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☆ Considering getting flood insurance after Milton and Helene? Here’s what to expect
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-15 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Still, “lack of flood insurance is the largest insurance coverage gap we see across the United States,” he said. Here’s what you’re likely to encounter if you’re shopping around for flood insurance policies. Flood insurance 101Homeowners with mortgages are almost always required to have home insurance by their lenders. Most flood insurance is offered through the federally backed National Flood Insurance Program, a part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The NFIP estimates that more than 40% of NFIP flood insurance claims come from outside high-risk flood zones.

Persons: Helene, Mark Friedlander, ”, Rebecca Blackwell, policyholders, Melissa Sue Gerrits, Friedlander, Andy Neal, Milton, Neal, Scott Hawkins, ” Hawkins Organizations: New, New York CNN, Insurance Information Institute, CNN, Flood Insurance, Federal Emergency Management Agency, AP, FEMA Locations: New York, North Carolina, United States, Gulf, Mexico, Hurricane Milton, Englewood , Florida, Swannanoa , North Carolina

☆ Here's how natural disasters are shaping the buy-versus-rent decision in vulnerable states like Florida
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-13 | by ( Kelly Cloonan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Owning a home in high-climate risk states like Florida is becoming tougher amid rising costs. Experts say the next few years will be crucial for housing policy in the wake of severe climate disasters. On the one hand, buyers are facing rising costs as insurance premiums skyrocket. Still, a big advantage to owning a home is the ability to lock in housing costs. That's especially true after climate disasters, according to one study that looked at rent prices following hurricanes in US coastal states.

Persons: Hurricane Milton, homebuyers, Chen Zhao, Jung Hyun Choi, Choi, Katrina, Zhao Organizations: Service, Institute's, Finance Policy Center Locations: Florida, Hurricane, Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, it's

☆ Back-to-back Florida hurricanes signal trouble for home insurance prices nationwide
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-12 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Insurance experts said the back-to-back hurricanes could signal rising insurance rates nationwide. AdvertisementTwo back-to-back hurricanes in Florida in recent weeks will likely raise home insurance rates even higher in a state that is already grappling with prices nearly four times the national average, insurance experts told Business Insider. The compounding financial crises of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton could also point to looming hikes in insurance rates nationwide, the home insurance experts said. They pointed to the recent Florida storms as examples of the increasingly severe and frequent climate catastrophes wreaking havoc on the global insurance market. AdvertisementAn uptick in reinsurance rates in recent years has been a driving force behind climbing insurance rates nationwide, said Kyle Ulrich, president and CEO of the Florida Association of Insurance Agents.

Persons: —, Kyle Ulrich, it's, Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, Jeffrey Schlegelmilch, Oscar Miniet, Miniet, Coral, Milton, Helene, Shahid Hamid, Jeremy Porter, Porter, Hamid, Ulrich, Oscar Seikaly, Penny, Liao Organizations: Service, Florida Association of Insurance, Intercontinental Exchange, CBS News, Columbia Climate School's, Center for Disaster Preparedness, Tampa, Florida International University, Research Center's Laboratory for Insurance, Financial, Economic Research, Allstate, State, Florida Association of Insurance Agents, NSI Insurance, Hurricanes Locations: Florida, Hurricane, California, Illinois, Arkansas, Deltona, Jacksonville, Sarasota, Central Florida, Kentucky, Idaho, London, Bermuda, Japan

☆ Hurricane Milton might cost insurers up to $50 billion — but it could have been much worse, analysts said
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-11 | by ( Lian Kit Wee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Hurricane Milton's insured losses could cost between $30 billion and $50 billion, said analysts. AdvertisementHurricane Milton stormed Florida on Wednesday, leaving an estimated $30 billion to $50 billion of insured losses, according to analysts from Fitch Ratings in a Thursday note. Milton's insured losses could range from $30 billion to $50 billion, according to Fitch, making it the largest since Hurricane Ian in 2022, which caused $60 billion in damages. According to a September report by Moody's Analytics, Hurricane Helene's insured losses were between $20 billion and $34 billion. Fitch analysts said local insurers might face insufficient reinsurance coverage to handle the losses and drive up premium rates.

