Latest Asia Headlines

All the headlines from our Asia Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Singapore Looks to Create Thousands of Finance, Insurance Jobs

Oct 31 2017 // Singapore wants to bolster its status as a wealth management and foreign-exchange center as part of plans to create more financial-sector jobs and mitigate the effect of rapid changes in technology.In a plan unveiled...

Lloyd’s Re/Insurance Broker RFIB Launches Singapore Operation

Oct 30 2017 // RFIB Group Ltd., the Lloyd’s insurance and reinsurance broker, announced the launch of RFIB (Singapore) Pte Ltd.The new operation will serve as a hub for the continued development of RFIB’s presence across...

XL Catlin Taps Allianz’ Broodryk as Cyber Product Leader, APAC Financial Lines

Oct 27 2017 // XL Catlin’s insurance operations announced the appointment of Max Broodryk as product leader of Cyber Risk, International Financial Lines for Asia Pacific, based in Sydney. In this role, Broodryk will be responsible...

RMS Opens Office in Sydney to Support Client Growth in Australia, New Zealand

Oct 25 2017 // RMS, the Newark, Calif.-based global risk modeling and analytics firm, has opened a new office in Sydney, Australia, as part of its drive to support clients’ expansion in the Australian and New Zealand markets.The...

Extreme Rainfall Could Cost South Asian Cities Up to $215B Annually by 2030

Oct 20 2017 // As global attention focused on hurricanes Harvey and Irma, more than 41 million people across South Asia battled floods and displacement.From Afghanistan in the west to Bangladesh in the east, floods could cost South Asia...

Ironshore’s Singapore Branch Hikes Capacity to $50M for Political Risk Lines

Oct 19 2017 // Ironshore Insurance Ltd., Singapore Branch, announced an increase in capacity for political risk business lines within its Political Risk & Trade Credit unit.Available capacity now stands at US$50 million, an increase...

Markel International Launches Fintech Insurance for Asian Market

Oct 17 2017 // Markel International, the specialist insurer, has unveiled a fintech policy offering comprehensive protection for businesses in the financial technology sector in Asia, having successfully launched it in the UK early last...

Terrorism Risks Have Made Tight Security Routine at Many Global Hotels, Resorts

Oct 4 2017 // Across the globe, risks of terrorism and other violence have made tight security at hotels and resorts routine, even in countries where strict gun control laws may help prevent the kind of shooting attack that occurred...

Chubb Enters Bancassurance Distribution Agreement with Singapore’s DBS Bank

Sep 29 2017 // Chubb Ltd. announced it has entered into a 15-year distribution agreement with DBS Bank, the largest banking group in Southeast Asia.Under the terms of the agreement, Chubb will distribute general insurance products on an...

AIA Buys Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s Life Insurance Business for A$3.8B

Sep 21 2017 // AIA Group Ltd. agreed to buy Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s life insurance business for A$3.8 billion (more than $3 billion), in its most ambitious foray beyond the Hong Kong-based company’s core markets in...

Asia’s Ride-Hailing Firms Compete with Banks – and Ultimately Insurers: Opinion

Sep 5 2017 // In Southeast Asia, mobile banking is taking on a whole new meaning. Last week, Grab, one of the region’s top ride-hailing companies, announced that users of its app can start sending credits — used to pay for...

Devastating S. Asia Floods Kill 1,400, Expose Lack of State Planning for Monsoons

Sep 1 2017 // The most devastating floods to hit South Asia in a decade have killed more than 1,400 people and focused attention on the poor planning and lack of preparedness for annual monsoon rains, as authorities struggle to get aid...

Toyota Makes Strategic Investment in Grab, SE Asia’s Leading Ride-Sharing Firm

Aug 30 2017 // Toyota Motor Corp. is pushing deeper into the ride-sharing business.The Japanese carmaker is making a strategic investment in Grab, Southeast Asia’s leading ride-hailing operator, and said it will work with the...

Mitsui Sumitomo Buys Singapore’s First Capital Insurance from Fairfax for $1.6B

Aug 24 2017 // Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company (MSI) is acquiring Singapore’s First Capital Insurance for $1.6 billion from Canada’s Fairfax Financial Holdings, in the biggest takeover by a Japanese insurer in populous...

QBE H1 Profits Rise 73% on Australia/N. Zealand Rate Hikes, N. America Growth

Aug 21 2017 // QBE reported a healthy profit hike during first half of 2017, despite heightened claims activity in its Emerging Markets’ division, which reported a combined ratio of 110.8 percent. This poor performance has led to...

Group Led by Yunfeng Financial to Buy MassMutual’s Asia Unit for $1.7B

Aug 18 2017 // A group led by Yunfeng Financial Group Ltd., the company backed by billionaire Jack Ma, agreed to buy an Asian unit from Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. to add insurance products to the array of financial services...

Arctic Thaw to Help Russian Ships Navigate New Route to Asia

Aug 11 2017 // Russian shipping in the Arctic is benefiting from winds that are driving the oldest and thickest sea ice towards North America, further opening a remote region that is thawing amid global warming, scientists say.The...

Asia Floods Bring Economic Damages of More Than $10B in July: Aon Report

Aug 9 2017 // The vast majority of global natural disasters during July were the result of severe flooding across the Asian region, bringing more than $10 billion in economic damages, according to a report published by Impact...

Markel Taps Sompo Canopius’ Holcroft as Contract Frustration & Political Risk U/W

Aug 8 2017 // Markel International, the the London-based specialist insurer and Markel Corp. subsidiary, has appointed Alex Holcroft as political risk underwriter in Singapore. He joins the existing trade credit and political risk team...

XL Catlin Offers Cyber & Data Protection Policy in Asia Pacific

Aug 2 2017 // XL Catlin announced it has launched its Cyber and Data Protection insurance policy in Asia Pacific.With cyber risk ranking in the top 10 in today’s emerging risks, the new policy is designed to protect businesses...