February 2013/4

Privately held UK motor insurer Esure is expected to list on the London Stock Exchange in a move that comes just months after UK bank RBS successfully listed its non-life insurer Direct Line

The specialist legacy acquisition arm of Bermudian reinsurer White Mountains has agreed to buy a run-off subsidiary of Leucadia National as it continues to build its presence in the sector.

Gabriel Bernardino, the chairman of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority, has expressed reservations about proposals to update the European Insurance Mediation Directive (IMD).

Former Equity Syndicate Management CEO Neil Utley has agreed to pay £130,000 to Lloyd's to cover the costs of investigations against him as he was censured and banned from acting as a director of a Lloyd's firm for two years.

New York-listed insurer Tower has refuted allegations that it failed to handle claims from Superstorm Sandy in a timely fashion, stating that it provided New York regulators with "voluminous information".

A key vote on the Omnibus II directive has been delayed again, implying that the final implementation of Solvency II may be delayed until at least 2016.

Berkshire Hathaway remains embroiled in a dispute with global reinsurer Swiss Re over a life reinsurance transaction that the investment conglomerate has claimed could cause damages of up to $1bn.

30XL Group and luxury electric carmaker Fisker Automotive have settled out of court to end a $33mn lawsuit in which the Bermudian (re)insurer was accused of denying coverage for 338 hybrid electric cars destroyed by Superstorm Sandy.

The New York Federal Reserve Bank has settled with Bank of America (BoA) over a dispute involving toxic residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS).

UK life insurer Legal & General (L&G) has completed its second longevity insurance deal, which covers £3.2bn of pension obligations, and has reinsured 70 percent of the transaction with Hannover Re.

RenaissanceRe CEO Neill Currie said the company is likely to do more "transformer" business where it acts as an intermediary for third-party capital and protection buyers, while speaking at the recent Bank of America Merrill Lynch insurance conference.

Bermudian insurance-linked security (ILS) fund manager Nephila Capital has grown its assets under management by more than $2bn over the past 18 months.

Lancashire says its new third-party capital management division will take time to develop but the firm is committed to building a (re)insurance fund manager.

Weekly share price movements and key data on The Insurance Insider's universe of P&C (re)insurers and brokers

If brokers needed further ammunition to use against reinsurers fighting rate reductions, then the results in the past week may have provided the arsenal.

American International Group (AIG) shares traded up on the New York Stock Exchange last week after the US insurance giant booked better-than-expected fourth quarter results.

Lloyd's insurer Ascot Underwriting has announced strong 2012 results with a pre-tax profit of £93.3m on a combined ratio of 81 percent.

QBE Syndicate 386 led the pack of Lloyd's syndicates that have disclosed 2010 year of account (YoA) profit figures

The power market is braced for a potential clash with major New Jersey power generator and distributor PSEG over differences in Superstorm Sandy loss estimates.

The London specie market is expected to receive a claim from security firm Brink's following the diamond heist at Brussels Airport on 18 February.

Ex-tropical cyclone Oswald looks set to inflict net losses totalling A$320mn-A$360mn on Australian heavyweights Suncorp and IAG.

George Quinn, Swiss Re's CFO, said last week that the world's second-largest reinsurer is keen to issue more contingent capital to take advantage of growing investor interest in the product.

Q-Re, the Qatari reinsurer with ambitions to build out operations in Bermuda, London and Zurich, will be supported by additional capital from its parent, the Qatar Insurance Company (QIC) and has appointed a new CEO to lead the expansion.

KBW's most senior insurance financial adviser Nick Triggs has resigned and will join Aon Benfield Securities as the new head of its investment banking business, The Insurance Insider can reveal.

Goldman Sachs has completed the sale of 75 percent of its $1.4bn Global Atlantic reinsurance business through a private placement.

The rating agency AM Best has assigned B financial strength and bb issuer credit ratings with a stable outlook to $50mn Florida start-up Weston Insurance Company.

The currently profitable but hard-pressed airline aviation market is likely to face an additional squeeze if the agreed merger of American Airlines and US Airways goes through, market sources suggest.

The universe of potential buyers interested in the Qatarlyst electronic placement platform has evolved after the UK outsourcing giant Capita took itself out of the frame, The Insurance Insider understands.

Hiscox plc is looking to deepen its knowledge of the capital markets through its strategic relationship with Third Point Re and may look to expand into the insurance-linked securities (ILS) space in the future, according to its incoming chairman Robert Childs.

Reinsurers of Narragansett Bay Insurance Company (NBIC) remain confident that the company's losses from the storm will be retained within the second layer of its $460mn xs $20mn XoL cat programme.

Axis Capital CEO Albert Benchimol said the company's "guerilla warfare" strategy in building up an accident and health (A&H) book should begin to pay dividends by 2014.

It is "very unlikely" Nike bought cover on Oscar Pistorius's estimated $2mn sponsorship deal with the sports firm, underwriting sources told The Insurance Insider.

ProSight first; Generali grows; XL buyback; Ascot defies; Q-Re appoints Saacke; Validus Re upgrade; Tokio Marine Europe appoints; Alleghany books Q4 loss; IAG cuts losses; Argo appoints; Endurance hire; Swiss Re profits; Lancashire beats

Sagicor Financial has prevented a large number of new potential bidders from entering the sales process for its Lloyd's platform as it privileges speed of sale over price, The Insurance Insider can reveal

With the reporting season almost over for another quarter it is clear that our business is once again preparing to steady the ship and batten down the hatches in preparation for tougher times ahead

European insurers' ability to maintain progressive dividend policies amid moribund interest rates was given fresh scrutiny last week after markets reacted negatively to the shock dividend cut by London-based RSA.