Earthquakes
Lancashire "best placed" for price rises
Lancashire Holding’s decision to increase its reserves for the Japan earthquake and Thai floods removes uncertainty that exists with other firms and makes it a good buy, according to analysts at Jeffries.
Lancashire increases Japan quake loss estimate by 56%
Lancashire Holdings has increased its estimated exposure to the Tohoku earthquake by $42.2m, or 56%, to a net loss estimate of $117.3m (£74.8m).
Zurich's 2011 cat losses may trigger aggregate reinsurance
Zurich Financial Services expects the impact of the floods in Thailand and the increased cost of the earthquakes in New Zealand in the fourth quarter of 2011 to range between $200 and $250m (€189.9m).
Zurich’s Thai flood and NZ quake losses trigger aggregate reinsurance
Zurich has said it expects the impact of the floods in Thailand and the increased cost of the earthquakes in New Zealand in the fourth quarter 2011 to range between $200m - $250m (£160m).
Reinsurance - January renewals: Toughen up
Despite the catastrophes of 2011, the predicted — and much needed — January renewal rate hardening has failed to materialise.
Spotlight on environment: Providing protection
With climate change increasing the likelihood of natural disasters, insurers must influence the debate on how businesses and governments manage risks such as supply chain failure.
News analysis: Insurers and reinsurers must start to focus on emerging ‘peak’ risks
Natural catastrophes: Will previous ‘cold spots’ be targeted by insurers and reinsurers?
View from the top: Lessons from the East
Catastrophes in Japan showed the resilience and strength of the industry, says Andrew McKee.
Thai cat fund given green light by regulator
The Office of Insurance Commision, Thailand’s insurance regulator, has passed a resolution to establish a 50bn baht (€1.2bn) catastrophe fund for floods, windstorms and earthquakes.
Many countries still vastly underinsured against earthquake
Seismic events caused economic losses of over $276bn in 2010-2011, yet earthquake-prone countries remain underinsured, according to a Swiss Re report.
Swiss Re warns quakes remain underinsured
Swiss Re has described the cumulative effects of earthquakes over the past two years as “overwhelming” but says the world’s worst affected areas remain underinsured.
Q&A Asia: JLT
As part of Insurance Insights new remit to cover Asia, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Asia’s chief executive officer Warren Merritt (pictured)spoke to Francesca Nyman to discussed the broker’s plans there.
Cat losses for 2011 second highest on record
Total insured natural catastrophe losses of $107bn (£69bn) in 2011 were the second highest on record - surpassed only by the 2005 total of $120bn.
A windstorm for the insurance market
As the market gradually starts to digest the recent European renewals, Francesca Nyman considers the increasing challenge that European windstorms pose and whether insurers are adequately protected against this risk.
Natural Catastrophes poll
The sequence of earthquakes and large number of weather-related catastrophes have led some insurers to brand 2011 the costliest year ever in terms of natural catastrophes.
Nat-cats make 2011 the costliest year ever
A sequence of devastating earthquakes and a large number of weather-related catastrophes made 2011 the costliest year ever in terms of natural catastrophe losses, Munich Re’s annual natural catastrophe review has found.
Munich Re: 2011 was worst year ever
Munich Re has said the sequence of earthquakes and large number of weather-related catastrophes made 2011 the costliest year ever in terms of natural catastrophe losses racking up $380bn of global economic losses.
NZ quakes hit Christchurch
A string of serious earthquakes have hit the New Zealand city of Christchurch just ten months after the last quake.
Amlin purchases $150m worth of international cat cover
Amlin has revealed that it has acquired coverage for US hurricane, US earthquake and European windstorm perils of up to $150m (£95.7m) from Bermudian special purpose insurer, Tramline Re.
Partner Re to take $88m charge from Tohoku quake
PartnerRe is set to record a charge of approximately $88m (€67.2m) to reserve the full limit of its Tohoku Earthquake exposure related to its largest Japanese cedant.
Review of the year - General insurance: Regulatory dramas
2011, a year dominated by regulatory and legislative change, could yet prove to be a landmark 12 months for the insurance industry.
Overseas focus - China: a market of opportunity?
With an enormous population and low insurance penetration, China should be a market ripe for entering. Jakki May finds out it isn't as simple as it sounds but reveals an appetite for change and growth.
Review of the year - Lloyd's & London Market: The costliest year ever?
The first half of 2011 saw an unprecedented number of catastrophic events, so how has Lloyd’s and the London market coped?
French floods to cost insurers €800m
The November floods in 16 regions of France look set to cost insurers €800m according to a new report.