Reinsurance News

AbsoluteClimo announces new cat model, predicts $153bn losses in 2019

20th February 2019

AbsoluteClimo, a Hawaii-based climate modelling, forecasting and risk management company, has announced a new catastrophe risk model that is predicting global climate-driven cat losses of $153 billion in 2019. The new model, called Clim๏Cats, utilises AbsoluteClimo’s machine learning predictive engine to link climate physics – such as temperature, rainfall and wind ... Read the full article

Former Aspen CEO to receive $10m bonus following takeover

20th February 2019

Christopher O’Kane, former Head of Aspen Insurance, is to receive a transaction bonus totalling $10 million following the recently-completed acquisition of the company by affiliates of certain Apollo investment funds. O’Kane is reportedly being paid this bonus for his efforts in assisting the company to consummate the deal. Additionally, Group Chief ... Read the full article

Cohen & Co. targets re/insurance & insurtech acquisitions under Butler

20th February 2019

Cohen & Company, LLC, a fixed income financial services specialist with over $3 billion under management, is seeking to raise capital for what is termed a blank check company that will target acquisitions in the insurance, reinsurance and insurtech space under the leadership of John Butler. Cohen & Company hired ... Read the full article

PCS enhances U.S catastrophe loss estimates with county-level resolution

20th February 2019

Property Claims Services (PCS), a Verisk Analytics business, is now offering county-level resolution for U.S catastrophe events with insured losses of at least $1 billion. The enhanced level of granularity is available for immediate use and will also be applied retrospectively to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, along with five other ... Read the full article

David Gregori to lead Willis Re’s new Asia Pacific agriculture team

20th February 2019

Willis Re, the reinsurance arm of global insurance broker Willis Towers Watson, has launched a new Agriculture team for the Asia Pacific region and appointed David Gregori to lead it. As Head of Agriculture for Asia Pacific, Gregori will lead a team based in Hong Kong to support clients and partners ... Read the full article

Higher catastrophe hit pushes UPC to Q4 loss

20th February 2019

Property and casualty insurance holding company, United Insurance Holdings Corp. (UPC) fell to an $11.1 million net loss in the fourth-quarter of 2018, driven by catastrophe losses of more than $41.7 million, primarily relating to the impacts of Hurricane Michael in the U.S. The $11.1 million net loss compares to a ... Read the full article

FCA concludes wholesale broker study, finding no competition concerns

20th February 2019

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has concluded its investigation into the London wholesale broker market, finding no evidence of competition concerns in the sector. The UK financial regulatory body launched its study in November 2017 to assess how effectively competition is working in the wholesale broker market. “Overall, the FCA has not ... Read the full article

Allianz X gets €1bn funding for global tech investments

20th February 2019

The success of Allianz Group’s digital investment unit Allianz X has resulted in it receiving an increased funding allocation of €1 billion. The investment from Allianz SE is designed to facilitate investments into companies globally that represent a strategic relevance to the Group. Allianz X is now one of the largest European ... Read the full article

No-deal Brexit not yet a “base case for rating purposes”: S&P Global

20th February 2019

While the likelihood of Brexit ending in a no-deal scenario remains high, it does not yet warrant becoming a base for rating purposes, according to S&P Global analysts. S&P points to a strong incentive for both the UK and European Union (EU) to successfully negotiate a more favourable exit as the ... Read the full article

SCOR reports solid 2018 growth and profit despite nat cats

20th February 2019

Global insurer and reinsurer SCOR's gross written premiums (GWP) surpassed €15 billion for the first time in 2018, while full-year net income improved to €322 million despite the impacts of catastrophe losses in the third and fourth-quarter. The French re/insurer has reported GWP of €15.3 billion for the full-year 2018, up ... Read the full article

JBA to deliver Sri Lanka Flood Model on Simplitium’s ModEx platform

20th February 2019

Simplitium, a provider of risk analysis services, has announced that the Sri Lanka Flood Model from global flood risk modeller JBA Risk Management is to be delivered on its multi-vendor ModEx platform. It’s hoped the move will broaden accessibility of the Sri Lanka model for both insurers and the wider Disaster ... Read the full article

SCOR promotes Conoscente to Global P&C CEO as Peignet retires

20th February 2019

French reinsurance company SCOR has promoted Jean-Paul Conoscente to the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SCOR Global P&C after its current leader Victor Peignet decided to retire. Conoscente was previously the CEO of Reinsurance with the SCOR Global P&C unit, the property and casualty underwriting division of the global ... Read the full article

The recipe is there for a positive renewal: Addesso, Everest Re

19th February 2019

In many instances, pricing for catastrophe reinsurance business has not firmed as much as needed, but certain factors suggest a stronger market moving forward, according to Dominic Addesso, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bermudian reinsurer, Everest Re. Everest Re fell to a net loss of more than $380 ... Read the full article

Asia execs depart A.M. Best amid management restructure

19th February 2019

A.M. Best has announced that executives Roger Sellek and Jose Ribeiro are to step down from their positions as part of a management restructure to cut costs and strengthen the firm’s business in the Asia-Pacific (AP) region. Sellek is currently Chief Executive Officer of A.M. Best’s EMEA and AP regions and ... Read the full article

Ascot adds Markel’s Jeff Vetter as Exec VP, Head of Inland Marine

19th February 2019

Bermuda-domiciled re/insurer Ascot has announced the appointment of Jeff Vetter as Executive Vice President and Head of Inland Marine. Vetter joins with over 27 years’ experience in the industry and most recently led Markel’s inland marine division. “Jeff is a highly respected leader in his class of business," said Greg Wolyniec, President and ... Read the full article