ASIA INSURANCE MARKET

Detariffing of India's general insurance sector benefits the private sector.

The Indian general insurance sector saw the completion of the detariffing process on 1 January 2008. Price controls had first been lifted in January 2006 but the Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority of India (IRDA) had capped discounts at 51.2%.

Figures released by the IRDA show that growth figures in January 2008 have matched those of the previous eight months. There had been concerns that a period of cut throat competition may have ensued with market participants slashing prices to win market share at the expense of revenue growth. This had been the experience in other markets undergoing detariffing.

India's private sector insurers have been gaining market share since detariffing at the expense of the state owned entities although this has slowed from 8% in the period from April to December 2006 to 5% in the equivalent period of 2007.

The IRDA Chairman, CS Rao, stated at the CII Health Insurance Summit in Mumbai in October 2007 that he expected, 'Removal of tariff on other lines of business is....more

Australia Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Australia Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Australian life insurance market and covers superannuation and ordinary life (long-term) insurance. Market value is based on regular premiums in force and new single premiums. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Australia Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

India Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots India Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Indian insurance market and covers life and non-life insurance. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots India Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

India Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots India Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Indian life insurance market. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots India Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

India Non-Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots India Non-Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Indian non-life insurance market and covers motor, fire, health accident, marine, engineering, personal, liability, aviation and other non-life insurance. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots India Non-Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Japan Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Japan Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Japanese life insurance market and covers individual, individual annuity, group, group annuity and others. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Japan Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Japan Non-Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Japan Non-Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Japanese non-life insurance market and covers fire, marine, inland transit, voluntary automobile, personal accident, compulsory automobile and other. Market value is based on value on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Japan Non-Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Hong Kong Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Hong Kong Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Hong Kong life insurance market and covers individual life and annunity (non-linked), individual life and annuity (linked), other individual, retirement scheme group business and non-retirement scheme group. Market value is based on the value of office premiums. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Hong Kong Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Germany Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Germany Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the German life insurance market and covers life insurance. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Germany Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Canada Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Canada Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Canadian life insurance market and covers traditional life insurance, pension insurance and personal accident insurance. Market value is based on net written premiums. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Canada Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

US Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots US Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the US insurance market and covers life and non-life insurance. Market value is based on net written premiums. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots US Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

US Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots US Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the US life insurance market and covers traditional life insurance, pension insurance, personal accident insurance, and others. Market value is based on net written premiums. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots US Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

US Non-Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots US Non-Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the US non-life insurance market and covers motor, property, liability, and other non-life insurance policies. Market value is based on net written premiums. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots US Non-Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

US Property and Casualty Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots US Property and Casualty Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the US property and casualty insurance market and covers the net written premiums earned by property and casualty insurance companies in the US. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots US Property and Casualty Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Russia Non-Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Russia Non-Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Russian non-life insurance market and covers complusory, property, personal, general liability and other non-life insurance policies. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Russia Non-Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Europe New Housing Market

Varied evidence and opinion on UK housing market.

The United Kingdom's house builders have been announcing their preliminary results for the 2007 financial year in which the majors produced about 10% fewer homes than in 2006.

Taylor Wimpey, the biggest house builder by volume, reported UK sales down 3.7% but with their average sale price up 2.1% to £188,000 their margins improved by 2.4%. Their order book at the end of February 2008 had 'a greater than historical weighting towards affordable homes. As interesting as the results themselves was the comment from Pete Redfern, Group Chief Executive, who said: 'We continue to anticipate a more difficult trading environment in the UK during 2008.'

Persimmon who reported a 12th successive increase in annual pre-tax profit were also circumspect with Group Chairman, John White, stating that 'When confidence returns and sentiment improves we anticipate a return to a stronger market; in the meantime we....more

UK New Housing 2008

Snapdata's Snapshots UK New Housing 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the UK new housing market and covers private housing and public sector housing and housing associations. Market value is based on new orders obtained. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots UK New Housing 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Construction industry coverage.