May 2006/3

UK general insurer Royal & Sun Alliance (R&SA) this morning (11 May) announced first quarter pre-tax profits of £122mn, unchanged from the corresponding period of 2005.

First quarter net income dropped 16 percent to $3.2bn at American International Group (AIG), reported yesterday (10 May).

Besieged Bermudian reinsurer PXRE Group Ltd today (10 May) reported that it has lost two-thirds of its business following its recent troubles.

London market broker Tyser & Co has been refused leave to appeal a decision that upheld market custom that underwriters are entitled to placing and claims documentation held by broker.

London market broker Glencairn Ltd has parted company with Adam Fox, the head of its reinsurance operations.

German giant Munich Re has announced quarterly profits of €979mn today (9 May), up 41.7 percent from the €691 in the prior-year period.

US insurer HCC Insurance Holdings reported a significant rise in first quarter net profit of 37 percent to $78.6mn, compared to $57.3mn in the prior-year period.

Aon Ltd, the UK arm of broking giant Aon Corp, has reversed plans to move its London operations out of the City of London and to the Docklands.

Willis Group Holdings Ltd reported on the 3 May net income of $140mn, or $0.89 per share, for the first quarter of 2006, more than double the $67mn, or $0.41 per share, recorded in the prior-year period.

Despite unveiling hurricane losses of $3.4bn for last year, Berkshire Hathaway Inc said it remains committed to writing catastrophe (re)insurance.

Beazley Group plc's head of property Jonathan Gray has called for a back to basics approach to catastrophe underwriting last week, advising underwriters to rely more on their common sense and not to become slavishly dependent upon catastrophe models.

Despite the capital market's growing appetite to assume risk, traditional reinsurance cannot be beaten for speed of access, according to speakers at an Insurance Insider event last week.