to produce a solution to sustaining universal flood coverage, says Garry Booth, Reactions’ contributing editor.

  • John Berger: Third Point Re “alive and well!”

    30 January 2012

    Interview: Former Alterra reinsurance CEO John Berger has proclaimed his new reinsurance firm, Third Point Re, alive and well following it receiving a financial strength rating of A from AM Best in early January.

  • 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.

Latest News by Sector

North America

  • Aon’s Q4 profit up 19%

    03 February 2012

    Reinsurance organic revenue increased 4% due primarily to strong growth in capital market transactions and advisory business and modest growth in global facultative placements.

Casualty/liability

  • Aon’s Q4 profit up 19%

    03 February 2012

    Reinsurance organic revenue increased 4% due primarily to strong growth in capital market transactions and advisory business and modest growth in global facultative placements.

Bermuda

Property-catastrophe

  • Aon’s Q4 profit up 19%

    03 February 2012

    Reinsurance organic revenue increased 4% due primarily to strong growth in capital market transactions and advisory business and modest growth in global facultative placements.

Europe

  • Aon’s Q4 profit up 19%

    03 February 2012

    Reinsurance organic revenue increased 4% due primarily to strong growth in capital market transactions and advisory business and modest growth in global facultative placements.

Financial management

Lloyd's and London Market

Legal and regulation

  • Legal Analysis: Casing the joint

    03 February 2012

    A case marking the first time the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA) lost a judicial review concerning its own investigations could have implications for insurers.

  • Peru Earthquake Mw6.3 30 Jan 2012 - Updated 1 February. On Monday, 30 January a magnitude Mw6.3 (regional moment ...
  • 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) ...
For more catastrophe reports, data and news, click through to the RMS/Reactions Catastrophe Centre.

Poll

Catastrophe bond issuance was $4.3bn in 2011. How much new issuance will there be in 2012?

Less than $3bn
0%
$3bn-$4bn
67%
$4bn-$5bn
0%
$5bn-$6bn
33%
$6bn-$7bn
0%
More than $7bn
0%

Quote

If last year was the year of the cat, then this year could be the year of the debt crisis.

Mike Van Slooten, head of international market analysis at Aon Benfield