March 2012/1

Unsurprisingly in such a heavy year for cat losses, The Insurance Insider Data Room's composite of publicly quoted Lloyd's underwriters lost money in 2011. The Insurance Insider has a comprehensive analysis of the quoted Lloyd's sector

Closing results for 2009 from non-aligned Lloyd's syndicates have come in ahead of forecasts, with top performer QBE Syndicate 386 reporting a 43.1 percent profit on capacity

Warren Buffett once quipped that it is only when the tide goes out that we are able to see who is swimming naked, and perhaps there was an element of this in underwriters' 2011 results

Lloyd's may still salvage an underlying 2011 profit excluding the effect of Syndicate 1880, analysis of publicly available data by The Insurance Insider suggests

Two of the market's most influential figures have outlined markedly different stances over a proposed new claims project

Brit Insurance reported its lowest expense ratio in five years for 2011 as the cost-cutting measures that have intensified since its £880mn buy-out by private equity duo Apollo-CVC last spring bore fruit

While some London underwriters were able to lean on their diversified underwriting model to help smooth results, strain in the financial markets meant that investment income was not able to ride to the rescue and offset underwriting losses.

Following the release of its full-year results on 1 March, Lloyd's (re)insurer Hardy has commenced first-round due diligence with the six to eight names still interested in the business, The Insurance Insider has learned

US and international specialty insurer Navigators' launch of a new wholesale business unit is the latest example of a more positive sentiment emerging in the excess and surplus lines (E&S) market

Ariel Holdings is in no hurry to sell off its successful Lloyd's business Atrium, despite the divestiture of most of its operations, The Insurance Insider understands

Investment bank Goldman Sachs was able to agree a deal to acquire the Bermudian operations of Ariel Re based on less than book value, The Insurance Insider has learned

US rates still rising; Rainbow alliance; S&P: Thai $18bn estimate; Adeus Lloyd's

The Insurance Insider's new regular feature on asset management in the P&C (re)insurance sector…

Willis uncovers $28mn in overstated revenues; HSBC $914mn sale; Citizens appoints; Liberty $2.7bn cat bill

Capital market investors have directed $3bn-$4bn of new funds into the insurance-linked securities (ILS) sector this year with a strong focus on the liquid cat bond side of the market

Cat bond issuance has reached nearly $1.3bn for 2012 - far ahead of the $915mn market volume recorded this time last year.

Ariel Re's sale means it's time to take stock of how the class of 2005 has performed against expectations

Capital market solutions feature in Florida last-resort insurer's proposed $1bn private reinsurance package...

New Willis Global chairman and CEO Steve Hearn is to unveil a new structure for the unit next month, The Insurance Insider can reveal...

Two Asian advisory and research firms have launched a new index to track returns from hedge funds specialising in insurance-linked assets.

BP agreed a $7.8bn settlement with individuals and businesses affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon incident, but the legal battle with the US government and its drilling partners continues...

JLT's strong international growth in 2011 ensured it led the organic growth table...

Wurt and RSA lead insurers in arguing Soc Gen failed to disclose crucial information in proposal...

A New York court has ruled against Aon in its ongoing poaching case with Alliant. Aon accused the rival firm and former senior Aon construction broking executive Michael Cusack of breaching an injunction that bars Alliant from poaching Aon employees and clients.