Persons: —, Hurricane Milton, Milton, Alejandro Mayorkas, Fitch, Ian, Morningstar DBRS, Jefferies, Ron DeSantis, Helene Organizations: Service, Hurricane, Fitch, US Homeland, White, Morningstar, Reuters, Analytics, National Hurricane Center, Gov, Moody's Analytics, P, Global, Swiss RE Locations: Florida, Tampa, Swiss, Fitch

☆ Catastrophe bond investors unlikely to be dealt massive losses as Florida dodges Milton's worst-case scenario
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-10 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Hurricane Milton's impact on Florida won't cause major losses for catastrophe bond investors, portfolio managers say. Insurance companies still face significant losses, but cat bond investors aren't eyeing the worst-case scenario. AdvertisementThe impact of Hurricane Milton on Florida is unlikely to trigger massive losses for catastrophe bond investors. The losses for cat bond investors, therefore, might only be in the low-single digits. This will drive an increase in risk premiums, leading to higher return expectations for cat bond investors moving forward," Steiger said.

Persons: aren't, —, Helene, Milton, Chin Liu, Tanja Wrosch, That's, Florian Steiger, Steiger Organizations: Insurance, Service, Investors, Twelve, Bloomberg, Icosa, Progressive, Allstate, Chubb Limited, Swiss Locations: Florida, Hurricane Milton, Tampa, Milton

☆ Owners of 'catastrophe bonds' are staring down big losses as Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-09 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Hurricane Milton may cause major losses for catastrophe bond investors. AdvertisementThe back-to-back barrage of Hurricanes Helene and Milton could trigger big losses for investors in catastrophe bonds. However, on the other hand, a strong hurricane can trigger various clauses within catastrophe bonds, resulting in big losses for investors. AdvertisementHowever, according to RBC, higher reinsurance rates implemented following Hurricane Ian could soften the blow for cat bond investors, depending on the severity of Hurricane Milton. The potential for massive damage caused by Hurricane Milton, which is considered to be a once-in-a-generation event, is also dragging down global reinsurer stocks.

Persons: Milton, —, Hurricanes Helene, Hurricane Ian, Hurricane Milton, Helene, Hurricane Organizations: Service, Hurricanes, Investors, Swiss Re, Hurricane, Jefferies, RBC, Cat, Swiss Locations: Florida, Hurricane, Artemis, Hurricane Milton, North Carolina, Munich

☆ Shares of generator maker soar, insurance stocks fall as Hurricane Milton intensifies
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-07 | by ( Spencer Kimball | Yun Li | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Shares of backup power generation company Generac Holdings surged more than 7% on Monday as Hurricane Milton rapidly strengthened into a Category 5 storm. Hurricane Milton is forecast to move north of the Yucatan Peninsula on Monday and Tuesday before crossing the Gulf of Mexico to approach the west coast of Florida by Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. Hurricane Milton comes on the heels of Hurricane Helene, which killed more than 220 people and wrought devastation across the Southeast, particularly in North Carolina. Insurance stocks that have weather catastrophe exposure, meanwhile, are falling on potential insured losses tied to Hurricane Milton. Allstate, Travelers and Chubb saw their shares fall more than 3%, while Progressive and AIG all declined more than 1%.

Persons: Hurricane Milton, Generac, Hurricane Helene, Chubb, Milton, Joshua Shanker Organizations: Generac Holdings, Hurricane, National Hurricane Center, North Carolina . Insurance, Hurricane Milton, Allstate, Travelers, Progressive, AIG, Universal Insurance, Bank of America, Colorado State University, Research Locations: Hurricane, Yucatan, Mexico, Florida, Tampa, North Carolina, Fort Lauderdale , Florida

☆ As Insurers Around the U.S. Bleed Cash From Climate Shocks, Homeowners Lose
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Christopher Flavelle | Mira Rojanasakul | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +28 min

