Kenya News

UN Cites Reports of Local Government Links to Somalia Pirates

The United Nations is concerned about the possibility of collaboration between pirates and government officials in Somalia’s Puntland region, according to a new U.N. report released Wednesday. The report, prepared by the office of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for the …

Ratings Recap: China Ins (NZ), Wagram (EDF), Ecclesiastical, Ansvar, Russian Re, ZEP Re

A.M. Best Co. has revised the outlook to positive from stable for New Zealand-based China Insurance (NZ) Company Limited (CINZ) and has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘B+’ (Good) and issuer credit rating of “bbb-“. Best said the “rating …

Somali Pirates Heighten Menace

Insurers Increasingly Concerned Over Growing Threat of Attacks Yo, ho, ho and a tanker of oil – Pirates of the Caribbean they’re not. Today’s descendants of the marauders of the Spanish Main operate from “mother ships” in fast, well-equipped and …

Somali Pirates Take Another Ship

Somali pirates have hijacked a Yemeni cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden, a regional maritime group said on Tuesday, a day after sources said the gang holding a Saudi Arabian supertanker were demanding a $15 million ransom. Andrew Mwangura, …

Report Somali Pirates Reduce Ransom Demand to $15 Million

Somali pirates holding a Saudi supertanker after the largest hijacking in maritime history have reduced their ransom demand to $15 million, an Islamist leader and regional maritime group both said on Monday. The Nov. 15 capture of the Sirius Star …

Somali Pirates Hijack Saudi Supertanker off East Africa

Somali pirates have captured a fully laden Saudi supertanker far off east Africa, seizing the biggest vessel ever hijacked with a cargo of oil worth over $100 million in an attack that pushed world crude prices higher. The U.S. Fifth …

Ratings Roundup: CIBC Re, Exporters, Kenya Re, CISL

A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating of “a” of Barbados-based CIBC Reinsurance Company Limited (CIBC Re) (Barbados) with stable outlooks. CIBC Re is primarily a life reinsurance company that is …

President Clinton Spotlights LeapFrog, First Microinsurance Firm

At the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting last week in New York City, former President Bill Clinton announced the launch of LeapFrog Investments, the world’s first investment firm to focus on the insurance needs of low-income people. Its founders say …

AIG Buys 18% Stake in China’s MicroCred Nanchong

American International Group has acquired 18 percent of MicroCred Nanchong, China (MNC). The deal also gives AIG the exclusive right to sell micro insurance to MNC clients for two years. “MNC is the first wholly foreign-owned micro credit company in …

Middle East/Africa Ratings Recap: Trust Re, Arab Orient, Leadway, E. Africa Re, Africa Re

A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a-” of Bahrain-based Trust International Insurance & Reinsurance Company (Trust Re) with stable outlook s. “The ratings reflect Trust Re’s strong …