July 2009/2

According to the latest syndicate forecasts, all-time record profits from the recently closed 2006 year of account at Lloyd's are set to be followed by solid profits for the 2007 account.

Russian-backed private equity firm Pamplona Capital Management is still awaiting approval from UK regulator the Financial Services Authority (FSA), after conditionally building a 16.27 percent stake in Lloyd's insurer Chaucer last month.

Veteran personal accident (PA) underwriter Colin Owen is set to return to the London market.

Barbican has emerged as one of a number of Lloyd's insurers adopting a flexible approach to meet increased capital requirements.

The London contingency market is facing a lingering exposure to event cancellation due to the swine flu pandemic.

Lloyd's is keen to encourage more so-called turnkey operators to enter the market following RenaissanceRe's acquisition of the specialist provider Spectrum Syndicate Management last month.

Insider Vital Insurance Statistics (IVIS) is our new regular monthly feature tracking the trends impacting the quoted (re)insurance sector. This month: Bermudians and Europeans fight back in strong Q2; (re)insurer valuations stay low...

July's airline insurance renewal figures have so far painted a picture of double-digit price increases, adding to the momentum behind hardening in the sector.

PartnerRe's takeover of Paris Re will see it first exchange 0.30 of its common shares for each of its target's outstanding shares in a stock swap.

Lloyd's is undertaking a major strategic review that will define its 2010 business planning, and which will be in place when the former Berkshire Hathaway executive Tom Bolt formally takes over as head of underwriting next year.

MacDonald in next as Newhouse relocation and Keeling hire bolster non-US operations.

With PartnerRe's move for its smaller up-for-sale rival Paris Re set to create the world’s fifth-largest reinsurer, attention has once again focused on consolidation in the sector.