The new website in Spanish at www.regence.com/espanol has been launched by Regence BlueCross BlueShield as part of their Latino outreach initiative. The contents of the website has been fully customised with features appealing to the Latino community such as articles about health and wellness, Regence programmes and resources, information about the benefits of the insurance on offer, contact information for Consejeros (Spanish for Concierges) and details on the Latino Hero Award Programme.

Zurich Financial Services Group subsidiary, Zurich Insurance Co., has bought a majority stake in Indonesian life insurance company, PT Mayapada Life. Zurich Insurance has agreed to buy an 80% stake in Mayapada Life from its parent company, Mayapada Group, for an undisclosed amount. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2010, subject to regulatory approval. Mayapada Life had gross…

The China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) appears to be on the latest stages of discussions to ease the restrictions on some types of investments made by insurance companies in China. The proportion of the capital from insurance companies invested in the stock market will be increased to a 25 percent from the current 20 percent limit.

The buyers of Nan Shan Life Insurance, the Taiwanese life insurance unit of AIG, have agreed to amend their purchase agreement to include a escrow funds clause, in order to strengthen the bid for regulatory approval of the transaction.

Resolution Plc, the company headed by insurance tycoon Clive Cowdery, has been in talks with the French group AXA for over one month, to buy most of their AXA UK business for GBP 2.8 billion (EUR 3.36 billion; USD 4.1 billion). This deal would create one of the biggest life groups in Britain.

Part of the problem with helping to insure the World Cup for GBP 6.2 billion (USD 9 billion) is the fact that you might have to pay out, as Lloyd's of London may find out. Among the many…

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.

Barclays plc has reportedly initiated round table talks over selling half of its French life insurance business, Barclays Vie, according to French Daily La Tribune. The sale price of the 50% stake in Barclays French life insurance division is currently being valued at around EUR 65 million (USD 78 million). A number of European insurers are said to have expressed interest in buying the stake, including:…

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.

The departure of Nick Groom as the Distribution Director for AXA PPP healthcare after just over one year in the position, has been swiftly followed by the naming of James Freeston as his interim successor. Mr. Freeston will be reporting directly to AXA PPP CEO Keith Gibbs, and will oversee the sales and marketing activities of the company for large and small corporate customers, including the intermediary relationships that cover medical insurance, occupational health, employee assistance programmes and other support services for employee well-being provided by AXA IACS.