Credit Insurance

Mitsui Marine, Sumitomo To Merge

Sumitomo Marine & Fire Insurance and Mitsui Marine & Fire Insurance have agreed to merge by April 1, 2002, in a move that would create Japan's largest non-life insurer. With combined assets of $51.7 billion, the merged company would outstrip current industry leader Tokio Marine & Fire Insurance, whose assets stand at $48.5 billion. Mitsui Marine is Japan's third largest non-life insurer, and Sumitomo Marine the fourth biggest. Analysts say the merger is set to accelerate consolidation in the sector, where competition is intensifying due mainly to the deregulation of insurance premiums in July 1998. Sumitomo Marine and Mitsui Marine said they will unveil a detailed merger plan in March. Both companies had said two weeks ago that they were in talks on forming an alliance. Mitsui Marine said then it had decided to pull out of a planned three-way merger, unveiled last October, with Koa Fire & Marine Insurance and Nippon Fire & Marine Insurance. Mitsui instead announced an agreement with Sumitomo Marine to seek an alliance. Analysts say attention is now focused on a possible reaction from the industry's top two players - Tokio Marine & Fire Insurance and Yasuda Fire & Marine Insurance. Koa Fire, ranked eighth in Japan, and Nippon Fire, ranked fifth, said they will continue merger talks and seek another partner

UK P&I’s Europe Club Receives Upgrade

The UK P&I Club (the UK Club), one of the oldest shipping protection and indemnity insurance mutuals, has announced that ratings agency Standard and Poor’s has extended its ‘A – ‘ rating to The United Kingdom Mutual Steamship Assurance Association (Europe) Ltd. (the Europe Club).   This news follows the November announcement that Standard and Poor’s upgraded the outlook for The United Kingdom Mutual Steamship Assurance Association (Bermuda) Ltd

Moore Stephens & Clyde & Co Set Up Insurance Intermediary Consultancy

Insurance accountant and consultant Moore Stephens has joined with international law firm Clyde & Co to provide specialist advice to intermediaries on all aspects of the authorization process and on continuing compliance with FSA requirements. The rigorous FSA regime comes into effect on January 15, 2005. Intermediaries have until July 14 this year to submit their completed registration packs to the FSA. The new rules are not voluntary

Maritime Character of Insurance is Determined by Examining Whole Policy

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that the maritime character of an insurance policy is determined by examining the entire policy, not just the portion involved in a dispute. In the instant case, a ship tank cleaning business (through its corporate parent) purchased insurance from defendant insurer’s predecessor in interest. The insurance contract contained a Shiprepairers Legal Liability (SLL) policy coupled with a modified Comprehensive General Liability (CGL) policy

Seaman’s Work Extends Beyond Insurance Coverage

The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that the marine coverage endorsement on the business insurance purchased by a ship operator did not provide coverage for the on-shore work being performed by a seaman when he was injured. Thus, while the ship operator was liable, under the Jones Act, to the seaman for his injuries, it was unable to recoup those monies from the business insurance company, since the policy only covered work performed on the ship.

Trico Announces Completion of New Senior Secured Credit Facility

Trico Marine Services, Inc. has closed its previously announced refinancing of its existing U.S. revolving credit facility ("U.S. Dollar Facility"). The Company refinanced the U.S. Dollar Facility to relieve the Company of the maintenance debt covenants under that existing facility and to add operating flexibility. The Company's new $55 million senior secured credit facility ("New Credit Facility") is secured by 43 supply vessels. The

BofA Extends Credit to Matson

Bank of America Corp. and five other lenders have approved a combined $325m credit line for Alexander & Baldwin Inc. and its subsidiary Matson Navigation. According to a Securities & Exchange Commission filing, Alexander & Baldwin's portion of the credit line is $225 million, and Matson's is $100 million. The credit lines replace a prior agreement that was due to expire in 2011. Source: Charlotte Journal of Business

DeSimone Named President XL Insurance

XL Insurance, the insurance underwriting operations of XL Group (NYSE: XL), appointed Richard DeSimone as President of its US Ocean and Inland Marine unit. DeSimone will be based in New York and reports to Neil Robertson, Chief Executive, Global Specialty in London. ”This is a clear statement of our intent to become a more significant market for both Inland and Ocean Marine business in the United States” said Mr. Robertson

Moore Stephens Says Insurers Must Make Greater Use of Risk Analysis

Leading accountant and consultant Moore Stephens has urged insurance underwriters and brokers to make greater use of financial and actuarial consultancy to assess risk. John Harbor, head of the Moore Stephens Insurance Industry Group, writing in the Group's newsletter, insured interest, says, "The events of September 11 in the United States have shaken the international insurance industry to its foundations. Now is not a time for being wise after the event

Key Elements of Yacht Insurance, Q&A

Accidents happen. That comes as no surprise to those in the insurance industry, but what may be a surprise is the fact that the majority of maritime accidents occur in good weather with perfect visibility. In the following Q&A, Joseph McNulty, founding member of Carroll McNulty & Kull, joins Richard Furman and John Orzel, members of the same law firm, in a discussion on the key elements of marine insurance and what underwriters and claims professionals need to know about federal laws