Canadian Underwriter

Topic Catastrophes

News Catastrophes

Wilma coaxes CAT losses to record levels

November 28, 2005 by Canadian Underwriter

The total insured property losses for 2005 are estimated at a record US$50.3 billion, a figure that the Insurance Services Office Inc.’s Property Claims Services (PCS) ivision recently reported was bolstered by the US$6.1 billion in insured property damage incurred

News CatastrophesMergers and Aqcuisitions

Marsh report outlines post-Katrina world

November 25, 2005 by Canadian Underwriter

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were “insurance-market-changing” events that many US insurers say will return property insurance rates to their 2003 levels, according to a white paper released by Marsh & McLennan Cos.“Catastrophe rate increases are ranging from 10% to more

News Catastrophes

Endurance reports WIlma related losses

November 23, 2005 by Canadian Underwriter

Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd. will incur a loss of $120 million before tax due to the effects of Hurricane Wilma.This represents an anticipated preliminary estimate that includes an estimated $35 million in gross losses that resulted from storm damage in

News Catastrophes

Standard & Poor’s takes Transatlantic Re off CreditWatch

November 22, 2005 by Canadian Underwriter

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has taken Transatlantic Reinsurance Co. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Putnam Reinsurance Company and Trans ReZurich, off CreditWatch with negative implications and downgraded the company’s rating from an ‘AA’ to an ‘AA-‘.Standard & Poor’s said the

News Catastrophes

AXIS sells shares for $200 million

November 22, 2005 by Canadian Underwriter

AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd [NYSE:AXS] has sold 6.8 million of its common shares at $29.42 per share to Citigroup Corporate and Investment Banking, raising aggregate proceeds of approximately $US200 million.Citigroup bought the shares from AXIS Capital and subsequently reoffered the

News Catastrophes

Munich Re adds to windstorm loss protection

November 21, 2005 by Canadian Underwriter

In order to attain additional protection against Western Europe windstorm losses, Munich Reinsurance Co. recently placed catastrophe bonds worth $129.9 million.The bonds are meant to complement the Company’s existing retrocessional reinsurance program, according to Thomas Blunck, a management board member

News CatastrophesMergers and Aqcuisitions

Alberta bill to allow prenatal crash victims to sue Moms (November 17, 2005)

November 17, 2005 by Canadian Underwriter

New legislation aimed at providing a legal recourse for a child who sustains prenatal injuries as the result of the negligent driving of his or her mother was introduced November 15 in the Alberta Legislature.Current law already allows a child

News Catastrophes

TRIA extension bill introduced

November 15, 2005 by Canadian Underwriter

Capital Markets Subcommittee Chairman Richard H. Baker tecently introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would extend the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act for at least two years. The bill will increase the deductibles on all lines of insurance

News CatastrophesMergers and Aqcuisitions

Consumers warned of hurricane frauds

November 15, 2005 by Canadian Underwriter

The Co-operators and the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) are warning of frauds designed to profit from the damage Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have wrought in the southern United States. “As a result of the recent natural disasters in the

News Catastrophes

Arch predicts 4Q Wilma losses of up to $60 million

November 15, 2005 by Canadian Underwriter

Arch Capital Group Ltd. (NASDAQ: ACGL) predicts its after-tax earnings for the 2005 fourth quarter will take a US$40-million to $60-million hit because of Hurricane Wilma.The estimate is based on industry insured losses of $8 to $12 billion and is

News Catastrophes

Insurers’ commercial policy data inadequate: AIR study

November 14, 2005 by Canadian Underwriter

The quality and completeness of most insurers’ commercial policy data is insufficient for a detailed and accurate assessment of their catastrophe risk, according to a recent analysis of insurers’ exposure data by risk modeling company AIR Worldwide Corporation (AIR). “Nine

News Catastrophes

S&P puts Hannover Re on CreditWatch negative

November 11, 2005 by Canadian Underwriter

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has placed its ‘AA-‘ long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on Hannover Rckversicherung-AG and its core entities on CreditWatch with negative implications. At the same time, Standard & Poor’s placed its ‘A+’ long-term