May 2007/3

Benfield Group's 2005 move into primary lines continues to provoke concerns among some analysts about the reinsurance broker's prospects.

Carvill announced last week a tie-up with AIR Worldwide Corporation that will see the modelling company support Carvill Hurricane Index (CHI) in its standard and near-term US hurricane models.

Provisional liquidator Grant Thornton has confirmed the initial dividend payment under its proposed UIC Insurance Company Limited scheme of arrangement has been set at 100 percent.

Russian insurance, investment and leasing group Oslo Marine Group Ltd (OMG) has established a London representative office headed by ex-Novae and CLM Insurance Fund plc executive, Keith Parker.

As SCOR found out recently, there are times when shareholders need an extra incentive before they will support take-out offers – and this is looking increasingly the case with the defunct reinsurer Alea Group Holdings.

In an era of increased globalisation, "understanding and preparing for political violence has arguably never been more important for business", according to Lloyd's chairman Lord Levene, at the launch of a new report on terrorism.

Allstate Insurance Co announced that it would not be writing any new homeowners policies in the state of California from 1 July.

Stephen Way, the founder of HCC Insurance Holdings, has teamed up with the $8bn private equity group GTCR Golder Rauner LLC to back a new investment firm specialising in the insurance sector.

Maintaining underwriting discipline and good cycle management will be key as falling aviation rates send the market towards the "burning cost" for airline business, according to Lloyd’s Annual Report 2006.

The continuing uncertainties in catastrophe models were highlighted as a stumbling block to high ratings for insurance linked securities (ILS), such as cat bonds, last week.

Heath Lambert, the UK broker that has to continually fend off takeover speculation, has restructured its operations following the departure of a number of executives.

Synergy Insurance Services, an innovative UK insurer that has been in the pipeline for a number of years, is finally launched this week amid claims that its structure could allow small and medium-sized businesses to save up to 40 percent of their insuranc