February 2006/2

Bermudian reinsurer PXRE has lost its crucial A- (Excellent) financial strength rating following its downgrading to B++ (Very Good) by ratings agency AM Best today (17 February).

French reinsurers SCOR and AXA Re – the reinsurance arm of insurance giant AXA – were linked last week following an article in Les Echos. The potential acquisition of AXA Re would give SCOR further scale while...

Lloyd’s insurer Omega Underwriting Holdings plc had its application to join the Bermuda insurance market approved late last month. Omega Specialty Insurance Company Ltd was granted a class three licence according to a 27 January bulletin from the...

Following the weeks of turmoil between American International Group (AIG) and the Hank Greenberg controlled Starr agencies, AIG has overhauled the management team of its aviation unit. Long-serving AIG executive David Hupp has replaced...

Only a month after Lloyd’s unveiled an ambitious three-year strategic plan, the Corporation has parted company with its head of business strategy as of last week. Since joining Lloyd’s in 2003, Stuart Degg led the development of Lloyd’s...

The former British conglomerate Hanson plc revealed today (13 February) that an asbestos-hit US subsidiary has reached a settlement with its liability insurers. According to the group, the settlement is effective from January 2006 and resolves...

Bermudian (re)insurer Max Re reported an $11.4mn or 20 cents a share, fourth quarter net loss and a full-year net profit of $6.7mn, or 13 cents a share for 2005, primarily as a result of a $129.7mn loss development on a prior-year contract.

Chicago-based broker Aon reported a 35 percent rise in net income of $737mn or $2.17 per share, for 2005. In the fourth quarter net income trebled from $81mn, or $0.24 per share, in 2004 to $224mn or $0.65 per share last year...

XL Capital unveiled its largest ever full-year trading loss at $1.29bn following 2005’s devastating hurricane losses and the adverse Winterthur arbitration decision which cost the Bermudian giant a further $808.9mn.

Analysts were divided in their reaction to the January renewal season advice that Hannover Re released last Tuesday (7 February) with a EUR11 difference in price targets set on its stock. The German reinsurer summed up this year’s renewal season...

Ewen Gilmour, the chief executive of quoted Lloyd’s insurer Chaucer plc, is set to become the next deputy chairman of Lloyd’s when the Society’s ruling body, the Lloyd’s Council, meet later this week.

A $313.9mn net negative impact from Hurricane Wilma hit Renaissance Re’s fourth quarter results with the Bermudian reinsurer reporting a $206.9mn operating loss. For the full year RenRe announced an operating loss of $274.5mn, down from an income...