Articles by Emma Orr and Katherine Chiglinsky

CEO’s Departure at Mortgage Insurer Radian May be Rival’s Opportunity to Acquire: Analyst

Essent Group Ltd. may have an opportunity to buy Radian Group Inc., the rival mortgage insurer whose chief executive officer is stepping down, an analyst at BTIG LLC said. “Radian has no clear successor,” for S.A. Ibrahim, who said last …

Many Weed-Smoking Canadian Drivers Say They Can Drive Unimpaired: Insurers

Almost half of weed-smoking Canadian drivers say that they can safely operate a vehicle while stoned. Among Canadians who have driven under the influence of marijuana, 44 percent don’t think it impacts their ability to drive safely, according to a …

Number of Dog Bite Insurance Claims Falls But Average Claim Rises to $37K

The cost of dog-bite claims for U.S. insurers climbed 16 percent last year on higher medical expenses and larger settlements to resolve court disputes. The average claim increased to $37,214 in 2015 from $32,072 a year earlier, according to the …

AIG Chairman Defends Keeping Both Life and P/C Insurance Units

American International Group Inc., which is shrinking under pressure from activist investors, is committed to retaining operations in both life insurance and property/casualty coverage, Chairman Doug Steenland said. “We remain of the view that that is the right long-term position …

Goldman Sachs Says Insurers Need Hedge Funds to Diversity Investments

Mike Siegel, who oversees about $190 billion at Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s asset-management arm, said insurers should stick with hedge funds even after their recent slump, because the industry needs investing strategies beyond low-yielding bonds. “All asset classes have their …

Alberta Wildfires Could Hit Canada Economy Harder than Hurricane Katrina in US

Intact Financial Corp. may post insured losses of as much as C$1.1 billion ($850 million) from the wildfires in Alberta, which could dent the Canadian economy harder than Hurricane Katrina hit the U.S. Intact, Canada’s biggest property and casualty insurer, …

Loeb’s Third Point Re Reports Q1 Loss of $51.1M – 4th Loss in 7 Quarters

Third Point Reinsurance Ltd., the company that counts on hedge fund manager Dan Loeb to oversee investments, posted its fourth loss in seven quarters as the portfolio slumped and underwriting was unprofitable. The first-quarter net loss was $51.1 million, or …

‘Great Unwind’ in Debt Financing May Stunt Companies’ Future Growth: Greenberg

Evan Greenberg, the chief executive officer of insurer Chubb Ltd., said companies may find it difficult to obtain financing after central banks have propped up economic growth for years, likening their stimuli to a drug. “We may be at the …

MetLife Victory Could Push AIG, Pru to Fight Systemic Risk Designations

After regulators slapped the too-big-to-fail label on MetLife Inc., Chief Executive Officer Steve Kandarian had several responses. One was to challenge government watchdogs in court — a move shunned by other insurers that got the TBTF tag. The CEO also …

Everest Re Names Former Zurich Exec, Kerner, to Lead Strategy & Risk Mgmt.

Everest Re Group Ltd. hired Michael Kerner, who previously led Zurich Insurance Group AG’s general-insurance unit, to head the strategy and risk-management team as the Bermuda-based reinsurer reshapes management. Kerner will be an executive vice president, Everest Re said Wednesday …