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Persons: Dave Langston’s, Langston, ”, Dave, Linda Langston, Conn ., S.D, N.M, “, Dave Jones, Carolyn Kousky, “ It’s, Sridhar Manyem, Bill Montgomery, Kristin Heiges, Eldon Neighbor, That’s, Tom O’Meara, Kelsey Kremer, Reinsurers, Doug Ommen, Brandi Mace Storm, David Storm, Tim Kuehner’s, Brandi Mace Storm’s, haggling, Pekin, Mace Storm, Susan Crisler, Tim Kuehner, Tony J, Larson, Chesleigh Fowler, Kelley Erstine, Mr, Erstine, ” Kevin Walters, California Colorado Utah Washington Matt Child, Matthew Baker, Ariz, ” Mr, Baker, Amy Bach, United, Dave Langston, Ommen, Tim Zawacki, Lyndsey Layton, Douglas Alteen, Claire O'Neill, Matt McCann Organizations: IOWA MINNESOTA SOUTH, COLORADO ARKANSAS, NEBRASKA COLORADO, SOUTH, New York Times, Ark . Iowa Ariz, Minn, La . Iowa Iowa Neb, Neb . Texas Idaho Ga, ND Iowa, S.D . Miss, Wash . Ohio Utah Wis, University of California Berkeley, Treasury Department, Environmental Defense Fund, State, NOAA, Celina Insurance, Secura Insurance, Secura, Homeowners, Swiss, Des Moines Register, Associated, “, Iowa, Iowa Minnesota Wisconsin, Pekin Insurance, Pekin, Christensen Group Insurance, Travelers, Nationwide, Indiana Ohio Michigan Illinois, . Arkansas Kentucky Florida Tennessee, Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, ”, Washington, Wildfire, California Colorado, California Colorado Utah Washington, P Global Market Intelligence Locations: Iowa, IOWA MINNESOTA, IOWA MINNESOTA SOUTH DAKOTA NEBRASKA, COLORADO, COLORADO ARKANSAS KENTUCKY ILLINOIS, IOWA MINNESOTA SOUTH DAKOTA, NEBRASKA COLORADO ARKANSAS, KENTUCKY ILLINOIS, SOUTH DAKOTA NEBRASKA, COLORADO ARKANSAS, Iowa , Minnesota, South Dakota , Nebraska , Colorado , Arkansas , Kentucky, Illinois, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids , Iowa, Marshalltown , Iowa, Florida , California, Louisiana, Iowa , Arkansas , Ohio, Utah, Washington, Colo, Mass, Colo . Calif, Calif, Colo . Ala, Colo ., Mont, Fla, Ark . Iowa, Colo . Ill, S.D, N.D, Conn, Del . Idaho Fla, Miss, Neb ., Ky, Ga, Hawaii Mont, N.M . Iowa Fla, Mont ., La . Iowa, Neb . Texas Idaho, ND, Md, Ill, Wyo, Ill . Idaho, . Ill, Minn, Ind, S.D . Vt, La . Texas Mont, Neb . NC, Neb . Mich, N.M, S.D ., Va . Ore . Ohio Mo . Texas, Tenn, Wash . Ohio Utah, Okla, Tenn . Utah, Wis, S.D . Va . Ore . Ohio Mo . Texas, California, American, U.S, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Wisconsin, United States, Marshalltown, Iowa Minnesota, Iowa Minnesota Wisconsin South Dakota, Celina, Pekin, Des Moines, Minnesota, Illinois , Indiana , Ohio, Illinois , Indiana, Michigan, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, . Arkansas Kentucky Florida, Georgia , Kentucky, Mississippi, Washington State, California Colorado Utah, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Flagstaff, it’s, Gilbert, Seattle, Colorado, Florida’s, Central City , Iowa, Georgia

☆ Who ends up holding the bag for the Baltimore bridge collapse?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Marine insurance companies will be on the hook for much of the costs. These insurance companies are backed by insurance companies of their own – a type of business known as a reinsurer. The potential cost of insurance claims from the bridge collapse could be between $1 billion and $3 billion, analysts at Barclays wrote in a note Wednesday. “But other than that, the economic impact of what has happened will be enormous, but not recoverable from the ship,” Davies said. Maryland lawmakers, meanwhile, are drafting an emergency bill to provide income replacement for Port of Baltimore workers impacted by the bridge collapse.

Persons: Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key, ”, John Miklus, Dali, Brendan Holmes, Miklus, Loretta Worters, Worters, Martin Davies, ” Davies, Joe Biden, Francis Scott Key, it’s, ” Biden, Scott Olson, Davies, Bill Ferguson Organizations: New, New York CNN, American Institute of Marine Underwriters, “, Barclays, Grace Ocean, Britannia, Indemnity, International Group, International, CNN, Insurance, Costa, Maritime Law Center, Tulane University, “ Maersk, Federal Highway Administration, Infrastructure Investment, Jobs, Biden, . Workers, Robins, Repair, Port, Maryland Locations: New York, Singapore, Costa Concordia, Italy, Danish, Baltimore , Maryland, Maryland, Baltimore

☆ A historic and clubby group in London could face billions in claims from the Baltimore bridge collapse
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Claims from the container ship Dali's crash into Baltimore's Key Bridge could cost insurers a lot. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . With the crash of the container ship Dali into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday, insurance underwriters are updating those books as a picture of the true cost of damages emerges. Economists told Business Insider the port closure itself will cost $15 million a day in lost economic activity, with other disruptions pushing the total into the tens of millions a day. AdvertisementStill, the collapse of the Key Bridge could lead to "one of the largest claims ever to hit the marine (re)insurance market," John Miklus, the president of the American Institute of Marine Underwriters, told Insurance Business.

