Latest Asia Headlines

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

ING Sale of Latin American Insurance Unit Sets Stage for Others

Jul 25 2011 // Dutch bancassurer ING is to sell most of its Latin American operation to Colombia’s GrupoSura for 2.6 billion euros ($3.7 bln) in a deal resulting from its state rescue in 2008. ING agreed to split its bank and...

Willis Australasia Appoints Pickering as Chairman; Lindhout CEO

Jul 22 2011 // Willis Group Holdings announced that, effective immediately, Scott Pickering, President of Willis’ Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa operations, will assume the additional role of Chairman, Willis...

New Swiss Re sigma study Reveals Global Premium, Capital Growth

Jul 6 2011 // A new study in Swiss Re’s sigma series concluded that the global insurance industry has returned to a pattern of growth. The study – World insurance in 2010 – reveals growth in global premium volume and...

Aon’s International Space Brokers Opens Hong Kong Operation

Jul 5 2011 // Aon Risk Solutions, the global risk management and insurance brokerage business of Aon Corp., announced the Hong Kong opening of its space insurance practice, International Space Brokers (ISB). The bulletin said Craig...

Eqecat Set to Release 3 Revised Catastrophe Models

Jun 29 2011 // Catastrophe risk modeler Eqecat has scheduled July 15 as the date to release three significant revisions to its Worldcatenterprise 3.16 platform. The updates cover Eqecat’s North Atlantic hurricane model, its Canada...

Report Says South China Sea Disputes Could Lead to Asian War

Jun 28 2011 // Risks are growing that incidents at sea involving China could lead to war in Asia, potentially drawing in the United States and other powers, an Australian think tank warned on Tuesday. The Lowy Institute said in a report...

Markel International Names Asia Pacific Unit Leader

May 23 2011 // Specialty insurer Markel International has appointed Abhishek Chhajer to lead the development of the company’s trade credit business in the Asia Pacific region out of the company’s Singapore office, which forms...

ING to Push Ahead with Insurance IPOs, Divestments

May 5 2011 // Dutch financial services group ING said on Thursday it was on track to list its U.S., European and Asian insurance units and to divest other businesses to repay state aid. ING, which received €10 billion [$14.8832...

Best Named First Rating Agency Approved in New Zealand

May 3 2011 // A.M. Best Asia Pacific Ltd has become the first rating agency to be approved by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand under the conditions of the Insurance (Prudential Supervision) Act 2010. The registration became effective on...

Celent Expands Asian Financial Services Group

Apr 22 2011 // Boston-based financial research and consulting firm Celent, a part of Oliver Wyman and ultimately a division of MarshMac, has announced the expansion of its Asian Financial Services Group, with new offices in Seoul, Hong...

Growth of Clean Tech Industry Delivers New Exposures, Opportunities

Apr 18 2011 // Backed by government policy and growing public support, demand for technology that is both clean and sustainable has increased substantially in the United States, Europe, Asia and other parts of the world over the last...

Growth of Clean Tech Industry Delivers New Exposures, Opportunities

Apr 4 2011 // Backed by government policy and growing public support, demand for technology that is both clean and sustainable has increased substantially in the United States, Europe, Asia and other parts of the world over the last...

AIR Releases New Northwest Asia-Pacific Area Wide Typhoon Model

Mar 31 2011 // Catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide has released an enhanced typhoon model for the Northwest Pacific Basin. AIR said the “model, which was released in Version 12.5 of AIR’s CLASIC/2™ and CATRADER®...

Best Comments on First Asian Based Captive Rating

Mar 24 2011 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has recently “assigned its first rating to a captive domiciled in Asia, as the global practice of major corporations self insuring through captives shows further signs of establishing...

Wilkinson to Lead Willis’ Realigned International Business

Mar 21 2011 // The International unit of global insurance broker Willis Group Holdings announced that it is aligning its Asia Pacific business with its Middle East and Africa operations under the leadership of Roger Wilkinson as Chairman...

WikiLeaks Cables Show China Regulator Intervened as AIG Crumbled

Mar 11 2011 // U.S. officials believe China’s insurance regulator passed on proprietary information about AIG to its Chinese rivals during the American firm’s collapse in 2008, according to unpublished diplomatic cables. The...

Chang Named Starr Casualty, Greater China Underwriting Manager

Mar 1 2011 // Hong Kong-based Starr International Company, Inc. has announced the appointment of Irene Chang as Underwriting Manager of Starr Casualty for Greater China. She will lead the effort in developing and promoting all Casualty...

Austen to Head Cooper Gay Singapore Brokerage Operations

Feb 24 2011 // London-based Cooper Gay, the independent wholesale, reinsurance and specialist retail insurance broker, has appointed Jeremy Austen as Head of Broking for its Singapore office. He reports to Asia Pacific Regional Managing...

Insurance Industry Worries about Growing Risks from Climate Change

Jan 19 2011 // Insurers are struggling to assess the risks from climate change, industry officials say, with the floods in Australia and Brazil highlighting the potential losses from greater extremes of weather. Scientists say a warmer...

Marsh Names Blakey to Head Asian Aviation Practice

Jan 18 2011 // Marsh’s London office announced the appointment of Tim Blakey as Regional Head of its Aviation Practice for Asia with immediate effect. He will also join a newly-formed Asia Aviation Executive team, chaired by...