Japan News

Best Affirms Fuji Fire & Marine ‘B++’ Ratings; Outlook Revised to Stable

A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘B++’ (Good) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “bbb+” of Japan’s Fuji Fire & Marine Insurance Company, Limited, and has revised its outlook on the ratings from negative …

Aon Benfield Report Identifies ‘Mega-Earthquake’ ‘Hotspots

Aon Benfield has published a new report – “When The Earth Moves: Mega-Earthquakes To Come?” – in conjunction with the Aon Benfield UCL Hazard Research Centre. The report was prompted by the recent earthquake in Chile. It identifies the “Caribbean, …

Orange Empire CPCU Elects Officers

The Orange Empire Chapter of the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters (CPCU) Society recently elected its 2010-2011 officers. The chapter serves about 300 members who live and/or work in the Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties of California. The incoming new …

Global Regulators Seek Coordination for Financial Reforms

Global regulators cannot adopt one-size-fits-all rules and practices as they react to the financial crisis, but it is possible to have common principles, a top Japanese regulator said Wednesday. Other market watchdogs and industry members at a conference here echoed …

Hawaii Insurance Commissioner Schmidt Resigns

J.P. Schmidt, Insurance Commissioner of the State of Hawaii, announced he be leaving his position to join the Honolulu law firm of Bays Deaver Lung Rose Holma, effective July 1. Schmidt will be practicing general business, corporate and government regulatory …

G20 Finance Ministers Don’t Even Try to ‘Spin’ Impact of Europe’s Debt Crisis

Finance ministers can usually be relied upon to put the best spin on whatever is happening to the global economy. Not at this weekend’s Group of 20 meeting in Busan. The two days of talks were remarkable for ministers’ candor …

Aon Scientist Analyzes Insurance Coverage for Volcanic Eruptions

Volcanic eruptions are right up there with hurricanes and earthquakes on the list of nature’s most formidable catastrophes. The April eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland was but one manifestation – gritty clouds of ash – of the dangers …

Saft: Lessons for U.S., UK from Japan’s Lost Decade

Deflation and a lost decade can be avoided it seems; all we need are perfect central bankers, sensible politicians, a biddable electorate and cooperative investors. Nothing to worry about there, then. In a speech on Monday, Bank of England Monetary …

Pickering to Head Willis Russia, E. Europe, M.East, So. Africa Operations

Willis Group Holdings has appointed Scott Pickering as CEO, Russia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South Africa, effective immediately. He will be based in the Al Futtaim Willis office in Dubai and will report to Sarah Turvill, Chairman and …

Bowring Marsh Opens Tokyo Office

Bowring Marsh, the Specialist International Placement Broker at Marsh, has expanded its Asian presence with the opening in Tokyo of its eighth office, which will specialize in property, earthquake and business interruption risks. Marsh said the office will “place large …