Analysis

All three of the world's largest insurance brokers reported strong fourth quarter results for 2014, producing between 3 and 4 percent organic growth across the board

Embattled UK broker Towergate will be hoping it can now move forwards, with a potential resolution to its debt struggles and a new CEO waiting in the wings

Despite a largely benign catastrophe environment, global reinsurers delivered varied underwriting performance for the last quarter of 2014 as they faced growing expenses and thinning reserve releases.

Global reinsurers' top lines came under pressure in 2014, as the group altered their portfolios in light of a deteriorating marketplace.

Share price data on The Insurance Insider's universe of P&C (re)insurers...

P&C (re)insurance stocks remained generally static last week as our Insider 30 index traded down by 0.08 percent.

Heritage continued to lead the way on top line growth among publicly traded Florida insurers as it doubled its gross written premiums (GWP) for the full year.

Listed Lloyd's insurers - 2014 result look-up tables

Lloyd's insurers continued to prove their attractions as income stocks as they revealed yet another set of special dividends following solid full-year results.

The listed Lloyd's carriers again reported mid-to-high teens returns in 2014, but failed to match their 2013 performance despite another benign loss year and an improvement in investment returns.

Underwriting margins for the listed Lloyd's carriers narrowed in 2014 as combined ratios rose on the back of fatter expenses and thinner reserve releases.

The listed Lloyd's insurers have reported their highest top-line growth in years in the face of fast-falling reinsurance rates, stagnant demand for risk transfer and a trend towards consolidation in placements that is favouring the industry's heavyweights.