The Arizona Captive Quarterly

The Spring 2011 edition of The Arizona Captive Quarterly newsletter is ready and waiting for you! Follow this link for the latest news from Arizona (a new window will open).

Artex Extra -- The Quarterly Newsletter of Artex Risk Solutions

• Vol 5, August 2011. This issue's lead article is captioned, Artex Introduces New Branding Structure. You'll also find these articles: New Program for Cold Storage Warehouse Risks; Overview, Products Recall Coverage; Artex Risk Exchange; Artex Analytics and Advocacy; and The Sixty Second Seminar: Market Perspective and the Rumsfeld Doctrine.

• Vol. 4, February 2010: The lead article in this issue is entitled, "Twenty Ten: Between a Rock and a Soft Place." Also covered in this issue are the following articles: Artex Acquires Champlain Captive Management; 831(b) Micro Captives, including a welcome to Brian Flinchum who will be the Artex 831(b) Micro-Captives expert; Staff Guard: New Guaranteed Cost Program for Temp Staffing; Expanded Expertise for Warehousing Risks; and a 60-second seminar on the captive feasibility study.

Bermuda Insurance Update

• Volume 4, 2011. The lead story for this issue is entitled, "CEO says demand for Bermuda products will grow."Bermuda has been a key jurisdiction in the evolution of insurance and reinsurance markets, and the Island will figure substantially in the next market development. This view was expressed in a wide-ranging interview with the Bermuda Insurance Update by David Cash, CEO of Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd., a global specialty provider of insurance and reinsurance..." [Download full newsletter for this full story and more]
  
  
• Volume 3, 2011. Lead story is entitled, "$100B in losses drive new sidecars."

The Navigator, published by Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA)

• October 2010 edition. In this issue:
  • AIFM Directive Update: Revised Proposal for European Fund Directive Puts Cayman in Better Position to Keep EU Access
  • Funds Regaining Ground
  • CIMA Licence/Registration Numbers and Currency in Circulation
  • The Insurance Law, Explained
  • Basel II Parallel Run Period Progressing Well
  • Multiple Strategies Streamline On-site Examinations
  • Considering AML/CFT Effectiveness in the Trusts and Corporate Services Sector
  • CIMA List Exposes Fraudulent Websites
  • Numismatic Programme Highlights Caymanian & World Heritage
  • CIMAConnect for Financial E-Business
  • Meet CIMA’s Board
  • HR Developments

Central Bank of Bahrain newsletter, The Review, a newsletter published by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB).:

• December 2011 - In addition to a number of interesting articles, this edition contains a statistical update for the banking and insurance sectors. We would point out that two captives were licensed in this young jurisdiction during 2011.
  
  
• September 2011 -- The September 2011 issue contains a wide variety of articles, including a fact sheet that tells us the insurance sector has licensed 38 companies, including 2 captives. The lead article is entitled, "Bahrain financial policies a regional trailblazer."

FERMA Newsletter n°40  (Federation of European Risk Management Associations)

December 2011 issue: This issue's lead article is entitled, "New FERMA-ECIIA collaboration offers senior executives crucial support on risk management responsibilities."

July 2011 issue. This issue's feature article is a timely one, entitled, "Don’t rush to make more rules, FERMA to tell Commission." [Download now]

May 2011 issue, containing these articles: FERMA to respond to European proposals on corporate governance and risk management; Supporting risk managers' interests in Brazil; No need for European consumer collective redress; To infinity...and perhaps beyond; Europe's got (female) talent; Marketplace; and Roundtable on European corporate governance and risk management. [Download this issue now!]

Complying with Solvency II will be a challenge for many captives. FERMA has, therefore, collaborated with the European Captive Insurance and Reinsurance Owners' Association (ECIROA) and its partners Aon, Marsh, Deloitte and Willis, to prepare a best practice guide on the governance and risk management systems for EU domiciled captives. You'll find this article -- Guidelines for Captives -- and more in the March 2011 issue of the FERMA Newsletter n°40                            

Follow this link to download this issue now!

IMAC Quarterly Newsletter: The information-packed quarterly newsletter from the Insurance Managers Association of Cayman. To access back issues, visit the IMAC Press Room.

