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QBE Insurance Group - Home Page If you can read this your browser does not support javascript or this feature is currently switched off. Please update your browser using one of the following links or enable javascripting via your browser settings. Click here to download Internet Explorer 6 Click here to download Mozilla QBE Insurance Group "QBE Insurance is Australia's leading International General Insurance and Reinsurance groups and one of the to 25 world wide." Core underwriting entities Standard & Poor's Rating = A+ Our Vision internationally recognised as a highly successful general insurance and reinsurance group; a builder of shareholders' wealth; a developer of "can do" people; and an organisation that excels in the continuous delivery of new and proven quality products and services. Our Values increasing the long-term wealth of shareholders; customer satisfaction and retention; employee satisfaction; and integrity. Divisions Group Annual Report Press Releases Shareholder Centre Financial Centre Webcasts Australia "QBE Insurance Australia, protecting people in all walks of life - from the home to the office and beyond" From our humble beginnings as the North Queensland Insurance company we have grown into a sophisticated provider of general insurance products. Our strength is our diversity. We provide over nine broad categories of general insurance. We provide comprehensive protection for peoples' homes, their lifestyles, their work environments. As a group, QBE works together to improve our customer service, our technology and our products. QBE Insurance - Aviation QBE Insurance - Commercial - QBE Mercantile Mutual QBE Insurance - Compulsory Third Party - CTP QBE Insurance - Corporate QBE Insurance - Personal - WQBE - Western QBE QBE Insurance - Professional Liability QBE Insurance - Surety QBE Insurance - Trade Credit QBE Insurance - Travel QBE Insurance - Workers Compensation Application for Credit Limit Endorsement QBE Insurance - Europe QBE Insurance - Asia Pacific QBE Asia Pacific: Our Vision Increasing Accountability Local Knowledge - Specialist Expertise Thriving on Complexity Our Vision - QBE Asia Pacific We aim to be recognised within the Asia Pacific markets as: a highly successful provider of specialist insurance solutions a team of results-oriented entrepreneurs with high levels of expertise and integrity a strong and ethical business partner an organisation that thrives on innovation and excels in the delivery of quality products and services a builder of customer value and shareholder wealth Increasing Accountability & Litigation For Asia Pacific companies to thrive in today's challenging business environment, they must be smarter, quicker and more entrepreneurial. They constantly face new business exposures and challenges arising from government regulation and common law. The margin for error has been squeezed in business today, and managers are confronted by the global trend of increasing accountability and litigation. They need specialist insurance solutions, backed by technical expertise. Equally as important, they need risk management experts with specialist knowledge who can translate the global into practical solutions at the local level - and then provide the on-the-ground resources when they are needed most. QBE Asia Pacific Operations has developed considerable strengths to best serve clients. Our history of commitment to the Asia Pacific markets means that we've developed a wealth of knowledge and experience. Local Knowledge - Specialist Expertise Five of our operations were established in the late 1880s, and four more were established in the early 1890s. Building on this strong foundation, we entered four additional markets in the 1970s and 80s, and five more in the 1990s. We now have over 18 QBE operations in various markets throughout the Asia Pacific region. Each market features different characteristics and dynamics, and local market knowledge can make all the difference for clients. For example, QBE operates in: Mature markets such as Singapore, New Zealand and Japan Emerging markets such as Indonesia and the Philippines Developing markets such as Thailand and Malaysia Small markets characterised by tightly knit communities, such as Vanuatu and Micronesia Markets that are rapidly moving toward more open economies, such as Vietnam and China Markets that have seen new opportunities emerge from the return to their motherland, such as Macau and Hong Kong Markets that operate under French customs and law, such as New Caledonia and French Polynesia Markets that have experienced political and social upheavals, such as Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands In each of these markets, local knowledge is invaluable. And with the internationalisation of trade and business practice, businesses also need an underwriter with specialist insurance expertise, vast global experience and solid financial strength. Thriving on Complexity Ours is a complex business, and we thrive on that challenge. It is also a dynamic one, with growth driven by an acquisition strategy and a commitment to the professional development of our local teams. We are a grass roots company that is international in every sense of the word. The combination of local knowledge and specialist expertise provides important benefits to clients and intermediaries. In Asia