April 2006/4

Willis Group appointed Don Bailey as chief operating officer of Willis North America on 11 April. Bailey will work alongside Willis North America CEO Mario Vitale on the day-to-day operations and sales activities of the business unit.

As the industry continues to digest the implications of last year's record hurricane season, The Insurance Insider and Guy Carpenter are delighted to invite you to attend a Post-Katrina Technical Briefing, taking place at Balls Brothers, Minster Court...

Our 2006 London Market survey has provided interesting feedback on the structure of the market, the demise of Kinnect, the rise of the "gang of six" and the possible solutions available. Opinion is divided, however, in terms of the e-business...

Markel International, the London Market arm of the American insurer, has hired Henry Sturge as open market property underwriter within its non-marine property division. Markel's Non-Marine Property division’s managing director Conor Finn commented...

Swiss reinsurer Glacier Re announced on 10 April that it has received a licence to write reinsurance business in Mexico. The licence, which was granted on 29 March, covers all areas of non-life reinsurance. The reinsurer said it plans to write...

If the European insurance sector can sustain healthy balance sheets and profitability, upgrades are likely in 2006, said rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) in its latest report card on the industry released today (18 April).

The reserving crisis that has seen some of the industry's biggest players blighted by a series of heavy charges to financials in recent years appears to be easing, according to research by analysts at Morgan Stanley.

Turned around French reinsurer SCOR has reported significant growth in Asia and India, with a 23 percent increase in premium income for non-life treaty business in the region. The company said that, with treaties in Japan and Korea up for renewal...