Reinsurance

Swiss Re sold its U.S. Admin Re holding company, Reassure America Life Insurance Company, to Jackson National Life Insurance for a cash payment of $600 million.

While reserve releases are expected to continue through 2012, the industry has likely exhausted most of its reserve cushion, and rate actions that companies have taken in recent months may not be sufficient to prevent continued deterioration, A.M. Best says.

Two prognosticators of the 2012 Atlantic-hurricane season are standing pat on their previously-released outlooks but the U.S. is overdue for a landfall.

With 2012s first quarter in the books, executives and industry observers have noted that property and casualty pricing remains on the upswing. Following are observations from industry leaders made during conference calls and in recent analyses in response to 2012 first-quarter results.

The sun shone on Bermudas reinsurers during the first quarter of 2012, but regulatory changes and cat losses still lurk in the water.

Swiss Re is joining a $3 billion commitment between government and the private sector to increase investment in Africa with the aim of creating new business opportunities in agriculture.