November 2007/2

French reinsurer SCOR SA will add to its Atlas suite of cat bonds with the EUR160mn Atlas IV bond, which is due to close on 27 November.

Montpelier Re has continued to build its US operations with the launch of a new direct property facultative division to write business on behalf of its Lloyd’s Syndicate 5151.

London-based electronic trading platform RI3K is streamlining charges for its services in response to “market criticisms” over the firm’s pricing structure.

Administrators of loss-hit Kamp Re 2005, Zurich Financial Services' (ZFS) catastrophe bond, have extended the original maturity date by a month, to 14 January 2008, pending a final determination of the loss amounts.

As softening continues in the professional indemnity (PI), directors’ and officers’ (D&O) and financial institutions (FI) insurance markets, premium rates could soon head towards levels seen in 1999 and 2000 – the trough of the last soft market – accordin

Brit Insurance Holdings plc’s share price continued to fall this morning despite an encouraging trading statement and the group’s apparent lack of exposure to the sub-prime crisis.

The financial strength rating (FSR) of Swiss Re has been placed under review with negative implications by AM Best following the reinsurance giant’s announced SFr1.2bn ($1.1bn) mark-to-market loss from credit default swap exposures.

Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT) has become the latest broker to announce a capital repatriation programme as the group’s share price continues to fall as a result of weak equity markets.

Fitch Ratings has upgraded the insurer financial strength ratings of UK insurer Aviva plc’s non-life firms to AA.

Non-life insurers should escape the global credit crunch but not contagion from economic stagnation or recession, according to the latest research from Morgan Stanley.

Syndicate forecasts for Chaucer Holdings plc’s Lloyd’s operation have continued to improve, according to the firm’s latest report.

Gallagher London is optimistic that it will receive an understanding response from insurers and clients as it levies an additional commission for placing business in the London and UK markets.