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Global life reinsurers poised for growth, but mature U.S. market still key:AM Best 

The Asia-Pacific direct life insurance market continues to grow faster than in developed countries, providing opportunities for life reinsurers to assume more business. China’s life insurance market is now the world’s second largest life insurance market. Additionally, legacy life/annuity blocks of business also have become meaningful acquisition opportunities for global life reinsurers, and recent acquisitions involving second- and third-tier reinsurers highlight growing market competition.

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UAE Takaful companies catching up with conventional peers

Emily Thompson, financial analyst, said: “Despite the growth in GWC, Takaful operators still account for a modest part of the UAE’s overall insurance market, commanding a stable 17% market share in 2018. Penetration has been consistent in recent years, but whether Takaful insurers can gain a sufficient foothold in the market to challenge the conventional players remains to be seen.”

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US jury sides with J&J in latest Talcum-Cancer claim

Plaintiff Robert Blinkinsop was diagnosed in July 2017 with mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the lining of the lung generally caused by asbestos exposure. Blinkinsop used Johnson’s baby powder daily for personal hygiene from 1977 to 1994 and on his children from 1992 to 1996, his attorney, Mark Bratt, said at trial. He also used the company’s Shower to Shower talc product.

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U.S. State department adds Kidnapping Risk to travel advisories

The 35 countries making the initial list for the risk of kidnapping and/or hostage taking are: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russian Federation, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine (in Russian-controlled eastern Ukraine), Venezuela, and Yemen

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Foreign insurers eye China’s $1.6 trillion private pension business

China’s pensions assets, including those managed by the state, grew by 20 percent in 2017 to 11 trillion yuan ($1.64 trillion) and are expected to more than quadruple by 2025, consultancy KPMG said in a report this year.Underlining the potential, consultant Willis Towers Watson said China has one of the lowest ratios of private-employee annuity pension assets to GDP among major economies at 1.5 percent. That compares with 120.5 percent of GDP in the United States and more than 130 percent in Australia.

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