Reinsurance News

Risk Consulting Partners adds Aynessazian as MD of finance, operations

23rd December 2019

Risk Consulting Partners has announced the appointment of Colleen Aynessazian as its new managing director of finance and operations. Aynessazian will help support the company’s high growth strategy and oversee all financial functions, corporate development, mergers, acquisitions, integrations as well as lead the day-to-day operations of the firm. She brings more than ... Read the full article

Bulk annuity market to return to ‘normal’ levels in 2020: WTW

23rd December 2019

Re/insurance broker Willis Towers Watson is expecting the bulk annuity market to return to ‘normal’ levels in 2020, with £30 billion worth of deals expected over the course of the year. Down from an anticipated £40 billion in 2019, WTW says 2020 should see a more balanced market, allowing greater traction ... Read the full article

The Hartford announces new thermal coal, tar sands policy

23rd December 2019

Property and casualty insurer The Hartford will no longer insure or invest in companies that generate more than 25% of their revenues from thermal coal mining or more than 25% of their energy production from coal. In addition, the company will also stop insuring and investing in companies that generate more ... Read the full article

Burns & Wilcox adds Michelle Clark to leadership team in Colorado

23rd December 2019

Burns & Wilcox, the North American wholesale insurance broker and underwriting manager, has appointed Michelle Clark as Managing Director, based in Denver, Colorado. She joins the company from RT Specialty, where she most recently served as an Executive Vice President and Broker, managing multi-million dollar books of business. Clark has spent more ... Read the full article

Low yield environment still key risk for European re/insurers: EIOPA

23rd December 2019

The low yield environment remains the key risk for European insurers and reinsurers and continues to put pressure on solvency positions, according to the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA). EIOPA believes the risk of a prolonged low yield environment has intensified over the last six months, as a combination ... Read the full article

California extends insurance non-renewal laws to more wildfire-exposed areas

20th December 2019

California has extended its mandatory protections from insurance non-renewals into new areas in both the north and south of the state following recent wildfire disasters. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara claimed that more than one million homes across California will now be protected by the non-renewal law, which was first introduced last ... Read the full article

OMERS takes 40% stake in Fairfax’s RiverStone UK

20th December 2019

OMERS, one of the largest Canadian defined benefit pension plans, has entered into an agreement with Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited to acquire a 40% interest in RiverStone UK, Fairfax's UK run-off group. Following the transaction, RiverStone UK will benefit from the joint operational expertise of Fairfax and OMERS, providing it with ... Read the full article

Rate increases at 1/1 renewals to vary by loss experience: KBW

20th December 2019

Analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (KBW) are expecting rate changes at the 2020 property catastrophe reinsurance renewals to vary significantly, based on the loss experience of individual lines. At January 1, KBW is anticipating the largest increases on retrocessional cover, owing to recent large losses and the significant amount of ... Read the full article

Bermuda’s Fleming Re acquires AggCap II

20th December 2019

Fleming Re Holdings LLC has announced the acquisition of AggCap Insurance Ltd,  - AggCap II, a group captive that is in run-off providing workers compensation coverage for a large membership of California-based agribusinesses. AggCap Insurance Ltd is a Bermuda-based segregated accounts company that has provided workers comp insurance, loss control services, ... Read the full article

AXIS Capital’s Drew Walter joins Ascot to lead Cyber & Commercial E&O

20th December 2019

Ascot has named AXIS Capital’s Drew Walter as Executive Vice President and Head of Cyber & Commercial E&O, based in New York. In his new role, Walter will be tasked with building a business writing cyber as well as technology, media and miscellaneous E&O classes of business. He joins the firm from ... Read the full article

ABI endorses new Bank of England governor Bailey

20th December 2019

Huw Evans, Director General of the Association of British Insurers (ABI), has released a statement endorsing the recent appointment of Andrew Bailey as the new governor of the Bank of England. Bailey, who currently serves as Chief Executive of the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority, will bring a “deep understanding” of regulatory ... Read the full article

PERILS raises final Sydney hail property loss estimate to AU $798mn

20th December 2019

Catastrophe loss data aggregator PERILS has released its fourth and final property loss estimate for the hailstorms that affected the greater Sydney region in December 2018, raising the figure to AU $798 million (US $550 million). The estimate, which comes a full year after the original event, also includes the property ... Read the full article

DARAG completes legacy portfolio transfer with SOVAG

20th December 2019

Legacy acquirer DARAG Group Limited has announced the completion of its portfolio transfer deal with German insurer and reinsurer, SOVAG. The deal, which was first announced in August 2019, sees the portfolio transferred to DARAG’s German subsidiary, DARAG Versicherungs- und Ruckversicherungs-AG. The legacy book consisted of both direct insurance and inwards ... Read the full article

AM Best holds US life/annuity market outlook at stable

20th December 2019

AM Best has maintained its stable market outlook for the US life/annuity (L/A) industry in 2020, citing strong capitalisation and improved liquidity among carriers, along with a manageable regulatory environment. The rating agency also highlighted companies’ measured approach to increasing investment risk as a positive factor in its stable outlook. US L/A ... Read the full article

AJ Gallagher expands Atlantic Canada capabilities with acquisition

20th December 2019

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. recently announced the acquisition of Sinclair Billard and Weld Limited, and CJM Solutions + Inc., dba SBW Employee Benefits. SBW Employee Benefits is a Halifax, Nova Scotia-based designer, administrator, marketer and manager of comprehensive group insurance programs, and defined contribution group retirement programs for businesses and ... Read the full article