Pacific, it's the QBE difference! QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Specialist Risks Unit QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Marine Risks Network QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Hong Kong QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Indonesia QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Macau QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Mainland China QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Malaysia QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Philippines QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Singapore QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Thailand QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Vietnam QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Fiji QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - French Polynesia QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Japan QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Micronesia QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - New Caledonia QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - New Zealand QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Papua New Guinea QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Solomon Islands QBE Insurance - QBE Asia Pacific - Vanuatu QBE Insurance - the Americas QBE Insurance Group Limited, is an insurance and reinsurance company publicly traded on the Australian Stock Exchange. Its history dates back over 116 years when the Company was founded in Australia. Since then the Company has grown to have operations in 47 countries with over $2 billion dollars of capital writing in excess of $3 billion dollars in premium. QBE the Americas operations commenced in 1986 when the QBE Insurance Group established a presence in the U.S. QBE the Americas now conducts business through its five companies, QBE Reinsurance Corporation, QBE Insurance Corporation, QBE Aseguradora de Riesgos del Trabajo S.A.,Argentina, QBE Del Istmo, Panama and QBE Brasil Seguros S.A. Lloyd's The Lloyd's division comprises QBE's share of the Lloyd's syndicates managed by Limit. The 2001 results are the first to contain a full year of activity from the acquisition of Limit in August 2000. Gross written premium for the Lloyd's division was $2,182 million, compared with $547 million last year. Net earned premium was up 273% to $1,365 million. Significant progress was made during 2001 towards achieving the objectives set out in last year's annual report. The rationalisation of the structure of the Lloyd's division continued with the merger of syndicates 79 and 2999, the closure of the under-performing syndicate 456 and the disposal of the property and aviation syndicate 318. This resulted in a significant reallocation of QBE's capital towards its best performing Lloyd's syndicates. Our exposure to poor performing US liability business was significantly reduced. QBE is now the sole capital provider to each of Limit's syndicates, other than syndicate 386 where our share has increased to over 40%. For the 2002 underwriting year, QBE provides 78% of Limit's aggregate capacity compared with 72% in 2001. The tragic events of 11 September overshadowed the year and the World Trade Center (WTC) loss had a significant impact on performance. In addition, upgrades were made to prior year outstanding claims provisions, principally to reflect adverse development on US liability business seen across the market. These upgrades have been substantially mitigated by reinsurance protections and provisions established on acquisition to allow for deterioration. Consequently, the result for the year largely reflects the performance of the 2001 underwriting year. The claims ratio was 72.9%, compared with 59.4% for last year. The combined operating ratio was 108.6%, compared with 101.1% last year. Excluding the WTC loss, the combined operating ratio would have been 101.0%. The movement in the commission ratio from 27.3% to 24.6% reflects the change in the mix of business during 2001. The decrease in the expense ratio from 14.4% to 11.1% reflects the synergies and savings delivered by the integration of QBE's former Lloyd's operations with Limit, partly offset by residual post acquisition integration costs during the year. 2001 was a transitional year in the market cycle with the rate increases anticipated at the start of the year not materialising until at least the middle of the year and, in some cases, not until after the impact of 11 September. We are now seeing substantial increases in premium rates across all classes of business underwritten within the Lloyd's division. These rate increases, together with a high level of business retention, new business opportunities and the reallocation of QBE's capital, should ensure profitability for the 2002 underwriting year. Our objectives for 2002 are to: take advantage of the dramatically improved rating environment and return all areas of underwriting to strong profitability; seek further rationalisation of the underwriting and operating structure in order to improve capital efficiency and our expense ratio; acquire further capacity on syndicate 386 as it becomes available; and be actively involved in the reforms proposed for the Lloyd's market. Our business at Lloyd's remains highly dependent upon the quality and commitment of our underwriters and their business franchise. I