insurance News

ABI Warns UK Homeowners of Subsidence Risks from Drought

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) is urging homeowners not to worry unnecessarily, but to be aware of the ongoing drought conditions currently afflicting the UK. The extremely dry weather, with little or no rainfall across many parts of the …

AIA’s Snyder Describes Korea Trade Pact as ‘Excellent Model’

The long-awaited implementation of the Free Trade Pact between the Republic of Korea, or South Korea, and the U.S. (KORUS) is scheduled to go into effect on March 15. The date will see the conclusion of negotiations that began in …

Zurich Board Proposes Name Change to Zurich Insurance Group

Zurich Financial Services Group announced that its board of directors will propose a name change on March 29, 2012 that will reflect that it has streamlined its business portfolio to concentrate on insurance over the last few years. The company’s …

South Padre Mayor Appointed to Texas Coast Insurance Study Group

Texas House Speaker Joe Straus of San Antonio has appointed South Padre Island Mayor Robert Pinkerton, Jr. to the Joint Interim Committee to Study Seacoast Territory Insurance. The committee will examine alternative ways to provide insurance to the state’s seacoast …

Best Analyzes Impact of Flood Losses on Thai Insurance Industry

A.M. Best Co. has released a briefing that provides updated estimates of insurers’ losses from the Thailand floods. The overall industry wide insurers’ loss estimates from the floods have increased 50 percent to $15 billion since Best’s last briefing on …

Report: AXA, ACE Are Final Two Contestants for HSBC Insurance Arm

France’s AXA Group and ACE Limited are the final two suitors in the hunt to buy HSBC’s $1 billion general insurance business, people familiar with the matter said. HSBC, Europe’s biggest bank, started the sale of the unit in September …

Insurance Society to Team with UNEP for Sustainable Insurance

The International Insurance Society’s (IIS) annual conclave in June in Rio de Janeiro will see the launch of an initiative in partnership with the United Nations Environment Program Financial Initiative (UNEP FI) of the “Principles for Sustainable Insurance.” The IIS …

U.S. Eyes WTO Services Pacts Amid Doha Stall

The United States is making a push for a group of countries within the World Trade Organization to start talks to liberalize trade in services, even if big developing countries like China, India and Brazil don’t want to join, U.S. …

Swiss Re Report Examines Insurance Role in Earthquake Disasters

Swiss Re’s new report – “Lessons from recent major earthquakes,” focuses on the most recent series of devastating quakes, which have caused extensive loss of life and injuries, along with widespread property damage, over the past two years. The report …

New Mexico’s Public Regulation Commission Mulls Overhauls

Members of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission are considering recommendations for overhauling the agency’s hiring policies and shifting some of its duties to other state departments. The commission sets rates for electric and natural gas utilities, insurance companies and …