September 2006/3

Omega Underwriting Holdings Plc has become the second Lloyd’s (re)insurer in a week to confirm plans to redomicile to Bermuda and the first to confirm it has received clearance from the UK authorities.

Marsh & McLennan Companies (MMC) has announced its second major restructuring in less than two years with news that it plans to shed 750 jobs as part of cost-cutting measures that it says will produce savings of $350mn a year.

Lloyd's insurer Kiln plc revealed plans to pre-empt its 2007 syndicates capacity to around £1bn in its interim results statement today (12 September).

CV Starr, the managing agency ultimately controlled by former American International Group chief executive Maurice "Hank" Greenberg, revealed today (12 September) that it is forming a new Lloyd’s syndicate.

Veteran London market underwriters Peter Cottrell and Niels Aaskov have launched Insure-London, a managing general agency focussing on marine-related and professional lines which will be supported by Brit Insurance, Insider Week can reveal.

Beazley Group’s head of specialty lines Johnny Rowell has acquired a further 650,000 shares in the Lloyd’s insurer in an apparent demonstration of his confidence in the company’s prospects and current trading conditions.

A year after Standard & Poor’s demonstrated its confidence in SCOR’s rehabilitation, AM Best has also upgraded the French reinsurer to the key A- territory.

Confirmation of the steep rise in catastrophe exposed reinsurance came from Guy Carpenter & Co which revealed that rates have increased this year by 76 percent in the US and 129 percent in Mexico.

UK-listed Chaucer Holdings plc became the latest Lloyd’s insurer to announce a decline in profits due to the weak dollar when it released its interim results today (11 September).

Lloyd’s insurer Hiscox plc revealed today (11 September) that it is relocating its headquearters from London to Bermuda.

In contrast to many of its Lloyd’s competitors, the Bermuda-headquartered Catlin Group received a currency boost from the weak dollar which contributed to record net income of $147.3mn for the first half of 2006.

Cooper Gay Intermediaries (CGI), the US treaty arm of London-based reinsurance broker Cooper Gay, announced the appointment of Michael Joyce as executive senior vice president on 8 September.