April 2006/5

UK regulator the Financial Services Authority (FSA) has fined Lloyd’s broker Besso £20,000 for failure to apply for approval of a member of its management who had previous fraud convictions and is alleged to have gone on to commit fraud whilst at the firm

Bermudian (re)insurer IPC Re announced on 25 March that its net income rose by over 42 percent to $62.65mn for the first quarter of 2006.

Lloyd’s insurer Atrium Underwriting plc today (26 April) announced pre-tax profits of £10mn for last year, 68 percent down on 2004’s record return of £31.6mn.

Canadian energy company Suncor Energy Inc announced yesterday (25 April) it has agreed an $830mn settlement with insurers over business interruption (BI) claims arising from a major fire at its Oilsands facilities in northern Alberta last January.

Bermudian reinsurance ACE Ltd has announced a record net income of $489mn for the first quarter of 2006 despite an $80mn charge to cover an imminent settlement with regulators.

Bermudian giant XL Capital reported record first quarter income of $405.5mn, or $2.26 per ordinary share, yesterday (25 March).

Everest Re has prompted fears of more hurricane pain for reinsurers after revealing further deterioration in losses from last autumn’s storms in its first quarter results published yesterday (24 April).

US insurer WR Berkley yesterday (24 April) reported a 34 percent rise in its first quarter net income from $121mn last year to $162mn in 2006.

Bermudian (re)insurer Partner Re has unveiled a strong set of first quarter results, with net income of $193.1mn and operating income of $133.7mn, up from $111.4mn and $67.6mn respectively in the prior-year period.

CV Starr & Co (California), a subsidiary of Hank Greenberg's CV Starr, has hired former AIG executive Jeffrey Hafter as executive vice president in charge of developing the East Coast operations under the agency's Pacific Starr of New York, Inc. entity.

Insurance Australia Group (IAG) has revealed that its exposure to Cyclone Larry could be up to Aus$135mn - worse than it first anticipated. The company has received nearly 6,000 claims since Larry hit Far North Queensland last month.

Our 2006 London Market survey continues to provide interesting feedback on the structure of the market, the demise of Kinnect, the rise of the "gang of six" and the possible solutions available to improve efficiencies in the market.