Latest Reinsurance Headlines

All the headlines from our Reinsurance Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Best Affirms SCOR and Subs Ratings after Transamerica Re Deal

Apr 28 2011 // A.M. Best Europe – Ratings Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a” of French reinsurer SCOR SE and its...

Global Reinsurers at ‘Critical’ Point, Says Best’s Report

Apr 26 2011 // A new special report, compiled by A.M. Best, concludes that the string of major catastrophes, a persistent soft market and the near exhaustion of excess reserves have placed global reinsurers at a “critical”...

SCOR to Buy Aegon’s Transamerica Reinsurance Unit for $913 Million

Apr 26 2011 // French reinsurer SCOR is set to pay $913 million for most of Dutch insurer Aegon’s Transamerica Reinsurance operations. When concluded, the combined companies would become the second largest life reinsurer in the...

Beazley Remains Confident, Despite Q1 Catastrophes

Apr 25 2011 // The first quarter of 2011 reminded the insurance industry of just how unpredictable natural catastrophes can be. Beazley plc, which is headquartered in Dublin, but whose main activities, are in the Lloyd’s market,...

Allianz Confirms Cat Bond Commitment with $40 Million U.S. Placement

Apr 25 2011 // Germany’s Allianz has reconfirmed its commitment to catastrophe bonds, as a useful and generally accepted method of transferring a certain amount of risk to the capital markets. It underlined that commitment with the...

Aon Benfield Says Q1 Cat Losses Expected to Raise Facultative Rates

Apr 22 2011 // Aon Benfield, the global reinsurance intermediary and capital advisor of Aon Corp, has released the latest edition of its “Fac Quarterly report,” which provides an analysis of trends witnessed in the...

W.R. Berkley Names Kamford to New Role; Welt as Senior VP

Apr 21 2011 // W. R. Berkley Corp. in Greenwich, Conn. has appointed Peter L. Kamford, senior vice president, to a newly created position. Kamford’s new responsibility will be to co-head the placement of the company’s ceded...

Aon Benfield Estimates Reinsurers’ Capital at $470 Billion

Apr 21 2011 // The latest edition of the Aon Benfield Aggregate (ABA) report, which analyses the year end 2010 financial position of the world’s leading reinsurers and examines how 2011 catastrophe losses may affect their capital...

Munich Re Ups Dividend, Comments on Impact of 2011 Disasters

Apr 21 2011 // Munich Re’s annual general meeting (AGM) produced some good news for the shareholders of the world’s largest reinsurer. It announced a dividend increase to €6.25 [$9.138] per share for the financial year...

Chartis to Shift Asbestos Liabilities to Berkshire’s National Indemnity

Apr 20 2011 // American International Group said today that its global property/casualty insurer Chartis will transfer the bulk of its legacy asbestos liabilities to National Indemnity Co. (NICO), a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway...

Alterra Announces Reinsurance Role Changes and Promotions

Apr 20 2011 // Bermuda-based Alterra Capital Holdings Limited announced several role changes and promotions that will affect its corporate and reinsurance operations, including the appointments of Greg Richardson as Executive Vice...

Catlin Estimates Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami Losses at $200 Million

Apr 20 2011 // The Bermuda-based Catlin Group Limited announced that its initial estimate of the financial impact of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated areas of northeast Japan, are expected to be around $200 million,...

Hannover Re Acquires Reinsurance Portfolio from Scottish Re

Apr 19 2011 // Germany’s Hannover Re, the third largest global reinsurer, has reached agreement with Scottish Re (US) on the acquisition of a reinsurance portfolio as part of a transaction. The other part involves the transfer of a...

Summary of Re/Insurers’ Loss Estimates from Japan’s Earthquake, Tsunami

Apr 19 2011 // Some of the world’s leading insurers and reinsurers have issued initial estimates of how much the earthquake that hit Japan on March 11 will cost them and more are expected do so over the next few weeks. Risk...

FERMA:Brazil’s Response on Regulation Change Complaints O.K.;More Needed

Apr 18 2011 // The Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA) described the Brazilian government’s response to complaints about proposed changes in re/insurance regulations as “a good first step” in...

Best Affirms Flagstone Re’s Ratings; Outlook Revised to Negative

Apr 18 2011 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a-” of Flagstone Reassurance Suisse S.A. and Flagstone Alliance Insurance and...

ABIR Reports 2010 Results for Bermuda’s Re/Insurers; $11.4 Bn Net Income

Apr 18 2011 // The Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers (ABIR) has released the 2010 global underwriting results for its 22 member (re)insurers – companies that write insurance and reinsurance from underwriting centers in...

Reinsurance Rates Up, But Few Agree How Much

Apr 18 2011 // Reinsurance rates may be edging higher only now, but the companies’ shares could still surge amid investor hopes that disasters, including Japan’s earthquake, will result in much higher rates in the...

United Fire Estimates $10 Million in Q1 Cat Losses

Apr 15 2011 // Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based United Fire & Casualty Co. announced that it will record $10 million in pre-tax losses related to certain first quarter catastrophe losses incurred in the company’s assumed reinsurance...

Towers Watson Names Comis, Albert to Reinsurance Brokerage Team

Apr 12 2011 // Towers Watson has named Darrell Comis, senior vice president, and David J. Albert, vice president, in its Reinsurance Brokerage business. Comis, based in the company’s Stamford, Conn. offices, will be responsible for...