Persons: —, Dali, Francis Scott Key, Marcos Álvarez, Edward, doesn't, Lloyd's, John Miklus Organizations: Service, Barclays, Bloomberg, Port, Reuters, Lloyd's, American Institute of Marine Underwriters, Insurance Business Locations: London, Baltimore, Port of Baltimore, Britannia

☆ A complex and clubby group in London could face billions in claims from the Baltimore bridge collapse
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. With the crash of the container ship Dali into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday, insurance underwriters are duly updating those books as a picture emerges of the true cost of damages. Economists told Business Insider the port closure itself will cost $15 million per day in lost economic activity, with other disruptions pushing the total into the tens of millions per day. All told, Barclays said insurance companies could be looking at claims as high as $3 billion as a result of the crash, Bloomberg reported. AdvertisementStill, the collapse of the Key Bridge could lead to "one of the largest claims ever to hit the marine (re)insurance market," John Miklus, president of the American Institute of Marine Underwriters, told Insurance Business.

Persons: —, Dali, Francis Scott Key, Morningstar, Marcos Alvarez, Edward Lloyd, doesn't, Lloyd's, John Miklus Organizations: Service, Business, Barclays, Bloomberg, Port, Reuters, Lloyd's, American Institute of Marine Underwriters, Insurance Business Locations: London, Baltimore, Port of Baltimore, Britannia

☆ The marine insurance industry is bracing for huge claims from the Baltimore bridge disaster
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Huge insurance claims are expected after the Dali collided with a major bridge on Tuesday. The claims could be on par with the $1.5 billion from the Costa Concordia disaster, an expert told Insurance Business. AdvertisementThe marine insurance industry is bracing for huge claims from Tuesday's Baltimore bridge disaster. AdvertisementThe marine insurance and reinsurance markets are likely to foot most of the bills, S&P Global reported on Tuesday. The Baltimore bridge itself is insured by insurance giant Chubb, per Insurance Insider.

Persons: Dali, —, Francis Scott Key, John Miklus, Miklus, Costa Concordia's, You've, Cintia Nazima, Chubb, SCOR Organizations: Business, Insurance, Service, American Institute of Marine Underwriters, Costa Concordia, Maryland Transportation Authority, Wall, P Global, Britannia Locations: Costa Concordia, Tuesday's Baltimore, Costa, Italy, Baltimore, Dali's Baltimore, Britannia, London, Suez

☆ People Have a Right to Climate Data - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Justin S. Mankin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As a climate scientist documenting the multi-trillion-dollar price tag of the climate disasters shocking economies and destroying lives, I sometimes field requests from strategic consultants, financial investment analysts and reinsurers looking for climate data, analysis and computer code. These requests make sense: People and companies want to adapt to the climate risks they face from global warming. Venture capitalists are injecting hundreds of millions of dollars into climate intelligence as they build out a rapidly growing business of climate analytics — the data, risk models, tailored analyses and insights people and institutions need to understand and respond to climate risks. I point companies to our freely available data and code at the Dartmouth Climate Modeling and Impacts Group, which I run, but turn down additional requests for customized assessments. I regard climate information as a public good and fear contributing to a world in which information about the unfolding risks of droughts, floods, wildfires, extreme heat and rising seas are hidden behind paywalls.

Persons: El Organizations: BlackRock, Venture, Dartmouth, Modeling

Helping these countries, which face some of the biggest risks from climate change, access these will be a key aim during the COP28 climate talks underway in Dubai. Ambitions for results at COP28 got off to a good start on the opening day on Thursday when countries approved plans for the climate disaster fund, after months of negotiations. About 60% of low-income countries are either in or at high risk of debt distress, the CDP said. The Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program, for example, aims to agree a disaster relief bond issuance and a regional risk transfer facility, the ADB's Principal Disaster Risk Insurance and Finance Specialist, Thomas Kessler, told Reuters. "We are ready to scale up climate protection through early warning systems, anticipatory cash, climate insurance and community-based resilience projects," said Gernot Laganda, director of Climate and Disaster Risk Reduction at the United Nations World Food Programme.

