January 2009/1

Bermudian Ironshore has continued its raid on beleaguered insurance giant American International Group (AIG) with the hiring of Joe Boren and John O'Brien to head up its newly formed Environmental Insurance unit.

Lloyd’s (re)insurer Hardy Underwriting Bermuda Ltd has increased capacity on its Syndicate 382 from £185mn to £250mn for 2009 in response to the weak UK pound.

The liquidated estate of US workers' compensation insurers Mission Insurance Companies yielded a further $121mn for policyholders, bringing the total amount distributed to approximately $1.5bn.

The Hartford Financial Services Group has had the A+ financial strength ratings of its subsidiaries removed from review with negative implications and affirmed by AM Best, albeit with a negative outlook.

Bermudian run-off acquisitions firm Enstar Group completed its $341.3mn acquisition of Travelers’ UK-based unit Unionamerica Holdings Ltd at the end of December.

Bermudian reinsurer Starr Insurance & Reinsurance Ltd (SIRL), a subsidiary of Starr International Company, Inc has been assigned a stable financial strength rating of A by AM Best.

Singapore-based reinsurer Asia Capital Reinsurance Group received approval last month to open a branch office in Hong Kong as a spearhead to its expansion into the northeast Asia markets.

Expansive insurer WR Berkley Insurance (Europe), Limited (WRB Europe) has announced that it has completed the acquisition of Irish Professional Risks Ltd, to form WR Berkley Insurance Ireland.

US property & casualty (P&C) (re)insurers saw net income for the first three quarters of 2008 fall by 85 percent to $7.3bn, with an underwriting loss of $10.9bn, according to a report by rating agency AM Best.

American International Group (AIG) and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY) have bought an additional $16bn of multi-sector collateralised debt obligations...

Randall & Quilter (R&Q), the UK listed run-off acquisition and management firm, has continued its strategy of acquiring service companies with a deal to pay up to $6.9mn to acquire the Bermuda-based Quest Management Services Ltd.

XL Capital's competitive position has "diminished" because of the enervating effect of the earnings and capital charges that have overshadowed the Bermudian (re)insurer in the past few years, according to ratings agency Standard & Poor's (S&P).