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GLOBAL BRIEFS

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German insurance group Allianz A.G. Holding has become the fourth new member this year of RINET, the international reinsurance and insurance network. With the addition of the Allianz companies, RINET now has 540 members in more than 60 countries. Allianz also is working with RINET to set up an electronic data interchange system between its subsidiary companies and home office in Munich. The system is expected to launch at the beginning of next year. . . .Canadian insurers have a "more favorable" business outlook than in recent years, according to Standard & Poor's Corp., because of their successful efforts at corporate restructuring. Nevertheless, S&P anticipates ratings will continue to fall for the Canadian insurance sector because of "continued distribution challenges and competitive pressures from other financial services sectors." . . .Brian G. Walford, chief financial officer of Bermuda-based EXEL Ltd., will retire at the end of 1997 at the age of 44. Mr. Walford decided to retire to "have fun" and said he has no plans to return to work. No successor has been named. . . .Specialist reinsurance broker Greig Fester Group Ltd. is sponsoring a new natural hazard and loss prevention research facility at University College London. The Greig Fester Centre for Hazard Research will aim to develop more accurate hurricane forecasting as part of its global weather trends analysis, as well as investigate earthquake threats around the world. . . .Reducing or abolishing the advance corporation tax would threaten the solvency of U.K. occupational pension funds, the Assn. of Consulting Actuaries has warned Chancellor Gordon Brown in a pre-budget submission. If the chancellor does reduce ACT, tax relief to pension funds will drop, and the ACA estimates the solvency of employer-sponsored plans may fall 10%, undermining plan security. . . .The U.K. P&I Club has closed the 1994 policy year with no further cash calls on its members. Because of a better-than-expected investment performance and a reduction in estimated claims, the club now expects a small surplus, which it will use to strengthen reserves. . . .Creditors of the Reinsurance Co. of Mauritius have agreed to a scheme of arrangement for the Mauritian company, which failed in 1983. In an unusual move, RCM also was put into liquidation in London in 1988 because of collection problems from debtors in the London insurance market, though this liquidation is ancillary to that in Mauritius. Runoff administrators De Chazal du Mee in Mauritius and Coopers & Lybrand in London anticipate the first release of funds to creditors will take place early next year.