August 2012/3

Market faces $362mn Thailand chemical loss; Montpelier to rely on luck in per risk property; The Americans buy Lime-St(.com); Kerner gets top Zurich general insurance job; S&P down on Aviva turnaround plans; Berkshire Hathaway buys US insurer Guard; Hiscox gets an A+ on results day; Cooper Gay turns to Fraser; XL scoops Hiscox terrorism head Ashwell

Hiring in the London-based international liability market is continuing apace as more high-profile transfers take place in a frenetic summer for underwriting moves.

The chair of the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (Econ), Sharon Bowles, has accused certain leading German MEPs of attempting to "jettison the whole of Solvency II".

The middle of August is traditionally described in the media world as the "silly" season. With all the politicians and celebrities on holiday, financial markets in limbo and all the major sporting events complete, the set-piece news agenda disintegrates and newspapers traditionally struggle to find anything to write about.

Lloyd's (re)insurer Amlin is considering whether to reverse course on de-risking its business and regrow its catastrophe reinsurance portfolio at the 1 January renewals.