Australia News

The Growing Risks of Social Media

Asked why he robbed banks, Willie Sutton famously replied: “Because that’s where the money is.” Something similar can be said to explain why companies are paying more attention to social media these days — because that’s where the consumers are. …

Climate Scientists Praise Report on Hacked E-mail Scandal

Leading climate scientists on Thursday welcomed a British report that cleared researchers of exaggerating the effects of global warming and said they hoped it would restore faith in the fight against climate change [See IJ web site – https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2010/07/07/111360.htm]. The …

WMO Foresees La Nina in Pacific this Year

La Nina is likely to cool the tropical Pacific in coming months, a phenomenon which usually causes stronger monsoons across Asia and eastern Australia, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Tuesday. The weather condition also promotes the development of …

How to Manage the Growing Risks of Social Media

Advertising, Defamation, Privacy and Security Laws All at Issue Asked why he robbed banks, Willie Sutton famously replied: “Because that’s where the money is.” Something similar can be said to explain why companies are paying more attention to social media …

Aon Reports Declines in July Reinsurance Renewal Rates

Aon Benfield has released its July first “Renewals Update” report, which indicates that “rates continue to decline in all major regions without significant catastrophe loss activity in the last 12 months.” Aon noted that the effects of the Chilean Earthquake …

Willis Re Finds Chile Quake, Storm Losses ‘Little Impact’ on Re Pricing

A new report from Willis Re, the reinsurance broking arm of Willis Group Holdings, has concluded that “losses from the Chile earthquake and storms in Australia in the first quarter of 2010 have had little impact on pricing in the …

More Oil Spills to Come, Says Professor

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is not simply a random accident. There will be more of these spills to come, as the days of easy oil are over, says an anthropologist at Washington University in …

Insurers Worry EU Could Extend Bank Levy to Other Financial Firms

The European Union could extend a planned levy beyond banks to other financial services firms, according to a report outlining the bloc’s message to G20 leaders who meet soon to tackle reform of the industry. The statement is likely to …

CNA Completes Sale of Its Argentinean Subsidiary to QBE

CNA Financial Corporation announced that it has completed the sale of its Argentinean subsidiary, CNA Aseguradora de Riesgos del Trabajo (CNA ART S.A.), to QBE the Americas, the Australia-based insurer and reinsurer. The sale price was $66.3 million, which CNA …

Munich Re: ‘Ever Higher’ Nat Cat Costs; Ups Chile Quake Loss to $1 Billion

A bulletin from Munich Re, the world’s largest reinsurer, concludes that the “long-term trend towards ever higher natural catastrophe costs” looks set to continue, according to an analysis from its Geo Risks experts. Their conclusions are based on “the large …