Berkshire insurance exec could one day replace Warren Buffett

The billionaire CEO and chairman of the company said that he would support Ajit Jain if he should ever want the top spot. Back in 2011, at a Bengaluru news conference, Warren Buffet had said that he would be willing to support Berkshire insurance exec Ajit Jain, if he should ever wish to step up into the position of CEO and chairman. Speculation has recently been rising among the company’s investors, with regards to who will succeed Buffett. Warren Buffett, who is currently 84 years old, has yet to give…

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The role of insurance in the economy

Insurance Industry Economy

Insurance and economy go hand-in-hand Insurance has managed to attract a lot more attention from consumers in recent years than it had in the past. Many people are now conscious of how insurance affects their lives, but few people are aware of the connection that insurance has with the economy. Indeed, it is more common for people to be aware of how the economy affects the insurance businesses than vice versa. To say that insurance is the underpinning of the modern economy may seem like hyperbole. When put into perspective,…

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Hurricane insurance losses from mammoth storm reaches billions

Hurricane Sandy flood insurance

Sandy left a wide path of destruction in her wake when it slammed the U.S. North East. Although residents of the North Eastern United States had been hoping for the best, the hurricane insurance losses resulting from Sandy will likely hit the $5 billion mark and above. Insurers and others in the industry are already crunching the numbers from the “frankenstorm”. Even before beginning to perform these calculations, it was clear to the hurricane insurance industry that the numbers would run well into the billions. Fitch Rating, for example, said…

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Insurance news after Sandy has stocks tripping and falling

Financial Insurance News

Despite the solid report in October, the insurers dropped sharply in the markets. Whether you call it the Superstorm or the Frankenstorm, the impact of Sandy on insurance news has been a significant one, particularly considering the damage it had on the stocks of insurers at the start of November. The Dow Jones industrial average fell by 139 points as more information about Sandy’s costs was revealed. Of course, the falling stocks were not limited exclusively to insurance news, as many large companies – such as Verizon Communications – that…

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Catastrophe bonds remain unaffected by Hurricane Sandy

Catastrophe Bonds Insurance News

Catastrophe bonds investors shrug off impact of natural disaster Catastrophe bonds are unlikely to be swayed by the impact of Hurricane Sandy, as investors show little concern for the storm’s impact on the U.S. and the global insurance industry. Though Hurricane Sandy is being considered one of the largest storms to ever impact the U.S., causing approximately $20 billion in damage according to early estimates, it may not be able to cause a panic amongst investors. Catastrophe bonds have yet to show any indication of negative impact from the storm,…

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