September 2002/1

The share prices of European insurers are tumbling as investors get the jitters over a series of worsening results and balance sheet strengthening capital raising exercises.

Lloyd’s is so excited about its dotcom project Blue Mountain which, aims to revolutionise the industry, that it has agreed to provide further funding In July ACE invested another £1mn into a revolutionary new electronic project that plans to slash cost

European Reinsurance Company of Zurich, a subsidiary of Swiss Re, has purchased 550,000 of Trenwick's Series B Preferred Shares for an aggregate purchase price of $40mn, thereby settling the dispute between Swiss Re and Trenwick over a Catastrophe Equity

Court ruling should establish if concerns over potential legal liability may have influenced Willis' view on the occurrence issue. The WTC dispute between insurers, led by Swiss Re, and the WTC leaseholder Silverstein looks set to force broker Willis G

Zurich Financial Services (ZFS), has announced losses of $2bn for the first half of 2002. ZFS stated it has undertaken a thorough review of the adequacy of its non-life insurance and reinsurance reserves in consultation with an independent third party

Or do they? A failure to compromise on wordings may lead to further disputes. In the meantime, the franchise model rolls on. In the cynical world of modern politics, it’s not unheard of for more than one side to claim victory and so it proved at the re