All Features articles – Page 2
-
ProfileGuy Carpenter: Top team, big change
Guy Carpenter has reacted to the creation of Aon Benfield and the financial crisis by beefing up its management and boosting its analytical advice. Just as important, the team works hard, works well, and has fun. Results are good, the company is growing and it’s also closing in on a ...
-
SupplementsCatching the wind
With its square mile of talent and changing attitude to reform, could London – and Lloyd’s in particular – be the main beneficiary of the Solvency II era?
-
ClaimsTake cover
The threat of terrorist attacks – both regional and global – is never far from the headlines. But it is an evolving picture that places ever-changing demands on the reinsurance sector
-
SupplementsGulf of plenty
Premium growth in the Middle East has continued to climb despite the downturn, with personal lines activity alongside mega-projects in construction, energy and engineering. As the market matures, what opportunities will it bring?
-
-
Country FocusPanama: The sky’s the limit
Panama may be small, but this plucky country has big plans. And being sandwiched between Central and South America, politically stable and with similar rules to Lloyd’s, there are plenty of reasons to believe it can go all the way
-
People & OpinionRegaining momentum
Bermuda is at the forefront of a resurgence of interest in insurance-linked securities. So what are the growing attractions of this risk diversification method?
-
SupplementsMoving target
The reinsurance domicile debate is raging once again. Uncertainty over US tax rules and Solvency II is causing a ‘Bermuda drift’ to European centres such as Zurich, which has prime conditions for hub status
-
CedantsQ&A with Wolfgang Wopperer
Allianz’s retrocession expert talks about how his success is measured, the use of alternative risk transfer mechanisms, and the greater focus on return periods, caused by Solvency II
-
Lines & RisksNo time for auto pilot
Recent aviation losses and overcapacity seem to be leaving the market in neutral. But as one major loss threatens to trigger reinsurance programmes and experts warn that profits must be made soon, hitting cruise control just isn’t an option
-
CedantsBecause bad cover is worse than no cover
When it comes to selecting a reinsurer, cedants must choose carefully if they want to ensure reliable coverage. Sometimes the soft information is as important as the cold hard financial facts. We present the savvy shopper’s guide
-
ClaimsDetails make the difference
A soft reinsurance market is looming, and with it come fears of a rise in claims disputes as underwriters take bigger risks to drum up new business. We warn of the need to stay focused under pressure
-
FeaturesQ&A with Dom Tobey
PartnerRe’s head of facultative talks about the pressures, trends and evolving priorities of the market
-
FeaturesFac to the future
Brokers are credited with bringing facultative reinsurance back from the brink, and technology and improved analysis are powering increased global trading at a more local level. Fac also helps buyers to take a more strategic view of their needs
-
FeaturesWhen the going gets soft
The direct and facultative market is getting softer, but demand is up and capacity cutbacks should prevent a freefall. Senior insurance figures say it will take a sizable loss or a series of significant losses to turn the market
-
People & OpinionThe Markel makeover
Markel International, the (re)insurer created from the muddle of Terra Nova, is bursting with ambition. We talk to its leaders about where next for the firm that has embraced US-style management and has its eye on major growth
-
FeaturesRenewable optimism
The energy sector is established fac territory, but broadly soft rates mean canny reinsurers are focusing on offshore and renewable sectors to achieve growth
-
SupplementsAsia perils: Bespoke modelling
Asia’s use of catastrophe models is increasingly sophisticated, but the industry still has some way to go to make the most of the concept
-
SupplementsAsia perils: Q&A with David Smith
EQECAT’s senior vice-president discusses risk modelling in a region exposed to every natural catastrophe going
-
ClaimsShould we stay or go?
Increased claims for injury are affecting UK reinsurers, and new court-imposed periodical payment orders are proving expensive. Some talk of leaving the UK market, but is there also a chance of growth?
