insurance
Q&A: LeapFrog Investments' Pritesh Modi
In its eight years in Asia, LeapFrog Investments has kept lower-income consumer finance at the center of its investment strategy. Pritesh Modi, director and chief actuary at the firm, discusses the value of a narrow focus
Apis, ICICI invest in India's Star Health
Apis Partners and ICICI Venture have invested in Indian health insurance provider Star Health & Allied Insurance.
Ant Financial backs Chinese insurance firm
Ant Financial, the online finance affiliate of China's Alibaba Group, has joined a consortium of investors supporting the establishment of Xinmei Mutual Life Insurance Agency.
India's Alliance Insurance Brokers raises $8.2m
Access Asset Managers has invested INR550 million ($8.2 million) in Alliance Insurance Brokers, a business-to-business (B2B) focused insurance and risk assessment services provider.
KKR invests in India's Max Financial Services
KKR has bought a 10% stake in Max Financial Services, a spin-off of India's Max Group that controls life insurance player Max Life.
Premji, Temasek pay $296m for stake in ICICI's life insurance unit
PremjiInvest - the family office of Wipro Enterprises chairman Azim Premji - and Singapore's Temasek Holdings have agreed to pay INR19.5 billion ($296 million) for a 6% stake in the life insurance unit of ICICI Bank.
Chinese regulator provides guidance on insurers setting up PE funds
China's insurance regulator has broadened insurance company’s permitted investment areas through their private equity funds, the latest effort to allow greater exposure to alternative assets.
China Minsheng Investment to acquire Sirius for $2.2b
Bermuda-based White Mountains Insurance Group has agreed to sell its subsidiary Sirius International Insurance Group to China Mingsheng Investment (CMI) for $2.2 billion.
Legend-owned third-party payment platform raises $242m
Lakala, a Chinese offline third-party payment service provider owned by Legend Holdings, has raised RMB1.45 billion ($242 million) in its latest financing round, giving the company a valuation of more than RMB10 billion.
Korean groups launch $180m North America infrastructure mandate
A group of Korean institutional investors led by a unit of KB Financial Group has awarded a North American infrastructure mandate worth $180 million to Fengate Capital Management.
Chinese insurers: GP or LP?
China’s insurance companies are allowed to have more exposure to private equity than ever before. This includes the right to set up their own GPs, but not all market players will plot such a course immediately
Accel, SAIF in $12m Series B round for Coverfox
Indian online insurance marketplace Coverfox has raised a INR750 million ($12 million) Series B round from existing investors Accel Partners and SAIF India.
NSI Ventures leads round for Singapore insurance marketplace
NSI Ventures, the VC unit of Northstar Group, has led Series A round of funding worth $8 million for Asian insurance and wellness marketplace CXA, alongside consumer and technology fund F&H and healthcare investor BioVeda.
Chinese insurers win approval to invest in VC funds
Chinese insurers have received regulatory clearance to invest in venture capital funds, the latest in a string of moves that are liberalizing investment channels for the sector and allowing greater exposure to alternative assets.
Taiwan’s Cathay Life commits $20m to Vista tech fund
Taiwan’s Cathay Life Insurance has committed $20 million to US technology-focused private equity firm Vista Equity Partners’ latest flagship fund - Vista Equity Partners Fund V.
LP interview: China Reinsurance
Three years after setting up an alternatives team, China Reinsurance became the first local insurer to back an overseas GP. John Qu, vice general manager of assets management, outlines the firm's strategy
Jiuding Capital reaches $150m first close on US dollar fund
China’s Jiuding Capital has reached a $150 million first close on its second US dollar-denominated vehicle. Investors include sovereign wealth funds and insurance companies from North America and Asia.
Chinese insurers approved to commit more to private equity
The China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) has raised the cap on insurers’ exposure to publicly traded companies and private equity to 30% of total assets.
Fosun pays $1.36b to buy Portugese insurer Caixa
China's Fosun International has acquired an 80% stake in Caixa Seguros e Saúde (CSS), the insurance unit of Portugese state bank Caixa Geral de Depositos SA for EUR1 billion ($1.36 billion), beating out Apollo Management International.
Fatfish acquires 65% of Indonesian auto insurance portal RajaPremi
Singapore-based tech investor Fatfish Internet has acquired Indonesian car insurance price comparison site RajaPremi.com, marking its first foray into the country. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
CIRC implements new rule on foreign PE investments
The China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) has issued the long-awaited regulation on overseas investments made by domestic insurers, including commitments to private equity funds. Qualified insurance companies are now permitted to invest in 25 developed...
Pacific Century snaps up ING’s Asia assets
Hong Kong-based private equity firm Pacific Century Group has acquired several parts of ING’s life insurance operations. It will pay EUR1.64 billion ($2.14 billion) for the Dutch financial institution’s life insurance, general insurance, pension and...
Ping An launches $157m venture capital fund
Ping An Insurance, the world's second-largest life insurer by market value, has established a RMB1 billion ($157 million) venture capital fund. It will target sectors including financial services, consumer products, healthcare, automobiles and tech, media...
Chinese insurers to outsource investment management
The China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) will allow insurance companies to outsource their investment management businesses to brokerages and fund houses as part of efforts to diversify investment channels.