June 2008/5

Poor returns from UK acquisitions have put a stop on future AXA Group buyouts, according to the French insurance giant’s chairman and CEO, Henri de Castries.

Acquisitive run-off specialist Enstar Group Ltd has announced plans to raise around $105mn with a new public share issue.

New York governor David Paterson has dropped the biggest hint yet that it could relax regulatory barriers against foreign (re)insurers, according to reports last week.

London market broker RFIB Group Ltd has recruited Dominic Hagger from Arthur J Gallagher UK Ltd (AJG UK) to join its international non-marine business.

Ratings agency Moody's Investor Services has cut its outlook on XL Capital to negative due to the company's exposure to the sub-prime crisis through its bond insurer affiliate Security Capital Assurance (SCA).

Despite a "good year for the insurance industry" in 2007, the non-life sector faces considerable challenges, according to Swiss Re.

Net income for the US property & casualty (P&C) insurance industry has almost halved in the first quarter of 2008 after heavy losses in underwriting results, according to the US P&C associations.

Deven Sharma, president of credit rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P), has called for a co-ordinated approach by credit agencies to ensure there is greater global rating consistency.

As predicted by The Insurance Insider last week, Capita Group plc and Marsh UK finalised their 10-year outsourcing deal, worth £187mn, that will see around 600 staff transfer to the outsourcing firm.

Specialist UK broker THB Group plc has seen profits fall by an much as 40 percent in the 12 months to April, compared to the prior year despite more an earnings boost in the first half of that period.

Amlin plc remains one of the best property and casualty insurers, according to Keefe, Bruyette & Woods analyst Chris Hitchings, after the listed-Lloyd's insurer reassured investors that its catastrophe risk account remains in good shape.

The rebuilding of the World Trade Center site that was devastated in the 9/11 terrorist attacks will not be completed until the middle of the next decade and may run up to $3bn over budget, according to reports.