Christian Mumenthaler News

Insurance Protection Gap Is Growing Global Problem; Swiss Re, RenRe & WTW Comment

The insurance protection gap. It’s a phrase that will be increasingly heard over the coming years – because it is getting bigger. The protection gap is the difference between insured losses and total economic losses. The protection gap, or those …

Swiss Re Posts $468M 9-Month Loss, Anticipates Re/Insurance Rate Hikes

A rise in insurance premiums, especially in areas affected by recent hurricanes and disasters, will help Swiss Re recover from almost half a billion dollars of losses in the first nine months of this year, it said on Thursday. “We …

Natural Disasters Begin to Hit Profits of Global Reinsurers

A profit warning from one of the world’s largest reinsurers is the latest sign that the death and destruction from a spate of hurricanes and earthquakes in North America are now taking a toll on the titans of global finance. …

Swiss Re Q1 Net Income Drops by 45% on Cyclone Debbie Claims

Swiss Re reported net income of US$656 million during the first quarter of 2017, a 45 percent drop from $1.2 billion reported in the same period last year. Swiss Re’s Q1 result was hammered by expected claims from natural catastrophe …

Big Data Gathered by Twitter Monitoring Could Cut Premiums – and Erode Privacy

When people take to Twitter to comment on the great evening they enjoyed with good food and wonderful friends, reducing their monthly insurance bill is probably the last thing on their mind. But such tweets could help insurers to price …

Western Insurers Slowly Re-Enter Deals with Iran – a Market Valued at $9B

Western insurers are slowly reaching deals with Iran as they seek to re-enter a multi-billion dollar market although the pace of business is hampered by banking restrictions 10 months on from the lifting of international sanctions. Shut out of international …

Big Reinsurers Pin Profit Hopes on Tailoring Coverages to Specific Risks

In a world of increasing automation and standardization, Europe’s big reinsurers are betting that a more personal touch can reverse years of falling prices. Companies including Munich Re AG and Swiss Re AG are increasing their focus on policies that …

Is This the Bottom of Reinsurance Cycle? Opinions Vary at Rendez-Vous

It may be wishful thinking – but some major reinsurers are hoping the bottom of the reinsurance cycle is at hand. Both Swiss Re and Hannover Re told journalists at this year’s reinsurance Rendez-Vous de Septembre in Monaco that they …

Swiss Re Q2 Profit Drops on Higher Natural Catastrophe Losses

Swiss Re AG, the world’s biggest reinsurer, said profit fell in the second-quarter as the company paid more for catastrophe claims including earthquakes in Japan and forest fires in Canada. Net income declined to $637 million from $820 million a …

Re/Insurance CEOs Join Insurance Development Forum, UN & World Bank Initiative

A group of re/insurance and global broking CEOs are assisting the work of the Insurance Development Forum (IDF), which was launched last month to help build resilience to climate risk and natural disasters, while bridging the insurance protection gap for …