July 2012/3

Freddie Mac is in talks with a trade group to discuss how to reduce force-placed insurance fees, according to QBE, which is the second largest carrier in the US force-place market.

Hiscox plc has disclosed a significant improvement to its forecast for the 2011 year of account at its flagship Lloyd's syndicate.

Suncorp has released an update on its cat reinsurance renewal, confirming many of the details revealed by The Insurance Insider in the last month.

US specialty insurer AmTrust has ended its search for a Lloyd's platform after buying the diminutive Dore & Associates (DAHL) and its Syndicate 2526.

Chubb feels the wind; Howard takes top job at Towers Watson; Equinox appoints Lewers; Mitsui hires in liability; Things looking up in casualty; Arch Re fac in London ; UK flood levy proposed; WR Berkley towers; Catco ups loss ; Lloyd's touchtable; Willis gets Guernsey licence

Carlson Capital has indicated its willingness to listen to offers for Lloyd's carrier Barbican and is working with prolific sell-side advisor Evercore to explore its strategic options, The Insurance Insider can reveal.

At a recent event hosted by this organisation a prominent scientist made an interesting observation based on detailed analysis of the best historical data on extreme windstorm events.

The total loss to Zenkyoren's $7bn-limit reinsurance programme has turned attention to the exposed private layers sitting above the 935bn yen ($11.8bn) open market cat programme.