With the release of  MSH China's April 1st premium rate adjustments, Globalsurance is pleased to report a stable increase of 10.5% across the board of all plan options. While this increase is in line with the market average, coverage adjustments have been made to certain benefits. These adjustments should not have a large impact on plan renewability, but Gloabalsurance analysts expect that in many…

When Barack Obama was re-elected to the White House this November, America was reminded that not only is Obama the first African-American to preside in the Oval Office, he is the first president to make health care a primary component of his presidential legacy. Obama's re-election will certainly have important and lasting effects on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as…

When Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast late last month, it left stunning devastation in its wake: Fire, flooding and explosions, severe property damage, and all this on top of everyday hassles such cancelled flights and the nearly week-long shut-down of public transportation. During a natural disaster like Sandy, area residents of course face a number of risks not only to their property but…

While American farmers are struggling to deal with widespread losses due to the sustained period of drought this summer, a second menace is thriving in the unusually dry climate. The USA is now facing its worst year of the annual West Nile Virus outbreak since the virus was first identified in the USA in 1999. To date, there have been 26 deaths and 693 confirmed cases of the virus in…

There have been a number of notable changes in International Private Medical Health Insurance in the last few weeks, while not as earth shattering as the Libor scandal or the crop failures in the US, the progressive and continual changes reveal an industry that is currently very dynamic and competitive. While Bupa is launching products to fill gaps it sees in the IPMI market, US healthcare giant…

As the European debt crisis continues to take its toll on affected countries, numerous companies are revamping their businesses strategies to keep their heads above the waves. Britain's second-biggest insurer, Aviva, has increasingly felt the impact of Europe's unstable economy and recently came under fire when its large exposure to the eurozone crisis contributed to a drop of 38 percent in share…

Australian insurance giant QBE has reported a significant rise in half-year profits, but have, at the same time, also been quick to downplay their full-year margin expectations due to the unprecedented string of heavy catastrophe claims incurred in 2011. In a statement released to the Australian Stock Exchange, QBE posted a 53 percent rise in net profit for the six months of 2011 to June 30, up to…

In a move sure to reignite debate over upcoming US health system changes, The American Medical Association (AMA) on Monday publically reaffirmed its support for the individual mandate, the most contentious provision of the Obama Administration's Healthcare Reform Law. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) nearly…

The number of Australian citizens choosing to venture abroad for medical care is increasing steadily. Some health experts warn however that patients receiving more complex surgeries overseas are putting both themselves and the Australian health system at risk of spreading hazardous foreign viruses upon their return. The relatively high cost of healthcare and insurance…

More established players in the reinsurance market are set to release their quarterly accounts and reassess their capacity to now meet annual growth targets.