As insurers/reinsurers start to look beyond their domestic,
often mature, markets for growth opportunities they face an almost
overwhelming choice in terms of which markets to consider, the
structures available and the advantages and disadvantages of
each.
If you are looking to set up a new insurance underwriting
business, location is a critical issue – not just where you
want to be doing business, but also the speed of set up and the
regulatory environment in which you will operate.
There is no doubt that London (of which the Lloyd's market
is a major component) is one of the most pre-eminent insurance
centres in the world, with around 15% of global industrial risks
being placed there. Over the last five years a steady stream of
foreign insurers – from both mature markets such as the US
and Japan, as well as emerging economies such as China - have,
either through acquisition, start-up or joint venture, established
themselves in this insurance hub. But a range of
