April 2014/4

The pace of US commercial P&C rate increases continued to slide during the first quarter, but some of the sector's leading pricing bellwethers have adopted a defensive and upbeat stance, downplaying the influence of increased competition in the market.

Meagre top line expansion and low investment returns are expected to emerge as dominant themes in the upcoming Q1 interim management statement reporting season for Lloyd's carriers

London's independent wholesale brokers have reacted with predictable anger to proposals, unveiled in the latest Lloyd's strategic plan, to expand the Corporation's geographical footprint in growth markets.

The insurance-linked securities (ILS) market shrank temporarily during the first quarter of 2014 despite a record volume of new issuance for the start of the year, Munich Re Capital Markets said in its Q1 review of the sector.

A Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) committee recommended during a 21 April meeting that the state insurer of last resort should focus on sourcing aggregate reinsurance protection for its 2014 programme, including a cat bond.

Floridian insurer American Coastal Insurance Company has returned to the insurance-linked securities (ILS) market with a renewal of its Armor Re cat bond shortly after pricing settled on two other Florida-focused bonds.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch has won the mandate to sell QBE's US mid-market business, The Insurance Insider can reveal.

Endurance's most obvious next steps in its hostile bid for Aspen are the commencement of an exchange offer in tandem with a scheme of arrangement, market sources have predicted.

The Atrium war aviation and non-war aviation underwriting teams that resigned at the beginning of the month are heading to Lancashire-owned rival Lloyd's carrier Cathedral, The Insurance Insider revealed earlier today (28 April).

AM Best's initial decision to withhold an A- rating from Pine River's proposed "greenfield" reinsurance start-up has tilted the balance of probability towards partnerships between hedge funds looking to enter the space and traditional reinsurers

The average cost for one year's comprehensive motor cover in the UK fell to £531 ($887) in the first three months of 2014, a decrease of 16.6 percent compared with the same period last year, according to the latest quarterly survey from motor insurer and roadside recovery group AA.

Broking heavyweight Aon saw its share price close up 3.4 percent on Friday (25 April) after it posted first quarter earnings per share of $1.28, comfortably ahead of the analyst consensus of $1.18.