According to recent reports citing an unidentified source, American International Group Inc. (AIG) plans to go ahead with an Initial Public Offering (IPO) of its AIA Group life-insurance unit, later on this year.

According to a recent statement by CEO Richard Ward, Lloyd's anticipates that the premiums for insuring offshore drilling will go up "quite significantly" as a direct result of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Mr Ward acknowledged that in the past rates for this type of operation in that area had fallen to a very low level and fellow players in the industry had been questioning for quite some time the profitability of insurance in that particular region.

The Russian state authority for insurance (FSSN) has issued the first international credit insurer licence to ZAO Coface Rus Insurance, a subsidiary of the Paris-based Credit Insurer Coface SA.

Altegrity Inc. will acquire Kroll Inc. from Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC) in an all-cash transaction valued at US$1.13 billion (EUR 942 million), according to a joint announcement recently released. The deal is expected to be finalised by late September and it is still subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

With stories of workplace suicide regularly gaining attention in the media in the last few years, such as Orange owner, France Telecom in 2008-9, and Apple iPhone manufacturer Foxconn in China, does insurance offer compensation to surviving families and beneficiaries of suicides? Foxconn, which manufactures electronic and computer parts, has seen a rash of suicides in 2010, with 10 suicides between…

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJGC), an international insurance brokerage and risk management services firm with headquarters in the city of Itasca, Illinois in the US, has recently reported their acquisition of Risk & Reward Group (R&RG), an employee benefits consultant and insurance broker, based in the UK.

In a recent announcement, the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance of Hong Kong reported that the total Q1 gross premiums of the insurance industry in Hong Kong grew 16.2 percent to US$1.18 billion (EUR 959 million), compared to the same period last year.

Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services (IAG), a Quebec-based insurance and financial services company has reached an agreement on purchasing all outstanding shares in American-Amicable Holding Inc., owner of U.S. life insurer American-Amicable Life Insurance Company of Texas for C$ 145 million (US$ 144 million). Industrial Alliance is carrying out the acquisition through their…

William Russell's distribution deal with the Dubai Insurance Company is paying off, with large demand for William Russell's Global Plans spurring the company to add additional staff to the Dubai-based team. The partnership sells William Russell's Global Health, Global Life and Global Income Protection products, underwritten by Dubai Insurance Company, which are targeted at small and medium sized…

The takeover bid for AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd. (AAP) by the National Australia Bank (NAB) and the French insurance company AXA SA (AXA) has been blocked by the competition watchdog of Australia, citing the lessening of competition effect it would have on the domestic retail investment arena.