• The Q4 2011 IMAC Quarterly newsletter contains reports from:
  • the September 2011 AGM including, the Executive Committee members for 2011/2012 and Gordon Rowell's CIMA update reporting excellent growth in captive licences,
  • various committee reports including the 2011 Captive Forum, and industry and scholarship news.
• October 2011: ASHRM Special Edition of the IMAC Quarterly Newsletter featuring statistical data and lots of healthcare-related information.
• The July 2011 edition of the IMAC Quarterly Newsletter Q3, 2011 includes The Chairpersons Report with RIMS update, committee updates, industry news, regulatory developments and an article entitled US Taxation of Captives: Part 2 – Tax Exempt Owners by Tom Jones of McDermott Will & Emory with co-authors Kristin Hazel and Michael Fine.
• April 2011: This issue includes The Chairpersons Report with RIMS update, committee updates, industry news, regulatory developments including the recent Companies Law (Amendment) Bill, 2011 (click here for a news update from Solomon Harris) and an article by Julie Robertson of Honigman Miller & Schwartz LLP on US Medicare elimination of investment restrictions that had applied to Cayman and other offshore captives, and a special supplement US Taxation of Captives: Part 1 - Taxable Owners by Tom Jones of McDermott Will & Emory LLP.
• January 2011: All the latest news from Cayman that you need to know!

Insurance & Private Pension Law Update, published by Ganado & Associates. This fine newsletter will keep you up to date on news from Malta.

• November 2011: Solvency II Newsletter. The Newsletter provides a brief update on important developments related to the ORSA as well as more general information on upcoming conferences. Links to important information are also provided. [Download now]
  
  
• July 2011 update #23. Of particular interest to the captive insurance industry are the Solvency II updates, and the MIMA 2011 Survey Results:

  "...As at the end of last year, the insurance management industry was responsible for overseeing the operations of 11 pure affiliated or captive insurance companies, 30 third party writers for international groups, and 12 cells..." [Download now]

• April 2011: Insurance & Private Pension Law Update, Issue 22.
  
  
• February 4, 2011: Insurance Law Update -- Incorporated Cell Companies Legislation Now in Force. "Regulations on Incorporated Cell Companies (‘ICC’) carrying on business of insurance are now in force and may be applied. The Companies Act (Incorporated Cell Companies Carrying on Business of Insurance) Regulations, 2010 (‘ICC Regulations’) , originally published during 2010, have now come into force as from the 1st of February 2011 by means of a notice published in the Malta Government Gazette..."
• January 18, 2011: New draft pensions legislation. "On the of 14th of January 2011, the the Minister of Finance, the Economy and Investment presented before Parliament Bill Number 72, entitled the Retirement Pensions Act, 2010..." [Download bulletin]

• January 7, 2011 Compliance Bulletin: New Legislation Dealing with Incorporated Cell Companies in Malta

  "On the 28th of December 2010, the the Minister of Finance, the Economy and Investment, acting on the advice of the Malta Financial Services Authority, issued 2 new legal notices relating to incorporated cell companies..." [Download full bulletin]

• Issue 21, December 2010.
  
  
  
• Issue 20, September 2010.

Kane Chronicles

• September 2011 Cayman Update edition. The issue's lead article is entitled, "An Assured Future for Captives - Facing Emerging Risks. Also including a second information-rich article discussing recent developments in both the Cayman insurance market and at Kane Cayman entitled, "Building on firm foundations."

Captive Insurance Corporate Secretary and Corporate Governance Newsletter. Volume One, Number 1, June 2007, Compliments of John J. O'Brien, JD, CLU, CPCU. This issue is older, but still very relevant.

This issue supplies two useful checklists:

• The first checklist is suggested for a corporate secretary to follow in the organizational Board of Directors meeting of a Risk Retention Group or Captive.
• The second is an audit committee checklist where John opines that the items set forth there are also a good checklist for boards of directors of captives and RRGs, even when an audit committee is not required.

Guernsey Jurisdiction Newsletter -- A review of recent news and upcoming events from Guernsey's international finance centre.

Follow this link to download the latest issue as well recent back issues.

The Sparta Leader. This informational quarterly newsletter is brought to you by Sparta Insurance -- Specialty Program and Risk Transfer Alternatives. Follow this link to the menu page for links to current and recent past issues, or use the links below to jump directly to a specific issue.

• Summer 2011: In this issue, see -- Introduction – A Good Start; SPARTA Captive Technology Edge; SPARTA Clean Slate Approach to Policy Administration; SPARTA Technology Ad Campaign
• Winter 2010/2011: Contains the following topics -- Introduction – Award Winning; SPARTA Recognized as Model Insurer by Celent; SPARTA Policy Administration; SPARTA Launches Technology Ad Campaign

Introducing the Spring Insights Newsletter, published by Spring Consulting Group, LLC.

• July 2011: This issue's main articles include, "Industry Update: Maine Revises Captive Insurance Law," and "Spring Wins: Top Employee Benefits Consultant." You'll also find links to info on DMEC and VCIA. Download now!

Spring View Newsletter, published by Spring Consulting Group, LLC. A popular information-rich newsletter offering helpful articles on issues impacting your captive.

