Speed is one of the main benefits of parametric insurance compared to traditional forms of insurance, with the underwriting process taking just several days to two weeks, speakers from AXA Global Parametrics in France said Tuesday. Parametrics is index-based insurance,…
Sparks flew during a recent conference discussion about mortgage impairment and earthquake loss, when a senior reinsurance company executive drew a link between the practices of Quebec brokers and the low take-up rates of earthquake insurance in the province. Philipp…
The Canadian insurance industry is not at the beginning of a hard market, says Phil Cook, a P&C industry consultant and CEO of Omega Insurance Holdings. “There are some commentators out there that will say we are at the beginning…
Reinsurance is extremely important but could get too expensive in certain areas, industry leaders said at a recent event. Some insurance companies today are “dialing up their reinsurance protection – property and cat risk in particular in the United States,”…
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that A.M. Best had changed its outlook for the global reinsurance sector from ‘Stable’ to ‘Negative.’ In fact, the outlook changed to ‘Stable’ from ‘Negative.’ Canadian Underwriter apologizes for the error.…
WASHINGTON – Both nature and humans share blame for California’s devastating wildfires, but forest management did not play a major role, despite President Donald Trump’s claims, fire scientists say. Nature provides the dangerous winds that have whipped the fires, and…
Canada’s reinsurance marketplace, featuring a relatively small piece of the global premium pie, creates a challenge for reinsurers to grow their business. So why do reinsurers remain optimistic about their future prospects?
Blockchain for insurance has various oft-touted benefits – reduced costs and simpler and faster transactions, among them – but it can also be used to combat fraud, said David Verbeeten, a domain expert in insurance at software company ConsenSys. Verbeeten…
As the southeastern United States braces for Hurricane Florence – one year after Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria caused widespread destruction in the country – the question of whether there is sufficient reinsurance capacity is again thrust into the spotlight.…
Underwriting margins will need to improve by at least six to nine points in major western markets to deliver sustainable returns, according to the latest sigma report from global reinsurer Swiss Re. The report Profitability in non-life insurance: mind the…
Aspen Insurance Holdings Ltd., which writes risks in Canada, has tentatively agreed to be bought for US$2.6 billion. If the deal closes, Hamilton, Bermuda-based Aspen will be owned by private equity firm Apollo Global Management LLC of New York City.…
Mergers and acquisitions will likely be a topic of discussion for mid-market reinsurers, executives with a large European reinsurer suggest. Efforts by large reinsurers to improve productivity will put “more pressure” on mid-sized and smaller reinsurers “to have this strategic…