Persons: COP28, Ekhosuehi Iyahen, IDF's Iyahen, Michèle Plichta, Lydia Poole, Odile Renaud, Basso, Thomas Kessler, Otis, Gernot Laganda, Alessandro Parodi, Simon Jessop, Libby George, Karin Strohecker, Susan Fenton Organizations: Insurance, Forum, PAF, Disaster, European Bank for Reconstruction, Global, Swiss, Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation, Finance, Reuters, UN, University of Cambridge's Institute for Sustainability Leadership, United Nations, Food, Thomson Locations: GDANSK, LONDON, Dubai, London, Mexico

☆ UK pension transfer boom continues as deals worth $11 bln struck
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Lawrence White | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of Legal & General insurance company is seen at their office in central London March 17, 2008. Legal & General (LGEN.L) said it had agreed a so-called full buy-in to the Boots Pension Scheme worth 4.8 billion pounds, in what it said was the largest such deal in Britain by premium size. The market has been running at around 30 billion pounds a year in Britain, but consultants expect 2023 to top that. Rising funding ratios for pension schemes are driving unprecedented demand, Legal & General (L&G) said, as funds scramble to protect schemes against the vagaries of market movements amid rising interest rates worldwide. L&G has written a total of 13.4 billion pounds worth of pension risk transfer deals this year globally, up from 9.5 billion pounds last year.

Persons: Alessia, Eva Mathews, Lawrence White, Sharon Singleton, Mark Potter Organizations: General, REUTERS, Legal, Co, Regulators, Bank of England's Prudential, Authority, Health, Thomson Locations: London, BRITAIN, Britain, Rothesay, Bengaluru

☆ Insuring your home in Colorado can cost $40,000 as the climate crisis wreaks havoc on the market, one insurance CEO said
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Oscar Seikaly, CEO at NSI Insurance Group, which is based in Florida but underwrites policies nationally, about skyrocketing insurance premiums and how unpredictable disasters around the country raise prices for everyone. Over the past 10 years, insurance premiums have changed dramatically. AdvertisementAdvertisementTake the average house in Aspen: You have $5 million for the house, $3 million for the contents, another $2 million for loss of rents. All these insurance companies have to buy from reinsurance companies and there's only three or four main ones in the world. When you buy a $5 million house or a $10 million house, paying $30,000 or $20,000 a year is not going to make a difference.

Persons: Oscar Seikaly, Seikaly, —, that's Organizations: Service, NSI Insurance Locations: Aspen, Florida, California, Colorado, Northern California

☆ How insurance companies are battered by hurricane season and climate change
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Insurance companies are in a tough spot with this year's stronger-than-average hurricane season, while climate-related perils continue to push catastrophe losses higher. Adding fuel to the industry's woes is the higher frequency of secondary perils, such as wildfires and flooding, due to climate change. These increased occurrences have been slowly adding to primary insurers' catastrophe losses and limiting profitability. While the industry is currently in the middle of peak hurricane season, insurance stocks typically rebound when the size of the insured losses become apparent or are announced by the companies, according to Piper Sandler. Insurance stocks tend to fall initially as big hurricanes near landfall and the likely extent of damage is appraised.

Persons: Piper Sandler, Paul Newsome, Newsome, Chubb, Bob Huang, Morgan Stanley, Huang Organizations: Atlantic, . Insurance, Insurance, Allstate, American International Group, Progressive, Universal Insurance Holdings, Everest Re Locations: Florida, Maui, Hawaii, California

The U.S. homeowner’s insurance industry has had three straight years of underwriting losses, according to credit rating agency AM Best. Record numbers of Americans are now insured through state-affiliated “insurers of last resort” like California’s FAIR Plan, or Louisiana or Florida’s Citizens property insurance companies. These programs were designed to insure properties where private insurance companies have refused to insure or the price for private insurance is too expensive. In Florida, Citizens Property Insurance Corp. now has 1.4 million homeowners’ policies in effect, nearly triple in five years. “It used to be homeowner's insurance was an afterthought when you are looking at buying a property.

