Richard Brindle

A British affiliate of Belvedere Management Group that is ultimately-owned by Cayman Islands-domiciled Brighton SPC has been wound up "in the public interest" in London for involvement in a boiler room fraud that swindled investors out of £36 million. Another Belvedere affiliate is fighting a similar winding-up petition.

At least eleven new insurers have incorporated in Bermuda over the last two months, bringing with them capital that is likely to top $10 billion once financing has been completed. If Jan. 1 policy rates are as high as many expect them to be, these firms will have not so much a license to offer insurance as one to print money. All have set themselves capital-raising targets from $500 million to $1.5 billion, with $1 billion being the most popular target figure.