Japan News

Ratings Recap II: Chaucer, MSIG, Congregational, Top Layer, Asia Capital

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has issued a bulletin indicating that “its ‘3’ Lloyd’s Syndicate Assessment (LSA) on Chaucer – Syndicate 1084 is not affected by the announcement by Chaucer Holdings PLC (Chaucer Holdings; not rated) on January 28 of …

S&P Revises Aioi, Nissay Outlooks to Positive; Mitsui to Negative

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised to positive from stable its outlooks on the insurer financial strength ratings and long-term counterparty credit ratings on Japan’s Aioi Insurance Co. Ltd. and Nissay Dowa General Insurance Co. Ltd. S&P revised its …

AIG Global Real Estate to Sell Fund Management Business

AIG Global Real Estate (“GRE”) has plans to divest its Fund Management Business, which operates 15 existing fund programs with over $12.4 billion in assets under management and $5.2 billion in equity capital commitments as of Sept. 30, 2008. The …

UK launches 2nd Bank Rescue Plan, RBS Losses Near $30 Billion

The UK launched a second bank rescue plan on Monday. One of the recipients, Royal Bank of Scotland, said it lost over £20 billion ($29.3 billion) last year and Japan said bad loans worldwide had further to climb. The UK …

Ratings Recap: Nuernberger, Tryggingamidstödin, PMG, Wagram, Al Fajer

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has lowered to ‘A-‘ from ‘A’ its long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on German life insurer Nuernberger Lebensversicherung AG and P/C insurer Nuernberger Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG, the core operating entities of Germany’s Nuernberger …

Toyota to Introduce Driver Assist Service Competing with GM’s Onstar

Toyota said last week that it plans to roll out new safety and driver-assist programs on certain Toyota and Lexus models beginning late this summer. That marks the first major competition for Detroit-based General Motors’ OnStar service since it started …

Texas Workers’ Comp Div. Assesses $285K in Fines June – Oct. 2008

The Texas Department of Insurance Division of Workers’ Compensation (TDI-DWC) from June through October 2008 assessed administrative penalties totaling $285,775 in disciplinary orders issued by Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation Rod Bordelon. Commissioner’s orders are subject to appeal to state district …

S&P Explains How Mitsui, Aioi, Nissay Merger Plans May Affect Ratings

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said today that media reports of a possible merger among Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group Holdings Inc., the holding company of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co. Ltd. (MSI) ( AA/Stable/A-1+), Aioi Insurance Co. Ltd. (A+/Stable/–), and Nissay …

Climate Change Raises 2008 Cat Losses to $200 Billion Says Munich Re

Munich Re has released its annual report on the natural catastrophes that occurred in 2008, which it describes as “one of the most devastating years on record.” 2008’s major catastrophes included a number of tropical cyclones (hurricanes and typhoons) and …

Munich Re 2008 Catastrophe Report Cites Role of Climate Change

Munich Re has released its analytical report on the natural catastrophes that occurred in 2008, which the reinsurer describes as, “one of the most devastating years on record.” 2008’s major catastrophes included a number of tropical cyclones (hurricanes and typhoons) …