Storm
Near norm Atlantic hurricane season predicted
Hurricane activity in the 2012 Atlantic season is likely to be close to the long-time norm values, but 10-40% below the norm values for the past 10 years, according to a forecast by Tropical Storm Risk.
Swiss Re secures nat-cat buffer of $400m via bond market
Swiss Re has obtained an extra $400m in natural-catastrophe protection via a catastrophe bond through newly formed issuer Mythen Ltd.
Energy: Overcapacity causing problems as market rates stagnate
It has been a tumultuous few years for the insurance industry, and not many sectors have been affected as much as energy.
Claims Roundtable: How can insurers innovate to win the retention race?
In the toughest economic environment for years, companies have to prove they have a competitive edge when it comes to handling claims.
Premium rates set for Thai cat fund
The Thai government has settled on premium rates for the state-initiated disaster fund.
Perils expects €267m losses from Windstorm Andrea
Independent Zurich-based firm Perils has disclosed its initial loss estimate for windstorm Andrea as €267m.
New year European windstorm damage estimated at €267m
Perils has today disclosed an initial loss estimate for windstorm Andrea, which occurred in Western Europe from 4-5 January 2012, of €267m.
Perils estimates €300m windstorm Joachim loss
Independent Zurich-based firm, Perils, today disclosed an initial loss estimate of €300m for windstorm Joachim, which occurred in Western Europe from 15-17 December 2011.
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.
Australian disaster claims total A$5bn
Australia’s eight natural disasters in 2011 cost general insurers approximately A$5bn (£3.4bn) – more than double the 2010 figure, the Insurance Council of Australia reports.
Growth in green energy prompts Rural to enter market
Specialist agricultural insurer Rural, part of UKGI, is the latest business to launch a suite of green insurance products to meet the growing demand for cover from farmers investing in renewable energy schemes.
IAG revises half year perils outlook after Xmas day weather claims
Insurance Australia Group has confirmed that its Australia Direct and CGU businesses had received to date approximately 24 000 claims following the hailstorms and related severe weather which occurred in Victoria around Christmas Day.
Extreme UK weather behind car claims increase
The storms that battered parts of the UK brought a 28% increase in car insurance claims over the first five days of January, compared with the same period last year, according to the AA.
Clustering seen as Windstorm Andrea follows hot on Ulli's heels
Windstorm Andrea passed through the UK earlier last week, fast on the heels of Windstorm Ulli, which brought widespread travel and power disruptions to Scotland.
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.
Axa calls in extra claims staff as extreme weather batters Britain
The head of household claims at Axa has revealed that extreme weather conditions over the past few days have forced the firm to draft in extra claims handling staff to deal with an influx of calls.
Windstorm Ulli expected to hit Scandanavia then dissipate
Windstorm Ulli is passing through Scandinavia and is expected to dissipate as it moves over the Baltic Sea today.
Stormy weather creates conditions for household rate rise
The recent winter storms in England and Scotland could lead to further rises in household premiums, according to PwC.
Claims double following storms
GAB Robins said that heavy rain forecast for today in the west of Scotland could lead to flooding.
Axa raises storm concerns amid spiralling claims
Axa bosses have this afternoon revealed they have received three and a half times the usual number of storm claims over the past 24 hours.
Claims from Windstorm Dagmar in Scandinavia to break $46m
According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Windstorm Dagmar, which moved across Russia north of St Petersburg on Christmas Day and until the early hours of 27 December 2011, caused power outages, tree-downings, and landslides and other…