From Catlin to Mitsui, the final 15 of our Top 50 have had a mixed year
36. Catlin
First-half pre-tax profit was down from £240m to £86m because of catastrophes including the Chile earthquake. Combined ratio worsened nine points to 97%.
37. Arch Capital Group
Arch is likely to take part in the forecast acquisition frenzy in Bermuda. Gross written premium for 2009 was £284.6m.
38. Legal & General
First-half general insurance business operating profit more than doubled to £14m from £6m last year, thanks to improved underwriting and claims management.
39. Onex Corp
Down from 25 last year, the owner of London General Insurance reported gross written premium of £273.8 in 2009.
40. Standard Life
Standard Life sold its personal medical insurance arm in May for £138m to a subsidiary of South African Discovery Holdings that runs PruHealth.
41. Lancashire Holdings
Gross written premium at the aviation, energy, marine and property insurer increased by 19.6% year-on-year in the first half of 2010. The combined ratio was 77.4%.
42. GMAC
MMA is in talks to buy GMAC’s loss-making UK motor business Provident Insurance for £70m. GMAC must repay the US government for a $17.2bn (£11.5bn) bailout.
43. MMA
The French insurer posted an operating loss of £24.2m last year, partly because of private motor market issues. Gross written premium fell 9% to £227.1m.
44. HCC International
US-owned HCC more than doubled its 2009 profit after tax to £18.8m, thanks to rate increases in credit and political risk.
45. Berkshire Hathaway
First-half earnings rose from $268m (£168.9m) last year to $688m, with all four insurance businesses making profit after Berkshire Hathaway Re made a loss in 2009. It could buy RBSI.
46. Loews Corp
Berkshire Hathaway bought Loews subsidiary CNA Financial’s asbestos and environmental pollution risks for a $2bn (£1.3bn) fee in July. In October Loews announced positive earnings for H1 2010.
47. Domestic & General
Domestic & General is the largest breakdown cover provider for household electrical and gas equipment, according to Datamonitor. Gross written premium in 2009 was £177.3m.
48. SCOR
The French reinsurer had a net combined ratio of 102.8% for H1 2010, up from 96.8% the year before. Gross written premium for the UK business in 2009 was £161.2m.
49. Aioi Insurance
The motor and general insurance company had a £153m gross written premium in the UK in 2009. It was in a merger at the end of 2009 (see below).
50. Mitsui Sumitomo
Mitsui merged with fellow Japanese insurers Aioi and Nissay Dowa to form MS&AD Insurance Group. Profit was up 2.3% in Q2 2010 compared with the previous year.