Persons: you’re, ”, California Sen, Bill Dodd, Jeremy Porter, Fannie Mae, Todd Bevington, “ I’ve, Jen Goodlin, ‘, ’ ”, “ We’ve, ” Dodd, Dodd, Porter, Guy Carpenter, Lara Mowery, Mowery, ” Mowery, That’s, ” Bevington, Adam Beam, Janie Har Organizations: First Street Foundation, Bank of America, Treasury Department, Paradise, FAIR, Citizens Property Insurance Corp, Farm, Allstate, National Flood Insurance, Swiss, Munich Re, Hurricane Locations: California, Florida, Louisiana, Lahaina, Vermont, Maine, New York, U.S, “, Paradise, Northern California, Colorado, Munich, New Orleans, Gulf, Asheland, N.C, Sacramento, Calif, San Francisco

☆ Lloyd's of London swings to first-half profit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The interior of the Lloyd's of London building is seen in the City of London financial district in London, Britain, April 16, 2019. REUTERS/Hannah McKay//File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Lloyd's of London (SOLYD.UL) swung to a first-half pre-tax profit of 3.9 billion pounds ($4.88 billion), helped by rises in premium rates and positive investment returns, the commercial insurance market said on Thursday. Lloyd's recorded a loss of 1.8 billion pounds for the same period a year ago. The COVID-19 pandemic, Ukraine war, inflation and climate change-fuelled natural catastrophes have helped insurers and reinsurers to raise premiums, improving their profits. Lloyd's saw a net investment return of 1.8 billion pounds, compared with a loss of 3.1 billion pounds a year earlier.

Persons: Hannah McKay, Lloyd's, ”, John Neal, Carolyn Cohn, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Global, Thomson Locations: London, City, Britain, Ukraine

☆ Lessor AerCap agrees settlement over Aeroflot jets stranded in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Conor Humphries | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Before last year's invasion of Ukraine, Russia was a major market for aircraft lessors, which bought jets from Boeing (BA.N) and Airbus (AIR.PA) and leased them to Russian airlines. Aeroflot said in a statement that ownership of 18 aircraft and five engines had transferred to NSK following settlement with AerCap. AerCap filed a $3.5 billion London lawsuit last year against AIG and Lloyd's over 141 aircraft and 29 aircraft engines it owned that were on lease to Russian airlines. AerCap said settlement discussions were ongoing with respect to claims under the insurance policies of several other Russian airlines. AerCap in March said it had been approached by Russian airlines and their insurance companies about possible settlements for the stranded planes.

Persons: BOE, Denis Balibouse, AerCap, lessors, Conor Humphries, Gleb Stolyarov, Kirstin Ridley, Jason Neely, David Evans, Peter Graff Organizations: Airbus, Russian, Aeroflot, REUTERS, DUBLIN, NSK, Rossiya, Boeing, U.S . Treasury, Commerce, AIG, SMBC Aviation, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Geneva, Switzerland, Russia, Ukraine, Ireland, Moscow, NSK, AerCap, EU

☆ S&P Global raises reinsurance sector view to stable from negative on higher prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Carolyn Cohn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The S&P Global logo is displayed on its offices in the financial district in New York City, U.S., December 13, 2018. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 5 (Reuters) - S&P Global has raised its view of the global reinsurance sector to stable from negative, it said on Tuesday, due to higher reinsurance rates and increasing investment income, while rival Moody's kept its outlook for the sector stable. The COVID-19 pandemic, war, inflation and climate change-fuelled natural catastrophes have put upward pressure on reinsurance rates in recent years. S&P Global said this "resulted in the hardest market in decades" in some lines of business. "Challenges such as elevated natural disasters, increasing cost of capital, financial market volatility, and inflation risk persist," S&P Global added.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Moody's, Gallagher Re, reinsurers, Laline Carvalho, Neff, Re, Carolyn Cohn, Jason Neely, Alex Richardson, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Global, P Global, P, reinsurer, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, California, Florida, Monte Carlo

