Fronting news

Markel has reported that it recognised a $25 million credit loss against a fraudulent $50 million letter of credit (LOC) for reinsurance provided by insurtech Vesttoo, and suggested a chance that more could come with a second LOC also found fraudulent.

In a sign that the Vesttoo saga could be sped through the courts in order to liquidate the insurtech and its assets, to protect value for stakeholders and creditors while avoiding further litigation between parties, a filing by the US Trustee calls for the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case to be converted to Chapter 7.

Insurance and reinsurance broking giant Aon is continuing to work with clients to help the industry replace lost capital following the letter of credit (LOC) fraud at insurtech Vesttoo, Eric Andersen, President of Aon plc said last week.

Vesttoo, the insurtech at the center of an international reinsurance letter of credit (LOC) fraud investigation, is trying to sell off assets of the firm as part of its plans to emerge from the scandal and trade forwards, but creditors are accused by the company of undermining these efforts in a display of brinkmanship.

Vesttoo has responded to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors calls for its liquidation to be accelerated, stating that it has produced “a significant business plan” and that the creditors should give the insurtech the time to deliver what it believes could be a “value-maximizing transaction.”

The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the Vesttoo bankruptcy case objects strongly to the insurtech’s plans to attempt to trade forward, calling these efforts a “wasteful pursuit” that is burning money that could be returned to those harmed by the extensive letter of credit (LOC) in reinsurance fraud.

As the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of beleaguered insurtech Vesttoo continues, the latest is that insurance and reinsurance broking giant Aon has agreed that the Committee of Unsecured Creditors can conduct some legal discovery on its entities, including White Rock.

The Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of insurtech Vesttoo has now filed a request with the court to allow them to conduct legal discovery on insurance and reinsurance broking group Aon and certain related entities that have been exposed to the letter of credit fraud issues.

Analysis undertaken by ALIRT Insurance Research shows that almost 20% of the total letter of credit (LOC) collateral used by a group of US fronting carriers appears likely to have been sourced via Vesttoo and provided by the bank at the heart of the fraud allegations, China Construction Bank (CCB).

Lloyd’s has issued revised guidance for members and members agents on Tier 2 capital limits, which encompasses the use of letters of credit (LOC) in the marketplace and in it has stressed how important it is that LOC’s have their validity confirmed on a regular basis.