July 2006/4

Bermudian-headquartered (re)insurer Lancashire Holdings Ltd is planning to form a UK licenced insurer, Lancashire Insurance Company (UK) Ltd (LUK).

Lloyd’s insurer Heritage Underwriting Agency plc has this morning (20 July) named its new active underwriter on Syndicate 1200 as Nick Jones, promoted to replace the recently departed Les Rock.

Lloyd’s insurer Heritage Underwriting Agency plc confirmed this morning (18 July) its intention to float on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange, with shares trading from 1 August.

Reinsurance broker Benfield has announced that it is ready to process live risk messages with the G6 group of Lloyd's insurers after implementing its peer-to-peer standard messaging system.

Insurance Capital Partners - a Lloyd's investment fund launched last year - plans to float on the London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market (AIM) later this month in a bid to raise £100mn.

Aon Ltd has become so synonymous with Dennis Mahoney - effectively the chief executive of its London operations since 1984 - that until recently it was difficult to imagine the two apart.

Pick up Heath Lambert Group on the cheap and become the UK's second largest (re)insurance broker?

Despite the announcement last week that takeover talks between Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc (JLT) and Heath Lambert Group had ended, it's still conceivable that neither firm will be independent in a year's time as brokers find the search for growth...

Specialist (re)insurance IT solutions provider Sequel Business Solutions has signed up Willis group Services in a significant deal that will see the world's third largest broker use its Eclipse Broking solution.

A leading insurance analyst has warned that Willis Group might miss its "optimistic" earnings per share target.

Bermudian (re)insurer Allied World Assurance Company Holdings (AWAC) launched its IPO last Wednesday (12 July) priced at $34 a share.

UK general insurer Aviva's shares continued to slip late last week after it announced on Thursday (13 July) that it has agreed a deal with AmerUS Group Co (AmerUs) to buy the US company for around $2.9bn (£1.6bn) in cash.