Articles by Ben Berkowitz

Berkshire Hathaway Moves Step Closer to Buffett Succession

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Monday said hedge fund manager Todd Combs would join the firm, potentially bringing the company a step closer to solving Buffett’s succession puzzle. Berkshire Hathaway owns multiple businesses concentrated in insurance as well as tens of …

High Unemployment Rate a Drag on Workers’ Compensation Insurers

The weak outlook for U.S. employment could hurt insurers that cover work-related injuries. Persistently high unemployment translates to fewer workers to cover, which cuts into revenue. And workers compensation providers face higher payouts because claiming workers are staying on benefits …

ING’s Good Results Reduce Pressure to Sell Insurance Arm

A strong start to the year has taken enough pressure off Dutch bancassurer ING Group to allow it to substantially delay or even potentially scrap the expected 2011 flotation of its insurance business. The talk of ING rethinking its timeline …

ING Gets Rights Issue Boost Ahead of Asset Sales

ING won strong support from shareholders for a heavily discounted rights issue, helping the Dutch bancassurer cut its reliance on state aid and clearing the way for it to launch a program of mandated asset sales. ING said on Wednesday …

ING to Split Banking and Insurance Operations under EU Pressure

Dutch bancassurer ING will split in two, transforming itself into a smaller European lender in the most striking example yet of the deep changes that EU policymakers want to force on banks that received state aid. The company also said …

Time Seen Tight for ING Asset Sales

Dutch financial group ING made clear this week it was not in any particular rush to complete its planned €8 billion [$10.8 billion] of asset sales — but to hear analysts and bankers tell it, Chief Executive Jan Hommen may …

More European Insurers Hit by Market Writedowns

More European insurers unveiled writedowns on their investments in a second wave of first-quarter results on Thursday, although some said sales were proving relatively resilient. Analysts said investors were left with something of a mixed picture, with signs of improving …

ING’s Q1 Loss Wider than Expected

Dutch banking and insurance group ING reported on Wednesday a much bigger than expected first-quarter net loss of €793 million ($1.085 billion), or 39 €-cents (53.3 U.S. cents) per share, hurt by a sharply weaker insurance business. “Market conditions remained …