A collaboration between property developers, insurers, and technical experts has led to the launch of the UK’s first Commercial Timber Guidebook.

The new checklist for ‘Completing and Submitting (Re)Insurance Authorisation Applications’together with the‘Updated Guidance on Completing and Submitting (Re)Insurance Authorisation Applications’issued by the Central Bank Ireland (CBI) are both likely to speed up the process for licensing new captives in Ireland.

Bermuda-domiciled Evergreen Insurance Company Limited (EICL) has had its financial strength rating downgraded to “A-” (Excellent) and long-term issuer credit rating downgraded to “a-” (Excellent) by AM Best after the captive decided to cease underwriting new business.

There are currently around five Spanish companies exploring the possibility of forming captives, Anna-Marie Jarvis, head of commercial insurance Spain at Zurich, told Captive Intelligence.

Luke is joined by new captive owner Mario Ramirez, of Exolum and Zurich's Adriana Scherzinger and Anna-Marie Jarvis to discuss developments in Spain's captive market.

A three-month consultation on the potential for a captive regulatory regime in the United Kingdom has been launched by the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP.

French equipment manufacturer, Petzl has formed the country’s latest reinsurance captive, PETZL RE S.A.

France’s insurance regulator, the ACPR, has published an information guide for the local captive market and prospective captive owners as activity in Europe’s fastest growing domicile continues to ramp up.