Europe
Interview: Maurizio Castelli
Maurizio Castelli, managing director for Italy at XL Insurance answers Insurance Insight's questions.
Dual launches web-based platform
Dual International has selected e-business solutions specialist Salmon to develop and implement a new pan-European web-based underwriting platform.
MS Frontier Re acquires Irish sister company
Bermuda-based reinsurer MS Frontier Re (MSFRe) has acquired its Dublin-based sister company Mitsui Sumitomo Reinsurance (MSRe).
European insurance buyers' product satisfaction revealed
Insurers will soon learn what their major commercial insurance customers in the UK and across Europe think about the products and services they offer.
Omega puts Chilean quake loss at $23m
Omega Insurance Holdings today announced that it has completed its initial estimate of losses arising from recent major catastrophe events - the Chilean earthquake and European windstorm Xynthia.
Zurich outlook revised upwards by S&P
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services has revised the outlooks on the various operating entities of Switzerland-based insurance group Zurich Financial Services to stable from negative.
HSBC to be operate as MBL as Marsh completes broker deal
Marsh today completed its previously agreed acquisition of HSBC Insurance Brokers, a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Bank, in the UK and other key markets in Asia and the Middle East.
Scor makes senior appointments
Philippe Trainar and Frieder Knüpling join Scor's executive committee; Michel Dacorogna is appointed deputy chief risk officer and Norbert Pyhel heads up the Cologne Hub
Fitch: Italian GI market will only see "modest" recovery in 2010
Trading conditions in the Italian non-life market remain tough, while life margins, despite the strong recovery in sales in 2009, could come under some pressure this year, according to Fitch.
Quinn disputes figures and claims of "pre-emptive" and "aggressive" regulator
The Quinn Group has come out fighting, disputing the Financial Regulator's assumption that the UK business is currently unprofitable and that its decision to stop it underwriting will be "immensely damaging" unless reversed.
Hurst-Bannister: Costs key to London’s competitiveness
London Market Group chairman Barnabas Hurst-Bannister has called on the London insurance market to reduce process costs to maintain its position at the centre of the industry.
Central Bank deems Quinn Insurance sale a "reasonable prospect"
The head of financial regulation at the Irish Central Bank has said there is a “reasonable prospect that the administrator will look to put it [Quinn Insurance] up for sale” after the Financial Regulator instructed Quinn Insurance to stop writing new…
Former QBE CEO steps down as chairman
At a board meeting of QBE yesterday chairman John Cloney announced his retirement effective 4 July 2010.
Law firm blames Quinn woes on Irish economy
The news today that Quinn Insurance has been placed into provisional administration will concern solicitors according to Hugh Evans, financial litigation partner at DLA.
Entertainment brokers seeks to double size after US tie-up
Stockport-based Doodson Broking Group has signalled its intent to double in size over the next five years after forming a partnership with US broker Crossfields Insurance.
Grant Thornton names team that will manage Quinn business
Grant Thornton has made its first comment having been appointed provisional administrators of Quinn Insurance this morning.
FSA "working closely" with Irish regulator over Quinn
The UK's Financial Services Authority has said it is working with its Irish equivalent over the issue of Quinn Insurance.
Quinn Group hits back at Irish regulator for over-reaction
Quinn Insurance group's parent company Quinn Group has criticised the regulator's request for an administrator to be appointed today.
Quinn ignores regulator and continues to sell UK policies
Quinn Direct is still offering insurance policies in the UK, Post has discovered.
Quinn ordered to stop underwriting in the UK as parent put into administration
The High Court has this morning appointed provisional administrators to Quinn Insurance, owner of Quinn Direct and Quinn Healthcare, on an application by the Financial Regulator in Ireland.
ERGO sees premium income increase by 7.6%
ERGO consolidated result increased to €173m (2009:€73m). The company’s total premium income rose 7.6% to €19.0bn (2008: €17.7bn).
Swiss insurer refinances bond with new issue
Swiss insurance group Helvetia Holding today issued a bond with a volume of CHF 150m and a term of three years.
Co-op to address European mutual conference
Europe’s mutual and cooperative insurers will hold their second biennial Congress, in Genoa, Italy, from 24 to 26 May 2010, on the theme “mutuality today: sustainable values” at the invitation of Italian members, Reale Mutua, Itas and Unipol.
Miller hails Katkhuda capture
Broker Miller has recruited Sebastian Katkhuda to work on global programme strategy, placement and servicing for major corporate clients within the UK and Europe.