Economic policy risks eclipse conflict concerns in WTW’s latest survey
Willis, a subsidiary of WTW, has released its 2026 Political Risk Survey, emphasizing that although the survey is released as conflicts in the Middle East escalate, risks driven by economic policies continue to outweigh risks arising from international conflicts. Willis said that respondents regard tariffs caused by international violent conflicts as the primary political risk,…
Gallagher Re appoints Russell Hails as Executive Director, Head of MGA Solutions, APAC
Global reinsurance brokerage and risk advisory firm Gallagher Re has announced the appointment of Russell Hails as executive director and head of MGA Solutions Asia Pacific. Hails joined Gallagher Re last year with the task of rebuilding its MGA business in the Pacific. In his expanded role, he will work closely with APAC colleagues and…
K2 Insurance Services completes acquisition of Oculus Underwriters
K2 Insurance Services, a specialty insurance company focused on building and supporting niche insurance programs, has confirmed its acquisition of Oculus Underwriters. As part of the transaction, Oculus Underwriters will become part of Vikco Insurance Services, operating under the established brand within the K2 Insurance Services group. Oculus Underwriters specializes in providing customized property insurance…
Swiss Re appoints Trent Thomson as Head of Global Specialty
Global reinsurer Swiss Re has announced the appointment of Trent Thomson as Global Head of Specialty Business, effective July 1, 2026. Thomson will succeed Anne Lohbeck and will be based in London. He currently serves as CEO of Swiss Re Australia and New Zealand and has nearly three decades of industry experience. Thomson joined Swiss…
Swiss Re appoints Trent Thomson as Head Global Specialty
Global reinsurer Swiss Re has announced the appointment of Trent Thomson as Global Head of Specialty Business, effective July 1, 2026. Thomson will succeed Anne Lohbeck and will be based in London. He currently serves as CEO of Swiss Re Australia and New Zealand and has nearly three decades of industry experience. Thomson joined Swiss…
AM Best survey finds rapid AI uptake in insurance sector despite structural barriers
AM Best, a global credit rating agency focused on the insurance industry, surveyed carriers and managing general agents (MGAs) to assess the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) across the industry. The results show that nearly 60% of respondents expect AI to materially reshape their business models within the next one to three years. However,…
Talanx expands Mexican operations through 20-year agreement with Afirme Grupo Financiero
Talanx Group, the parent company and majority shareholder of Hannover Re, has signed a 20-year strategic bancassurance agreement with Mexico’s Afirme Grupo Financiero to sell non-life and life insurance products. The partnership with Afirme Grupo Financiero aims to enable Talanx to achieve its strategic objectives through the development of its automotive, non-automotive and life protection…
Munich Re generates Q1’26 net result of €1.7bn as P&C combined ratio improves to 66.8%
Global reinsurer Munich Re achieved a strong net profit of €1.7 billion in the first quarter of 2026, compared with €1.1 billion a year earlier. Net profit for the quarter improved significantly to €1.5 billion, with technical results increasing by approximately €600 million to €2.7 billion due to lower major loss costs in its reinsurance…
Aon updates Climate Risk Monitor 3.0 to assess heat stress and rising cooling demand
Aon, a global professional services firm focused on risk and insurance-related consulting, has released an updated version of its climate risk monitoring platform, enhancing its ability to quantify physical climate risks and support decision-making across industries. The latest version, CRM 3.0, introduces heat stress analysis to assess how combinations of temperature, humidity and exposure affect…
UK business leaders rank cyber risk as top concern for first time: Marsh Risk
According to a recent report released by Marsh Risk, a business of Marsh, UK business leaders ranked cyber risk as their top concern for the first time, with 46% of business leaders citing it as a top priority, up 3 percentage points from 2024 and 20% from 2023. Marsh Risk’s UK Business Risk Report surveyed…
