Reinsurance

Shareholder plaintiffs bringing derivative actions typically sue the directors and officers “in the name and for the benefit of” the company in which they hold shares, alleging harm done to the company through breaches of various duties.

The combination of corporate bankruptcies, high-dollar shareholder derivative lawsuit settlements and declines in Side-A pricing may soon turn a profitable niche of the directors and officers liability insurance market into a money loser, carrier executives say.

Hosni Mubarak’s resignation as president of Egypt and the subsequent military takeover have brought a measure of stability to the nation, but uncertainty about the future and potential flashpoints throughout the region have insurers casting a wary eye on political risk coverage.

The Obama administration’s 2012 budget proposal has reopened the debate over taxing certain reinsurance premiums ceded to foreign insurers by their U.S. affiliates.

A review of enforcement actions taken by the U.S. Treasury Department reveals that bankers are the primary violators of sanctions imposed against foreign governments, but a few property and casualty insurers and one broker have also received fines.

Two years after reporting a dismal $663 million net loss, Swiss Re appears to have rebounded, paying off a $2.6 billion loan instrument and still recording a 74 percent increase in net income for 2010.