December 2003/2

Despite the old adage that losses from bad years only get worse, latest estimates from Lloyd’s syndicates hold out hope that the awful 2001 underwriting year may yet plateau.

Marketform Acquisition Company Limited has attracted £15mn of equity finance from Caledonia Investments plc as it continues to capitalise on the strong rates for non-US medical malpractice and other specialty liability insurance.

Industry financier Sir Laurie Magnus has warned that the London market is in danger of being overtaken by US and Bermudian insurers unless it works to improve its claims processes and standards of professionalism.

Bermudian based White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd agreed to buy Swedish (re)insurer Sirius Insurance earlier this month, as first revealed in The Insurance Insider's 10 November edition of its sister publication Insider Week.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, or so we are told, but is this the reason Kiln is considering a revamp of their 2004 annual report design? According to Snide's sources, Kiln has commissioned "design consultants" to come up with ideas for...

Benfield is likely to report lower than expected results because of the weak US dollar, according to the broker's latest trading update.

Inhabitants of the Caribbean and the US East Coast should expect another active Atlantic hurricane season next year, weather experts have warned.

Those inclined to a "half full" interpretation of the global insurance industry were encouraged this month by two relatively upbeat reports.

Swiss Re, the world's second largest reinsurer, will no longer write Lloyd's international casualty treaty business, The Insurance Insider can reveal.

HLF Group has become embroiled in a controversy over undisclosed commission payments relating to a contract with the Australian Federal Government.

Energy reinsurance dispute in High Court as reinsurers seek to avoid $90mn+ of losses

There was more courtroom drama this month with a mammoth case management conference for the forthcoming film finance litigation.