November 2006/4

Industry legend Hank Greenberg and his Starr companies have sold over 27 million shares in his former company, American International Group (AIG), since May.

Tsunami warnings were issued last week following a large earthquake off northwest Japan but the subsequent waves were less damaging than initially feared.

Oxygen Holdings plc, the London market intermediary backed by high profile figures such as ICAP founder Michael Spencer and former Marsh president Bob Clements...

Oil Insurance Ltd has announced that nine of its shareholder members would be departing from the energy mutual at the end of the year.

Bermudian (re)insurer Max Re Capital Ltd confirmed last week that acting chairman and CEO W Marston Becker has been permanently appointed to the position, following the sudden departure of his predecessor Bob Cooney.

Scottish Re, the under-fire Bermudian life reinsurer, suffered further ratings downgrades from AM Best and Standard & Poor's last week.

Reinsurance giant Swiss Re was moved to deny reports yesterday evening that it had made a bid for the UK life funds consolidator Resolution plc.

Bids are being lined up for Marsh & McLennan's Boston-based Putnam Investments, according to reports in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

Fittingly, on the day Guy Carpenter and Amlin announced the completion of the London market’s first paperless claim (see story 18), Lloyd’s CEO Richard Ward reaffirmed his commitment to seeing all claims transacted electronically by the end of 2007.

Fresh from its third quarter return to profit, Bermudian-headquartered White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd became the latest (re)insurer to announce plans for a share buyback. According to the company, it would acquire up to 1 millon shares.

Canadian combine Fairfax Financial Holdings is to sell down some 9 million shares in Odyssey Re through a secondary offering, reducing its stake from just over 80 percent to 60 percent.

Insurance giant Zurich Financial Services revealed a near trebling of its third quarter profit last week but analysts were surprised by a $500mn UK asbestos reserves boost with the firm blaming an "uptick" in claims trend.