Articles by Myles Neligan

UK Insurer Aviva Culls Units in Turnaround Drive

Aviva, the UK’s No.2 insurer, plans to sell or close more than a quarter of its businesses in a shake-up aimed at regaining the support of investors irked by the group’s flagging share price. The company, whose weak stock market …

UK Insurers Face Floods Losses; May Raise Premiums

British insurers face big claims for flooding after the heavy rainfalls across the country this month, making it harder for them to hit profit targets and potentially forcing them to raise premium rates for consumers, analysts said on Tuesday. Hundreds …

Top Trade Credit Insurer Pulls Cover for Exports to Greece

The world’s biggest trade credit insurer, Euler Hermes, has suspended cover for exporters shipping to Greece because of the mounting risk of them not being paid in the event the debt-laden nation is forced out of the euro. “Euler Hermes …

UK Terrorism Reinsurer Pool Re Has over $7 Billion for Olympic Games Coverage

Pool Re, the state-backed British reinsurer that covers terror attack-related commercial property losses, has £4.5 billion ($7.327 billion) of assets to cover the Olympic Games and is not jacking up premiums for the event. Bombings or other incidents costing more …

Iran Oil Costs to Surge with EU Ship Insurance Ban

A widely expected ban on European insurance cover for Iranian oil exports from July 1 is threatening to curtail shipments and raise costs for major buyers such as Japan and South Korea, insurance industry sources say. Last week the European …

Europe’s Big Insurers Hit by Debt Crisis, Catastrophes, Economy

European insurers Axa and Zurich Financial suffered on all sides last year as Europe’s debt crisis ate into their sovereign bond holdings, catastrophe claims emptied coffers and the downturn cut demand for life cover. Axa, Europe’s No. 2 insurer, said …

Insurers May Open ‘Black Box’ Telematics to Escape Gender Ban

Motor [auto] insurers seeking to get around a European ban on charging male drivers more than women are turning to innovative black box technology that could trigger an upheaval in the way car insurance is sold. Britain’s biggest motor insurer, …

UK Security Firms Take up Arms against Pirates

Security firms led by G4S are providing armed guards to ships sailing pirate-infested Somali waters, with one start-up kitting out a gunboat to lead World War II style convoys, as ship owners step up their response to constant attacks. G4S, …

Insurers Bracing for Thai Flood Claims over $10 Billion

Insurers are bracing themselves for claims in excess of $10 billion after floods in Thailand disabled major foreign-owned manufacturing operations there, adding to an already record-breaking natural catastrophe bill this year. Analysts and industry executives say it is too soon …

IAIS Calls for Greater Scrutiny over Non-traditional Insurance

Regulators should focus on insurers’ role in markets outside their traditional sphere, as such activities could worsen the economic impact of companies in the sector going bust, the International Association of Insurance Supervisors said in a report on Tuesday. The …