Prem Watsa News

Watsa’s Fairfax Plans to Buy Control of Indonesia Insurer’s Non-Life Unit: Sources

Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd., the Canadian investment firm led by Prem Watsa, is in advanced talks to buy control of Indonesian financial group PT Paninvest’s non-life insurance unit, people with knowledge of the matter said. The transaction would value the …

Fairfax Financial to Buy 33% Stake in India’s Bangalore Airport for $322 Million

Indian airport operator GVK Power & Infrastructure Ltd. said it sold a stake in its Bengaluru aerodrome to Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd., helping cut debt. The shares rose. Fairfax will buy 33 percent of Bangalore International Airport Ltd. for 21.49 …

Greece’s Eurobank to Sell 80% Stake in Insurance Unit to Fairfax for $345 Million

Greece’s third-largest lender Eurobank agreed to sell an 80 percent stake in its Eurolife ERB insurance subsidiary to Canada’s Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd for €316 million ($345 million) on Tuesday, deepening ties between the two firms. Toronto-based investment holding firm …

Irish Insurers Face Higher Reserves; Fairfax Financial to Invest in FBD Holdings

Irish insurers will have to set aside significantly more reserves to cover car-crash, workplace injuries and other claims as compensation payouts surge, according to the industry’s regulator. The nation’s central bank will tell insurers the results of a review of …

Fairfax Offers to Buy 26% of Indian Brokerage IIFL for $255 Million

Fairfax India Holdings Corp., the $1 billion fund created by Toronto-based investor Prem Watsa, offered to buy 26 percent more in Indian brokerage IIFL Holdings Ltd.* for $255 million. Fairfax India announced an offer to purchase about 83.1 million shares …

Brit Chief Says Excess Capital Will Spark More Mergers & Acquisitions

Brit plc Chief Executive Officer Mark Cloutier said an excess of insurance industry capital will force more executives to sell or merge their companies. Cloutier said Brit’s planned $1.88 billion sale to Prem Watsa’s Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd., which was …

Fairfax to Sell Shares for Brit Acquisition to Protect Credit Rating

Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd.’s Prem Watsa, who said this week that issuing stock was one of his last options for financing the purchase of Brit plc, opted days later to sell shares and guard his company’s credit rating. Watsa, Fairfax’s …

Canada’s Fairfax to Acquire London-Based Brit for $1.88 Billion

Fairfax Financial Holdings, the Canadian property and casualty insurer run by contrarian investor Prem Watsa, said it would buy Brit plc for some $1.88 billion to become one of the top five underwriters on the Lloyd’s of London market. Watsa, …

Pet Insurance Outpaces Accident-Health in Sales Growth

Maria Makara didn’t hesitate to insure her two new dogs. That’s because they’re family. Her previous pet, a Yorkshire terrier, died in 2013 after contracting pancreatitis and Cushing’s disease. Makara ended up paying $4,000 for treatments and tests in the …