February 2007/2

Fuelled by its acquisition of GE Insurance Solutions (GEIS), Swiss Re reported a 14 percent increase in business at the January renewals, the equivalent of SFr1.3bn.

Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd booked year-on-year premium growth in excess of 10 percent as it reported 2006 net profits of $498.1mn and record annual return on equity (ROE) of 25.6 percent.

Lloyd's insurer Beazley Group plc has announced that it will begin underwriting US commercial property business on an admitted basis.

Giant Swiss insurer Zurich Financial Services Group (ZFS) has announced Peter Eckert, the group’s chief operating officer, is to retire at the end of the month.

Market information and analysis firm Advisen Ltd has teamed up with messaging specialist Web Connectivity Ltd to launch, Easy Placement, a web-based software programme that enables brokers to...

"Gold-plated" reinsurance was key to the landmark $7bn deal between Equitas and Berkshire Hathaway according to Scott Moser, CEO of the Lloyd's run-off vehicle.

Besso Holdings Ltd, the London market broker which is set to announce a leap in profits for 2006, has appointed an adviser to consider its offers which could involve the sale of its shares.

Insurance broker Willis Group Holdings revealed it would be reducing its headcount by an extra 100 people as it announced its annual profits had grown to $449mn last year, compared to $281mn in 2005.

It was a case of from one extreme to the other as XL Capital bounced back from 2005's record losses to report a record net income of $1.76bn for 2006.

Aon Corp posted flat fourth quarter net income of $224mn with broking revenues up 7 percent to $1.5bn in its annual results.

PartnerRe also reported record net income for 2006 on the back of the unexpected calm hurricane season.

John Charman's AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd beat consensus estimates and reported record results for last year on the back of the benign catastrophe season.