From Catlin to Mitsui, the final 15 of our Top 50 have had a mixed year

36. Catlin

First-half pre-tax profit was down from £240m to £86m because of catastrophes including the Chile earthquake. Combined ratio worsened nine points to 97%.

37. Arch Capital Group

Arch is likely to take part in the forecast acquisition frenzy in Bermuda. Gross written premium for 2009 was £284.6m.

38. Legal & General

First-half general insurance business operating profit more than doubled to £14m from £6m last year, thanks to improved underwriting and claims management.

39. Onex Corp

Down from 25 last year, the owner of London General Insurance reported gross written premium of £273.8 in 2009.

40. Standard Life

Standard Life sold its personal medical insurance arm in May for £138m to a subsidiary of South African Discovery Holdings that runs PruHealth.

41. Lancashire Holdings

Gross written premium at the aviation, energy, marine and property insurer increased by 19.6% year-on-year in the first half of 2010. The combined ratio was 77.4%.

42. GMAC

MMA is in talks to buy GMAC’s loss-making UK motor business Provident Insurance for £70m. GMAC must repay the US government for a $17.2bn (£11.5bn) bailout.

43. MMA

The French insurer posted an operating loss of £24.2m last year, partly because of private motor market issues. Gross written premium fell 9% to £227.1m.

44. HCC International

US-owned HCC more than doubled its 2009 profit after tax to £18.8m, thanks to rate increases in credit and political risk.

45. Berkshire Hathaway

First-half earnings rose from $268m (£168.9m) last year to $688m, with all four insurance businesses making profit after Berkshire Hathaway Re made a loss in 2009. It could buy RBSI.

46. Loews Corp

Berkshire Hathaway bought Loews subsidiary CNA Financial’s asbestos and environmental pollution risks for a $2bn (£1.3bn) fee in July. In October Loews announced positive earnings for H1 2010.

47. Domestic & General

Domestic & General is the largest breakdown cover provider for household electrical and gas equipment, according to Datamonitor. Gross written premium in 2009 was £177.3m.

48. SCOR

The French reinsurer had a net combined ratio of 102.8% for H1 2010, up from 96.8% the year before. Gross written premium for the UK business in 2009 was £161.2m.

49. Aioi Insurance

The motor and general insurance company had a £153m gross written premium in the UK in 2009. It was in a merger at the end of 2009 (see below).

50. Mitsui Sumitomo

Mitsui merged with fellow Japanese insurers Aioi and Nissay Dowa to form MS&AD Insurance Group. Profit was up 2.3% in Q2 2010 compared with the previous year.

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