You could have heard a pin drop in the Willis Towers Watson auditorium yesterday. The great and the good of the London Market had turned up to the Insurance Insider Pre-Monte Carlo briefing, and what they got was one of the most interesting selection of speakers I’ve seen in a long time.
No headline speaker – but no shortage of headlines
While there was no “headline” speaker – they’ve had every insurance and reinsurance A-lister from Maurice “Hank” Greenberg to John Charman post-AXIS exit on their bill in the past – the content was gripping.
The talk ranged from M&A “cost cutting disappears into the ether…” (Eamonn Flanagan, Director, investment group Shore Capital) to the possibility of Hurricane Irma making landfall in Florida possibly being a market-changing event.
Here a snapshot of what some of speakers said…
“Life insurance is a bit like religion…” Mike Sapnar, CEO Transatlantic Holdings
“Ogden… it is just a disgrace…” Eamonn Flanagan, Director, Shore Capital
“If Irma gets to Florida, the collateralized market will get it…” James Kent, Deputy CEO of Willis Re
“I (and reinsurance buyers) want to make sure that I’m not treated any worse than my peers, and expect to be rewarded if I’m good,” Scott McIntosh, Group Reinsurance and Credit Director, Aviva
Let’s hope the chat in Monte Carlo next week is as lively.
