Swiss Re sounded an upbeat note for 2012 and said reinsurance prices could rise further after it posted a forecast-beating profit for the first quarter thanks in part to the absence of large natural catastrophes.

The firm, which competes with Germany's Munich Re, recorded a profit of $ 1.1 billion for the first three months of the year, beating an average forecast for a $633 million profit in a Reuters poll.

The volume of reinsurance policy renewals in April, chiefly focused on Asia, rose 14 percent, the Zurich-based firm said on Friday. Policy rates in Japan rose as a result of the earthquake and tsunami last year, while other markets such as Korea also saw increases.

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader

  • All PropertyCasualty360.com news coverage, best practices, and in-depth analysis.
  • Educational webcasts, resources from industry leaders, and informative newsletters.
  • Other award-winning websites including BenefitsPRO.com and ThinkAdvisor.com.
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.