• August 2011: This issue discusses several healthcare reform topics, critical illness, and retiree medical funding.  Articles include:
  
  
  • Healthcare Reform Watch List: HHS Releases New Guidance on Exchanges
  • Funding Retiree Medical Liabilities
  • Will the PPACA Affect Workers’ Compensation
  • HDHP Critical Illness Coverage
  • Events
  • Spring Sightings.
    
    
• February 2011.  Our February newsletter includes an update on healthcare reform, FMLA tools for compliance, and a discussion of how the role of the insurance broker is changing. This issue includes the following articles and more:
  
  
  • The Future of the Insurance Broker
  • Healthcare Reform - Is It Time to Lower the Life Boats?
  • FMLA: Technology Tools to Keep You in Compliance
    
    
    

SRS 180º Captive Newsletter -- a guide to what's hot in the world of captives and ART -- published by Strategic Risk Solutions (SRS)

• Issue 30, Quarter 4, 2011: "One of the fastest growing sectors of the captive insurance industry in the past few years has been among 831(b) captives or “micro” captives. What exactly is an 831(b) captive and why have they become so popular? In this newsletter we take a look at this sector and highlight some of the pros, cons and pitfalls around these captives..." [Download now!]
• Issue 29, Quarter 3, 2011: This issue's lead article deals with an industry "hot issue" -- The Evolution and Use of Cell Captives. The article begins, "Over the past 40 years we have seen the development of increasingly sophisticated structures for captives to “rent” their facilities to participants, who can achieve the benefits of captive ownership without having to form their own captive. These rental facilities go by a variety of names depending on structure and domicile. In this article we look at how this sector of the captive market has evolved, when to consider a cell captive and how to decide between structures.."[Download now!]
• Issue 28, Quarter 2, 2011: This issue features Enterprise Risk Management for Captives. "The collapse of several financial institutions in the credit crisis of 2008 and before has led to a greater focus on how these institutions manage risk. Corporate governance guidelines have been introduced in a variety of different sectors and jurisdictions are requiring institutions to take a broad integrated approach to risk management..." Also included in Issue 28 is an analysis of the recent SRS Client Symposium. [Download now]
• Issue 27, Quarter 1, 2011: 2011 Captive Market Update. "In our first newsletter of the year, we summarize the state of the market and comment on the domicile numbers and rankings. One of the most active onshore domiciles in 2010 was Delaware and in our second article we talk to the regulators there to find out the reasons behind their growth.." [Download now]

MunichRe

February 2011: Topics Geo - Natural Catastrophes 2010; Analyses, Assessments, Positions

Towers Watson's Insights: The NAIC ORSA — The Evolutionary Process Continues posted November 10, 2011

"As the National Association of Insurance Commissioner's (NAIC's) Own Risk and Solvency Assessment (ORSA) requirement has continued to evolve, Towers Watson has reported the changes in a series of papers. In our June 2011 Insights article, we detailed the NAIC's initial ORSA proposal requirements. Much has changed since then, and we subsequently released an update in August 2011 to keep our clients abreast of the ORSA changes. Continuing in that vein, the following article provides the latest information on the most recent changes to the requirement.

"What has happened, and what are the next steps?" [To full article]

Towers Watson's Emphasis Online Magazine - a global magazine on insurance and financial services trends.

Follow this link to view the October 2010 issue on the Towers Watson website, the high-tech e-zine version, or download the printable pdf version now.

What's inside the current issue? You'll find these articles: Deepwater Horizon Disaster: Insurance Industry Implications; Keeping Pace With Solvency II: Challenges and Opportunities Facing Insurers; A Demutualization Case Study: Japan’s Dai-ichi Life; An Economic Future for Insurance Liabilities: Implications for P&C Insurers; Loss Reserve Disclosures: Time for Improvement; and The Last Word: Life Insurance M&A: Time for a Return?

Insights 2009 EEV/MCEV: Greater Consistency, Challenges Remain posted September 2010

"Following the dislocation in financial markets in 2008, a wide range of approaches was used to set the allowance for risk within 2008 EEV and MCEV reporting. There was more consistency within 2009 EEV and MCEV reporting. In this edition of Insights, we describe the areas where the insurance industry has made progress and those where challenges remain, drawing on recent Solvency II and IASB developments..." [Download this issue of Insights]

September 2009: USA Risk Group Industry Update. This issue's lead story, "Independents....a Dying Breed." (download newsletter)

June 2009: USA Risk Group Industry Update (download newsletter)

November 25, 2008: USA Risk Group Industry Update, October 2008 (download newsletter)

USA Risk Group Regulatory Update Volume 1 Issue 1, November 2007: Recent Regulatory Developments with Captive Implications. This issue briefs us on the captive implications surrounding the TRIA extension bill and the proposed IRS regulation on insurance between members of a consolidated group.