A.M. Best lifts "negative outlook" on Lloyd’s
August 16, 2001 by Canadian UnderwriterRating agency A.M. Best has lifted its "negative outlook" on Lloyd’s of London. The agency has also affirmed the London-based market’s "A" rating. This step follows a negative outlook report which was issued on Lloyd’s on June 28 of this…
Managing Global Risks: Running for Cover
August 1, 2001 Vikki SpencerAn earthquake in Peru. The fall of the argentinean economy. tropical storm allison strikes several american states. Political tensions flare in the middle east. for the average canadian, these events seem a world away, having little impact on day-to-day life. But, for the average canadian company, these events can have a profound effect on the bottom-line. With the growth of canadian exports and domestic companies stretching their wings to establish operations beyond the border, managing these new international risks is a minefield of potential losses. and, with insurance rates hardening on a global scale and few companies willing to offer bundled international coverage, today’s corporate risk managers could find themselves scrambling for cover.
The Insurance Revolution
August 1, 2001 Sean van Zyl, EditorGlobal expansion and risk diversification with emphasis on managing capital will serve as the cornerstones of the next development phase of the insurance industry, speakers at the recently held International Insurance Society (IIA) 37th annual seminar predicted. The event, which took place in Vienna, Austria, drew 530 senior insurance management delegates representing 50 countries. A survey carried out by the IIA of the attendees confirmed the common message of the speakers – the global insurance marketplace is at the brink of a revolution.
U.S. insurers produce modest gain
August 1, 2001 by Canadian UnderwriterU.S. property and casualty insurers boosted their return on equity (ROE) to 7.4% for the first quarter of this year compared with the 6.3% return made for 2000, according to the Insurance Services Office Inc. (ISO) and the National Association…
Canadian reinsurers: AT PURGATORY’S GATE
July 1, 2001 Sean van Zyl, EditorLast year may have been a period in “hell” for global reinsurers. after seven consecutive years of declining rate adjustments spurred by weak market conditions, reinsurers were struck a double whammy of soaring catastrophic losses and a sudden reduction in retrocession capacity. action had to be taken, and was taken with treaty renewal rates rising around the globe. However, if last year was “hell”, then this year the industry must face “purgatory”, where the sins of the past will be tested against the resolve of reinsurers to implement the necessary premium rate adjustments desperately needed to regain profitability.
WHAT COMES AROUND…
July 1, 2001 by Canadian UnderwriterThe reason for cyclical rate peaks and valleys in the international insurance and reinsurance market always comes down to the issue of supply.; By Glenn McGillivray, assistant vice president & head of corporate communication at Swiss Reinsurance Co. Canada
Reinsurance Trends: Steady as It Goes
July 1, 2001 Vikki SpencerCanadian Underwriter Magazine recently asked Tom Hopkinson, the CEO of Guy Carpenter’s Canadian operations, to share his observations on the trends that affected treaty reinsurance year-end renewals, and his expectations for the upcoming season’s negotiations. According to Hopkinson, while reinsurance…
Future for insurance risk securitizations immense
July 1, 2001 by Canadian UnderwriterA recently released Swiss Re Sigma report titled “Capital Market Innovation in the Insurance Industry” suggests that the value of alternative risk securitization solutions will increase tenfold by 2010. The report notes that approximately US$12.6 billion has been funneled into…
Canadian Insurance Congress 2001: A CULTURAL CRISES
July 1, 2001 Sean van Zyl, Editor“We haven’t seen [adverse financial] conditions such as this in the last 50 years,” says the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s (IBC) chief economist Paul Kovacs. As one of the opening speakers at this year’s Canadian Insurance Congress, Kovacs points out…
Asbestosis claims could hamper Lloyd’s, rating agency worries
June 29, 2001 by Canadian UnderwriterRating agency A.M. Best is continuing its "negative outlook" on Lloyd’s, despite affirming the insurance giant’s financial strength rating of A (excellent). The rating applies to business underwritten by all Lloyd’s syndicates and to policies underwritten since the 1993 year…
Swiss Re report predicts explosive growth in risk securitization products
June 14, 2001 by Canadian UnderwriterA recently released Swiss Re Sigma report titled "Capital Market Innovation in the Insurance Industry" suggests that the value of alternative risk securitization solutions will increase tenfold by 2010. The report notes that approximately US$12.6 billion has been funneled into…
ON THE RIGHT TRACK
May 1, 2001 Vikki SpencerA recent decision by the Newfoundland Public Utilities Board has created the platform for a “sure victory” for the property and casualty insurance industry’s Facility Association (FA). This development has also produced a heady start for Stan Griffin, the current…