December 2005/2

Lloyd’s heavyweights chose November to hint at a three-year plan which the Society will look to implement from next year. In a lecture, Chairman Lord Levene talked of the tasks ahead and said: “Nick [Prettejohn, Lloyd’s retiring CEO] and his team...

Chances of 2005 profit slim, as 2006 capacity up 7% to £14.7bn Losses to the Lloyd’s market from the trio of devastating hurricanes this year will top $5bn, according to latest estimates revealed on 30 November.

AIG restates again after $500mn discovery ; Quanta woes continue ; Hannover profits blown out by storms ; French riots cost AXA EUR50mn ; Ex-HIH finance chief faces criminal charges ; Loss record broken, says ISO ; Segal sentenced to ten years et al...

UK insurer Royal & Sun Alliance (R&SA) is facing damaging losses of up to $300mn net as a result of Mexican hurricane losses, The Insurance Insider understands. Hurricane Wilma slammed into the coast near Cancun in mid-October causing devastation to...

William Dewsall, the former managing director of Hogarth Underwriting, is set to be appointed CEO of planned construction and liability insurer Gable Insurance AG. The new company is the result of the acquisition of Liechtenstein-based Duke Brown AG...

Lloyd’s to pioneer Islamic (re)insurance ; Beazley forms new £200mn Syndicate ; Alea winds down London arm ; Brit commits to dividend and raises £150mn in debt issue ; Lloyd’s and Willis get Chinese approval ; Agnew Higgins wins International et al...

Class of 2005 reinsurer looks to be the first start-up on AIM since PRI The Bermudian start-up reinsurer Lancashire Holdings Ltd is set to float on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in a bid to raise the final tier of...

Despite the perception that hedge funds currently possess an unalloyed enthusiasm for all things reinsurance, the sponsors of the new sidecar arrangements are not being overwhelmed with interest from the cash-rich funds. These so-called sidecars are...

Rating agency AM Best is set to seal its stamp of authority on Bermuda’s “Class of 2005” (re)insurers when it publishes inaugural financial strength ratings for a number of the start-ups in the forthcoming days. At time of going to press, AM Best...

The 23rd of November saw a gala night of charity white collar boxing as The Insurance Insider, hosted “A Hard Market?” on behalf of the London insurance industry.

Reinsurance specialist broker, JK Buckenham Ltd (JKB) has announced the creation of JKB USA, which has been formed in partnership with US broker Performance Insurance Services.

Brokers Marsh & McLennan has “restructured, refinanced and refocused its sales force” and is ready to grow again after suffering a rough year post-Spitzer, according to an analyst.