December 2007/1

AIG UK Ltd, one of the UK’s largest commercial non-life insurers, has appointed two new industry heavyweights to its board as part of its transformation into a multi-billion pound, FSA authorised insurance company.

Specialist broker THB Group plc has entered into talks with PWS Holdings over the acquisition of PWS' Lloyd’s broking business and overseas interests.

Ratings agency Moody's Investor Services has assigned ratings of Ba1, Ba3 and B3 to the three debt tranches in Bermudian (re)insurer XL Capital's new Cyrus Re II sidecar vehicle.

US hedge funds Steel Partners II and Carlson Capital are behind a new £75mn composite syndicate at Lloyd's.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (MMC) should spin-off its Kroll consulting unit as well as the group's Mercer human resources business, according to a Canadian investment firm.

Takeover speculation again gripped reinsurance broker Benfield Group last week as an insurance analyst linked Aon Corp with a possible move for the UK quoted firm.

American International Group (AIG) leads both the liability and the hull coverages for the budget airliner that crashed in Turkey killing all on board last Friday (30 November), according to sources.

Marsh Inc has completed its search for a new chief executive with the appointment of Daniel Glaser.

Groupama SA is expected to complete its first insurance linked securities transaction shortly, with its proposed securitisation of EUR200mn of French windstorm risk.

UK businesses are facing an "unprecedented threat" from home-grown terrorism, Lloyd's has warned.

Reinsurers have been warned about the costs arising from claims inflation in severe bodily injury claims.

The merry-go-round of facultative reinsurance broker moves continued last week as Guy Carpenter announced the appointment of Willis broker Catherine Kim.