Brazil’s insurance firms feel the squeeze

A tightly regulated and fast growing market looks attractive, but tightening solvency regulations and gummed-up credit markets mean smaller insurers are finding life tough. That may create a rare chance for brave foreigners to enter the market. But global uncertainty could be advantageous for better-capitalized home banks. John Rumsey reports.

ON PAPER, THE Brazilian insurance market looks vibrant: economic growth exceeds 5%; there are new products for an emerging middle class long starved of even basic products and new channels of distribution. And a slow legislative thaw is also helping generate strong revenues.

The market has been growing at a double-digit rate and is expected to continue to grow by about 15% a year until 2012, according to the Federação Nacional das Empresas de Seguros Privados e de Capitalização (Fenaseg), the industry body association.

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