June 2016/3

Share price data on The Insurance Insider's universe of P&C (re)insurers

The Insider 30 experienced a decrease in stock prices for a third consecutive week, with the composite falling by 2.7 percent on average and some carriers suffering near double-digit drops.

Aon has reported itself to the Romania's Anti-Corruption Department after contracting the son of a former presidential candidate to lobby on its behalf, UK court documents have alleged.

Guy Carpenter has been brought into Willis Re's increasingly embittered legal fight against its former chairman Peter Hearn, who defected to join the rival reinsurance broker last year.

XL Catlin increased its reserve cushion following the Catlin acquisition, as Morgan Stanley estimated that the company's pro forma excess reserves grew to $1.5bn in 2015 from $1bn the year before.

While M&A activity has lulled in 2016, conditions remain ripe for further consolidation among P&C insurers, according to credit data analysts CreditSights.

Tokio Millennium Re (TMR) posted improved underwriting results for full-year 2015, as its combined ratio narrowed by 2.6 percentage points to 94.1 percent.

Collateralised reinsurance is likely to be the main driver of insurance-linked securities (ILS) growth as Solvency II pushes insurers to seek out "cash in a box" risk transfer solutions for peak cat risk, according to Michael Stahel, partner and portfolio manager at LGT ILS Partners.

The insurance-linked securities (ILS) industry needs to become more transparent, said Eveline Takken-Somers, investment director at PGGM.

The "unshackling" of the traditional reinsurance value chain from the past creates opportunities for risk carriers, Everest Re chief underwriting officer John Doucette said at the Trading Risk Convergence London conference on 16 June.

London market electronic trading system Placing Platform Limited (PPL) has chosen directors' and officers', errors and omissions and financial institutions business as the next classes in which to roll out its technology, The Insurance Insider can reveal.

Lancashire's chairman of energy Len Messenger has died after a nine-month battle with cancer.

Arora named Swiss Re global head of casualty; Aon CEO backs ‘Remain' vote for UK referendum; Allianz buys Zurich Moroccan unit; Brooke to lead team at Chubb Europe; Probitas names financial lines head; Flood losses to hit H1 results; Cooper Gay appoints Kilminster; Markel International appoints PI head; AmTrust acquires workers' comp MGA; LMA hires operations director; Kumamoto quake claims near $3bn; Korean Re expects record profit for 2016; E&S market share could top 10%; Former Marsh ex

A buzz of positivity surrounded the Brighton Grand hotel last week as the legacy market descended upon the UK seaside town to discuss prospects - and deals - for the year ahead.

Insurance services firm Charles Taylor is among the final two companies in the running to win a tender to provide the technology for an IT coverholder system, The Insurance Insider has learned.

Nephila's Velocity Risk Underwriters is on course for a July launch in the coastal voluntary homeowners' market after building out its personal lines platform.

Top quartile Lloyd's managing agency Aegis London has hired Simon Cooper from RSA to join its marine hull and war team, The Insurance Insider can reveal.

AAA Reinsurance Brokers has lost its major account to place the reinsurance cover for the whole Angolan energy industry to Marsh, The Insurance Insider can reveal.

Global insurer Zurich has withdrawn from writing new downstream energy property business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), The Insurance Insider can reveal.

Bermudian carrier Aspen is preparing to consolidate most of its casualty reinsurance treaties into a single placement, The Insurance Insider can reveal.

The frustration of London market carriers is increasing by the day as the perception grows that brokers are leveraging their position to offset the impact of rate reductions by extracting additional fees and commissions.

Is the London market's longstanding reputation for a buccaneering can-do "why not?" spirit justifiable anymore?

The $250,000 annual fee that Aon is levying on Lloyd’s managing agents that want to join its virtual retail superhighway and a number of other front-loaded costs have meant that take up of the broker’s flagship initiative has been relatively low to date, The Insurance Insider can reveal.