Australia Insurance – (Re)in Asia

Features and key stories

Markel puts APAC at the heart of growth plans

Australia GI premiums rise 3.6% in Q2 as direct insurance weakens, reinsurance improves

Steadfast inks A$7.7bn takeover deal with Amwins-Dragoneer-KKR consortium

Panoramic city skyline with tall glass skyscraper and apartment blocks, a rooftop pool in the foreground, and an overcast sky.

Sydney skyline and Bondi Beach during a sunny day in Australia.

Sunset view of Sydney Harbour: the Opera House with the Harbour Bridge in the background over calm water, framed by green foliage on the sides.

Harbor scene with yachts docked along a waterfront and futuristic glass buildings under a blue sky.

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Markel puts APAC at the heart of growth plans

Markel APAC head Sucheng Chang aims to nearly double the regional book within five years, with recent expansion setting the pace and new opportunities in view.

Australia GI premiums rise 3.6% in Q2 as direct results slide, reinsurance claims plunge

Direct insurers recorded higher claims led by householders, fire and ISR, while reinsurance claims fell nearly 80% as results improved year-on-year.

Steadfast inks A$7.7bn takeover deal with Amwins-Dragoneer-KKR consortium

The parties aim to complete the A$7.7bn transaction by December, subject to shareholder, court and regulatory approvals.

India, Malaysia drive biggest insurance deals as APAC activity cools in Q2

Against a broader regional slowdown, Southeast Asia stood out as the most active deal market.

Australia cyclone pool expands as insurer participation rises in home and SME

Higher insured values pushed up home and strata premiums, while cyclone risk pricing remained broadly stable across the pool.

APRA finalises reinsurance reforms easing access to alternative risk-transfer solutions

The reforms, set to take effect from 1 January 2027, expand the role of Appointed Actuaries and streamline regulatory approvals.

Australia proposes sweeping overhaul of private health insurance system

A new consultation outlines changes to how PHI products are structured and funded, with feedback invited before reforms are finalised.

Australia GI rebounds in Q1 as claims ease, property losses moderate

Industry underwriting profits jumped 34% year-on-year as property lines recovered from catastrophe losses, while cyber led premium growth and motor remained profitable.

Australia’s Steadfast gets A$7.7bn takeover offer from Amwins, Dragoneer

Joint bid values Steadfast at A$7.7bn (approx. US$5.41bn), with an eight-week due diligence period underway.

Australia and New Zealand lead APAC insurance M&A in Q1 as India activity slows

Cross-border expansion by global insurers underpinned Asia-Pacific insurance M&A in Q1 2026, with a rebound in Australia and New Zealand.

A line in the strand: What Australia's genetic testing ban means for the life insurance industry

A total ban on genetic discrimination in life insurance triggers a major compliance overhaul aimed at boosting public health outcomes

Standard Club faces higher exposure after Australia court rejects liability cap on wreck claims

Australia's High Court ruled that wreck removal claims excluded under Australia's maritime reservations cannot be capped by reclassifying them as property damage.

Tasmania pivots TasInsure from state insurer to government-owned authority

The reworked model will now focus on market interventions for hard-to-insure risks, rather than competing directly with insurers.

Australia cyclone pool average premiums rise in Q4 as strata jumps 11%

Annual premiums rose 4.4% year-on-year as Cyclone Alfred pushed incurred insurance losses to A$1.41bn.

Overseas placements in Australia's intermediated market slide 15% in H2 as property, liability demand cools

Overall intermediated premiums still rose, but UFI placements weakened and inactive intermediaries edged higher.

Pacific posts third straight quarter of double-digit commercial rate declines

Region once again posted the steepest rate decline globally, softening 12% in Q1, according to Marsh data.

Australian general insurer complaints rise 30% in FY2025

ASIC's new dashboard shows that premium disputes and claims handling delays drove the rise.

Singapore, Australia show systemic risk progress, but IAIS flags liquidity disclosure gaps across markets

The IAIS's multi-year assessment of 16 jurisdictions finds resolution tools underdeveloped and liquidity stress-testing requirements uneven, even as macroprudential supervision matures.

Autonomous vehicles drive APAC insurers toward new liability era as robotaxis ramp up

Robotaxis are giving commercial shape to APAC’s broader AV market, but insurers remain constrained by limited data, fragmented regulation, and unresolved liability questions.

Australia GI results slump 88% in Q4 as householders, motor claims surge on storm losses

Widespread claims pressure erodes underwriting across the market, offset only by pockets of strength in D&O, travel and cyber.