Asia
Talent deficit could scupper financial services firms' growth plans
A serious talent shortage could derail the growth plans of financial services companies globally, according to PwC's latest CEO survey.
Thai regulator raises foreign share cap to 49%
Thailand's insurance regulator, The Office of the Insurance Commission, has agreed to raise the foreign shareholding limit in the country's insurance companies from 25% to 49% in a bid to liberalise the market.
Asia-Pacific legal review
The legal profession and the insurance sector depend on each other throughout the world and as Chambers Asia-Pacific 2012 launches its editor Shi-Ning Koay provides an overview of the legal insurance specialists and the markets in this region.
Q&A Asia: with Lloyd's Asia's Kent Chaplin
Kent Chaplin, head of Asia Pacific and managing director of Lloyd's Asia, spoke to Francesca Nyman about the market's presence in Asia, its relationship with brokers and its plans for the future.
Swiss Re reports $2.6bn profit despite nat cats hitting P&C combined ratio
Global reinsurer Swiss Re exceeded analyst expectations to report net income of $2.6bn for the full year 2011.
Life insurers need derivatives to hedge risks, says IRDA chairman
The chairman of India's insurance regulator has indicated that it may relax the ban on life insurance companies investing in derivatives, in a speech at the 14th Global Conference of Actuaries in Mumbai.
AIA Group sees 13% increase in profit
AIA Group has reported a 13% rise in operating profit after tax for the year ended 30 November 2011 to $1922m.
Lancashire secures $75m additional capital for Japan renewals
Lancashire Holdings has said it will be able to deploy $75m additional capital for the 1 April Japanese market renewals after securing the extra capital from its Accordian sidecar investors.
Increased demand for credit policies from Malaysian SMEs
The Malaysian market is seeing an increased demand for trade credit insurance from exporters and SMEs amid the uncertain global economic environment.
RSA reports 58% increase in underwriting result to £375m
General insurer RSA reported a 58% increase in the underwriting result to £375m for the full year 2011, attributed partly to the successful growth of overseas operations.
Accordian Re gains new capacity for Japanese market
Lancashire Holdings has secured additional capital of $75m (£48m) for Accordian Re to focus on the 1 April Japanese market renewals.
Corporate Underinsurance: Improving understanding of business interruption cover
Last year's riots brought the problem of a lack of business interruption cover to the fore. What are the solutions to underinsurance in this area?
Zurich appoints Bouchard head of government and industry affairs
Zurich Financial Services Group has appointed Francis Bouchard as the group head of government and industry affairs, with effect from 1 April 2012.
DLA Piper recruits William Marcoux from Dewey & LeBoeuf
Law firm DLA Piper has hired former Dewey & LeBoeuf executive committee member William Marcoux as partner and head of its insurance sector transactions and regulation practice.
Suncorp reports commercial rates hike of 9.3% as reinsurance costs jump
Suncorp Group has reported net profit after tax of Au$389m (£263m) for the half year to 31 December 2011, up from Au$223m in the prior corresponding period.
Collaboration key to tackling Malaysian motor fraud
Collaboration is needed between insurance practitioners, adjusters and motor workshops in to improve fraud detection in Malaysia’s motor industry, according to industry sources in the region.
Indian shipping firms may look to China for insurance
Indian shipping companies may turn to China in their struggle to find replacement insurance coverage when EU sanctions on Iranian oil come into force.
Quarter of Indian consumers think life insurance is not important
Insurers in India face an uphill struggle to persuade consumers of the need for life insurance, a recent study indicates.
Emerging markets present growth opportunities for energy firms
Despite geo-political turmoil, many economies now present increased growth opportunities for global energy companies due to decreasing political risk and improvements in legal and regulatory environments, according to risk analysis company Maplecroft.
Insurers in the Philippines reject tax waiver
Non-life insurers and reinsurers in the Philippines have rejected a government offer of a 10% reduction in annual aggregate tax, according to reports in the local press.
Zurich sees 19% drop in GI profits after US$1bn cat losses in 2011
Zurich recorded a general insurance business operating profit of US$2.3bn in 2011, a decrease of US$403m or by 15% in US dollar terms and 19% on a local currency basis.
Market moves: MGAs making the moves
This week the recruitment space belonged to managing general agents.
Economic, regulatory and talent issues holding back growth for insurance CEOs
Over two thirds (70%) of insurance CEOs are planning on changing their strategy over the next 12 months as they try to see past the current difficult economic and regulatory backdrop, according to PwC.
Great Eastern CEO optimistic about Southeast Asian market
Asia's oldest insurance group, Great Eastern, remains bullish on the prospects of the industry in Southeast Asia, despite the eurozone crisis, low penetration rates and insufficient coverage in several regions.