Articles by L.S. Howard

Reinsurance Demand Rises, Along with Flight to Quality, Say Industry Experts

Not only has reinsurance buying increased, but there also has been a flight to quality reinsurers by ceding insurance companies, according to several reinsurers and brokers in recent webinars held in lieu of what would have been the reinsurance Rendez-Vous …

Independent Brokers Will Remain Competitive by Adding Value to the Value Chain

The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the need for brokers to add value to the insurance transaction, according to Toby Esser, chairman of AFL Insurance Brokers, a London-based independent broker. Indeed, Esser said, the COVID-19-related coverage disputes involving business interruption pandemic …

Catastrophe Losses Driven Higher by Secondary Perils – And Climate Change

Secondary perils, exacerbated by climate change, are driving catastrophe insurance losses, warn a growing chorus of reinsurers and brokers. Indeed, broker Aon reveals that more than 60% of 2020’s insured catastrophe losses of $54 billion have been caused by secondary …

How Insurance Industry Might Respond if a Pandemic Is an Act of Terror

Imagine a scenario where COVID-19 was manufactured in a lab and was released as an act of terror. Tracey Gibbons, senior vice present, Underwriting, at Third Point Re, considers this possibility during a presentation for Carrier Management’s new series of …

Social Inflation, Low Interest Rates, Rising Catastrophes: Recipe for a Hard Market

Even before the coronavirus crisis hit, the reinsurance industry was in a period of significant rate hardening, which will likely continue over the next two years, or even longer, according to Munich Re. Such price increases became necessary after 10-plus …

What Is the No. 1 Emerging Litigation Risk? ‘Forever Chemicals,’ Says Praedicat

The top emerging litigation risk identified for the year ahead is PFAS, the so-called “forever chemicals” used in a wide variety of products such as Teflon, Scotchgard, food containers, firefighting foam and ski wax, said the co-founders of Praedicat, the …

Casualty Reinsurance Demand Rises in N. America Despite Hardening Primary Rates

Although there is a significant market correction taking place in the North American liability insurance market, demand for casualty reinsurance is increasing, said Chirag Shah, executive vice president, Casualty Reinsurance, at Willis Re. Low interest rates, economic volatility, social inflation …

COVID-19 Crisis Reveals Contract Clarity Lessons, Digital Opportunities: Flandro

In every crisis, lessons must be learned, but opportunities also are revealed. And so it goes with the COVID-19, which has shown the need for contract certainty in the re/insurance industry, while at the same time providing an impetus toward …

Reinsurers Enter January Renewals, Focusing on Underwriting Discipline: Carpenter, Aon

Economic uncertainty and volatility, in combination with COVID-19-related losses, is leading to a heightened level of cautiousness among property reinsurers unless pricing and terms and conditions meet specific thresholds, according to Lara Mowery, global head of distribution, Guy Carpenter. For …

Lloyd’s Underlying Underwriting Results See ‘Huge Improvement’ Despite COVID Losses

While Lloyd’s overall results in the second half were hit by £2.4 billion ($3.12 billion) of COVID-19 claims, the market’s underlying underwriting performance saw a “huge improvement,” which Chief Executive Officer John Neal said is a “real testament to the …