Less than a month after Max Capital and IPC Re announced their boards approved a merger deal valued at roughly $900 million, Validus Holdings has presented the IPC board with a rival bid valued at $1.68 billion.

A reinsurance brokerage said net income for the European reinsurers it follows dropped $22.4 billion year-over-year to a loss of $7.5 billion for full-year 2008.

Moody's Investors Service lowered the financial strength rating and credit ratings of The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. citing continued weakness in earnings and investment losses.

In case you havent heard, weve relaunched the National Underwriter Web site under a new URL--www.Property-Casualty.com--complete with enhanced, multimedia options designed to give readers more ...