CEDAR KEY, Fla. — As cleanup begins in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia, the storm has served as a stark reminder that Florida's insurance industry remains in flux. But many of those homeowners face uncertainty amid the upheaval that has emerged in Florida's insurance industry in recent years. A thinning insurance market that is beset by more regular hurricanes has caused insurance policy costs to skyrocket. The state's insurance industry is preparing to lose four insurers since last year — Farmers Insurance, Bankers Insurance, Centauri Insurance and Lexington Insurance. Aggravating the problem, 82% of Floridians do not have flood insurance, which is typically operated by the National Flood Insurance Program, a federal program run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Persons: Idalia, Chris Draghi, That's, Gregory Buck, Buck, Aimee Firestine, Firestine, Amy Bach, United, Bach, Mark Friedlander, Friedlander, Gabe Gutierrez, Phil McCausland, Melissa Chan Organizations: Insurance Information Institute, U.S, — Farmers Insurance, Bankers Insurance, Centauri Insurance, Lexington Insurance . Farmers Insurance, National, Experts Insurance, Homeowners, Insurance, Property Insurance Corp, National Flood Insurance, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Congress, First Street Foundation, FEMA, Cedar Key Locations: Fla, Florida's Big Bend, Florida, Georgia, Florida , Georgia, South Carolina, Cedar, America, Taylor County, Bend, New York City

A view of a damaged house after the arrival of Hurricane Idalia, in Cedar Key, Florida, U.S., August 31, 2023. REUTERS/Marco Bello Acquire Licensing RightsAug 31 (Reuters) - Florida-only insurers such as Citizens Property Insurance anticipate fewer losses from Hurricane Idalia than from previous storms in the state, even as industry experts expect further insurer pullback from the market. "This certainly will not help with ongoing challenges to Florida's insurance market, but it could have been a lot worse," said Steve Bowen, chief science officer at reinsurer broker Gallagher Re. The top 10 U.S. homeowners insurers such as State Farm and Allstate Corp (ALL.N) average only about 4.1% of their premiums in Florida, Moody's said. Reuters GraphicsThe exit of insurers from Florida comes amid a broader pullback from the market, including from reinsurers, according to an Aug. 24 Fitch report.

Persons: Hurricane Idalia, Marco Bello, Ian, Idalia, Moody's, Steve Bowen, Gallagher, Fitch, Noor Zainab Hussain, Manya, Matt Tracy, Shinjini Ganguli, Megan Davies, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Property Insurance, Hurricane, Reuters, Citizens, UBS, Insurance Information Institute, Gallagher Re, Farmers Insurance, Bankers Insurance, Lexington Insurance, AIG, Farmers, Bankers, Farm, Allstate Corp, Insurance, Institute, Manya Saini, Thomson Locations: Cedar Key , Florida, U.S, Florida, Florida's, Coast, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, Idalia, USA, Lexington, reinsurers, South Carolina, Bengaluru, Washington

A vehicle drives on a flooded road after the arrival of Hurricane Idalia, in Cedar Key, Florida, U.S., August 30, 2023. Hurricane Idalia plowed into Florida's Gulf Coast with fierce winds, torrential rains and pounding surf before weakening but turning its fury on southeastern Georgia, where floodwaters trapped some residents in their homes. At about $10 billion, Idalia would cost insurers less than 10 of the costliest hurricanes to hit the United States. Higher reinsurance rates can affect the premiums that insurers charge their customers. FLORIDA PAINFlorida has a large number of very small, thinly capitalized insurers, insurance experts have said.

Persons: Hurricane Idalia, Julio Cesar Chavez, Thomas Hayes, Gallagher Re, Michael Peltier, Berkshire Hathaway, Ajit Jain, Noor Zainab Hussain, Manya, Chibuike Oguh, Jon Stempel, Devika Syamnath, Megan Davies, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, Hurricane, UBS, Global, Great, Great Hill Capital, Farmers Insurance, Bankers Insurance, Lexington Insurance, AIG, Farmers, Florida Office, Insurance, Bankers, Property Insurance Corp, Property Insurance, Berkshire, Manya Saini, Thomson Locations: Cedar Key , Florida, U.S, Florida, Coast, Georgia, United States, Ukraine, California, Great Hill, New York, FLORIDA, USA, Lexington, Berkshire, Bengaluru, Chibuike

Bigger insurers might not feel squeezed immediately in Hawaii, as the state has been historically lucrative for them. Insurers are primarily concerned with two factors when deciding how much coverage to offer and where: the frequency of claims and the severity of those claims. The Maui fires are another data point of losses for insurers. Since the start of the year, insurers have paid out more than $40 billion in damage claims, on a pace for a record in yearly losses. The insurers for insurance companies, also known as reinsurers, are an important part of the equation.

Persons: Ge, they’ve Organizations: New York University, underwriters, Farm, Allstate Locations: Hawaii

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