Risk

Primary Insurer Strategies 2005: Cycle Management

From "bust to boom" is how many insurer CEOs regard the financial landscape of the Canadian property and casualty insurance industry over the past two years. And, with 2004 likely to be the peak year of profitability for the primary insurance sector, many insurer CEOs expect that the coming 12 months will see an overall weakening of the bottom-line as claims frequency and costs - particularly that of the auto product - begin to escalate after two years of a declining trend. Lost consumer confidence, and the negative political and media attention generated in the wake of the dramatic coverage price adjustments implemented by companies over the past two years, will likely remain a challenge in 2005, particularly in light of the controversy sparked by the Spitzer investigation into broker remuneration arrangements, predict insurer CEOs in CU's latest "primary insurer strategies" annual market review.

November 30, 2004

17 min read

Risk

BI Exposure on R&D

Risk managers employed by corporations which may have some involvement in research and development (R&D) activities could unknowingly face a significantly uninsured exposure on their business interruption (BI) coverages. Typically, R&D is regarded as an area of the business that supports the development of the company’s products or technology. BI losses in this regard are […]

November 30, 2004

4 min read

Risk

Moments in Time (December 01, 2004)

Each month of this special 70th anniversary year, Canadian Underwriter will look back at a pivotal period in the industry's history. These are the people, events and issues that have shaped Canadian Underwriter and the insurance industry for seven decades.

November 30, 2004

4 min read

Risk

Storms hit European reinsurers’ earnings, but not balancesheets: Benfield

The U.S. hurricanes and Japanese typhoons of the third quarter did deal a blow to the earnings of top European insurers, but balance sheets remained strong, according to the latest quarterly report by broker Benfield Group.In “Riders on the Storm”, Benfield notes that the combined losses of the top reinsurers – Converium, Hannover Re, Munich […]

By Canadian Underwriter | November 29, 2004

2 min read

European insurance industry ratings stabilizing

The financial ratings of European insurers has continued to stabilize over 2004, says a report released by rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P). "Only five of the 20 groups covered in this report continue with a negative outlook, compared with just five stable outlooks back in May 2003," comments S&P credit analyst Hans Wright.The financial […]

1 min read

New MGA built on need for better corporate governance

Although the new Executive Risk Services Ltd. is a managing general agent (MGA) focused on the directors’ and officers’ (D&O) market, its CEO says the company is also committed to helping organizations practice better risk management.Executive Risk has been up and running for more than a month, writing D&O cover backed fully by Lloyd’s of […]

2 min read

MPI tightens up driver safety program

Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) is tightening up its driver safety program, hoping for early intervention to change driver behavior.Under the “Driver Improvement and Control Program”, MPI monitors driver behavior using a system of demerit points for collisions, traffic convictions, etc., much like other provinces. Additions to the system will see the public auto insurer looking […]

1 min read

Fitch comes out strongly against finite re

Fitch Ratings, following suit with Standard & Poor’s, has come out strongly against the use of finite reinsurance, saying the practice “means to disconnect the accounting results from the underlying economic reality” faced by insurers buying the product.Raters are reacting to investigation of finite reinsurance (or what S&P terms “financial engineering products”) by New York […]

2 min read

Survey finds widespread risk manager discontent

Risk managers want to see an overhaul of the current system for buying insurance coverage, according to a new survey by New York-based Advisen Ltd.In a survey of 700 risk managers, almost 75% said they want more standardization and transparency in insurance buying transactions. At the same time, almost 68% say their organization needs better […]

2 min read

U.S. insurers battle back against Spitzer claims

U.S. insurers had their chance to refute claims of widespread industry deception about their relationships with brokers when Property & Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) CEO Ernie Csiszar spoke before a Senate subcommittee this week.Csiszar’s comments came the same day New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer also spoke to the subcommittee of the Senate […]

2 min read