Architects cast an expert interior eye June 9, 2011 FREELANCE writer Elisa Wickham and her partner were faced with a debate two years ago when they began renovating the interior of their promising, but outdated shabby three-bed property in N7: Pay an architect to advise or go direct to a builder? “Neither us have any building abilities and we don’t have massive incomes so [...]
Zurich expects $500m in 2011 disaster claims March 31, 2011 Swiss insurer Zurich Financial Services has said the five natural catastrophes to hit the Asia-Pacific region so far this year could cause claims of $500m (£310m). The losses are net of its reinsurance cover, where other companies insure the cover it provides to companies, and before tax. It follows three months of heavy claims losses [...]
Munich Re in warning over disaster costs March 10, 2011 HEAVY damage claims from an earthquake, floods and a storm this year will put Munich Re’s full-year profit goal at risk if claims do not subside in coming quarters. The world’s biggest reinsurer said yesterday it hoped to keep net profits steady at around €2.4bn (£2.05bn) in 2011, but floods and a storm in Australia, [...]
NATURAL DISASTERS COST SWISS RE $1BN March 2, 2011 REINSURANCE giant Swiss Re faces an estimated $800m (£491m) in claims from the earthquake that devastated Christchurch, New Zealand, last week, it said yesterday. When combined with the floods that hit Australia in January the loss is expected to reach $1.025bn – greater than its allocated budget for catastrophes in 2011. Swiss Re is likely [...]
THREE KEY CLASHES | WITH KYRAN BRACKEN March 10, 2011 TOBY FLOOD vs TOBY FLOOD The most crucial battle of the match and Scotland are making a big mistake by picking Jackson at fly-half ahead of the more experienced Dan Parks. Jackson is talented and I’m sure he’ll go on to play many times but Scotland looked dangerous when Parks came on against Ireland. The [...]
Munich Re faces £1.3bn Japan losses March 22, 2011 CLAIMS payments from the twin catastrophes in Japan are likely to cost global reinsurer Munich Re €1.5bn (£1.3bn), it said yesterday. The huge loss has ripped through Munich Re’s 2011 catastrophe budget and caused it to abandon its full-year profit target of €2.4bn. The estimated loss beat analysts’ forecasts for €1bn in claims from insuring [...]
Munich Re ups dividend despite rise in claims as natural disasters take a toll February 3, 2011 EARTHQUAKES, storms and floods sent claims soaring and dented profits at Munich Re last year but the world’s biggest reinsurer said it could manage to maintain earnings at a high level, boosting its share price. In a sign it was expecting less earnings volatility ahead, Munich Re said yesterday it would bump up its dividend [...]
Australia flood costs to soar January 27, 2011 LOSSES from the floods devastating Australia to the Lloyd’s of London market may run to hundreds of millions of Australian dollars, its chairman Lord Levene said yesterday. Asked alongside Davos meetings to estimate the cost of the disaster, Levene said it could leave Lloyd’s underwriters with net losses, but said Lloyd’s’ total bill would not [...]
Australia flood costs to soar January 27, 2011 LOSSES from the floods devastating Australia to the Lloyd’s of London market may run to hundreds of millions of Australian dollars, its chairman Lord Levene said yesterday. Asked alongside Davos meetings to estimate the cost of the disaster, Levene said it could leave Lloyd’s underwriters with net losses, but said Lloyd’s’ total bill would not [...]
Technology can help you manage your time better April 13, 2011 BEING a slave to technology,” is one of our generation’s favourite cliches. The flood of information from email and smartphones distracts and overwhelms us when we are trying to focus on something else. Making us less rather than more efficient. But can you actually imagine functioning in your job without this technology? Many can’t. Technology [...]