thank them for their efforts and achievements, which have ensured that QBE's Lloyd's division is now ideally positioned to take advantage of the hard market conditions now prevailing at Lloyd's. Steven Burns, Managing director, Lloyd's division Global Trade Credit "QBE Trade Credit, World-Wide credit solutions in an increasingly volatile business environment" QBE's Trade Credit underwrites $30bn of domestic and export trade credit from units in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Europe having extensive experience in assessing risks in over 150 markets. We are a Standard and Poors A+ rated company. Supported by a product range of tailored solutions to your credit needs, QBE is uniquely placed to offer our clients the opportunity to conduct business in a secure environment. Established in 1962, we have in the last four decades risen to become the largest Australian Insurer offering both Domestic and Export trade credit insurance and have expanded offshore to service our clients locally around the world. QBE Re QBE Re is a leading global reinsurer providing treaty and facultative reinsurance, direct insurance, and other financial products to its varied clients. QBE Re conducts business through three Divisions: Australia, Europe, and the Americas. As a global reinsurer, QBE Re underwrites traditional and financial products covering all major lines and classes of business. Through its divisional network of companies, QBE Re excels in providing regional expertise and service tailored to local-market needs. For additional solutions from QBE Re, please visit our local teams: QBE Insurance - Australia QBE Insurance - Europe QBE Insurance - the Americas

Vacation rentals worldwide We

Escape Rental - worldwide vacation rentals. Home | Search Vacation Rentals | List Your Properties | Owner Login | Visitor Login | About Us | Contact Us | Links Canada (146) United States (1275) Mexico (116) Caribbean (153) Central America (28) South America (36) Europe (747) Africa (23) Asia (17) The Charming Villa Nuba apartments , Perugia Italy Spectacular Oceanfront Brand Spanking Ne , Cabo San Lucas Mexico Vacation rentals worldwide We offer thousands of vacation rentals by owner all around the world in the most exciting places - in mountain retreats, seaside resorts, exciting cities, romantic countryside and many more. Our list includes villas, apartments, cottages, ranches and hotels. All vacation rentals are located in the most popular destinations. Let us help with your holiday plans - we can help you find a comfortable "home away from home". Finding vacation property with Escape Rental is easy. Select a destination, find a vacation property you like and book it directly. All the properties have a large number of pictures, a detailed description, a list of amenities, rates and contact information. You can contact the property owner directly- either by email or phone. USA: Alabama · Arizona · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · EUROPE: Belgium · Bulgaria · Croatia · Czech Republic · France · Germany · Greece · Holland · · Ireland · Italy · Malta · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia · Spain Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey · UK · MEXICO : Acapulco · Cabo San Lucas · Cancun · Cozumel · Playa Del Carmen · Puerto Vallarta · San Jose del Cabo · CARIBBEAN: Anegada · Antigua & Barbuda · Bahamas · Bermuda · Cayman Islands · Dominican Republic · Grenada · Jamaica · Puerto Rico · St. Croix · St. John · St. Lucia · St. Martin · Virgin Gorda · CENTRAL AMERICA : Belize · Costa Rica · Cuba · Honduras · Trinidad & Tobago · SOUTH PACIFIC: Australia · Fiji · TOP DESTINATIONS : Amsterdam · Bali · Barcelona · Berlin · Buenos Aires · Canary Island · Cannes · Cape Cod · Cape Town · Destin · Disney · Edinburgh · Florence · Ibiza · Kauai · Key West · Lake Tahoe · Las Vegas · London · Lisbon · Madrid · Mallorca · Maui · Miami · Miami Beach · Monterey · Myrtle Beach · New Orleans · Nice · Oahu · Orlando · Paris · Prague · Rio De Janeiro · Rome · San Diego · Savannah · Sydney · Tuscany · Venice · Francais Español Deutsch Home | Search Vacation Rentals | List Your Properties Owner Login | Visitor Login | About Us | Contact Us | Links 2002 Escape Rental ™ . All Rights Reserved. Property owners : Register today! Visitors: Register today! How do I search for properties? How do I register? How do I make a reservation? How do I list my properties? How do I update my listings? Tell A Friend Bookmark EscapeRental Escape Rental: info@escaperental.com

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Travel to Italy and enjoy italy vacation packages at Tour Italy Now Register with us and get updates about new travel destinations and packages. In addition, you will be registered to win a week's trip to Rome for two. Italy Blog Italy Shop Mobile Phone Rental About Italy Italy Regions Information on Italy Transportation in Italy Torino 2006 Winter Olympic Press Releases Online Brochure Testimonials Italy Articles Tour Italy Now is a leading online provider of travel to Italy. An Italy travel package will allow you to enjoy this country of wondrous beauty and timeless treasures. All of our Italy vacation packages are professionally designed, offering only the very best regional food and wine, the most knowledgeable tour guides, and first-class ltaly accommodations. Travel to Italy and explore famous cities, pristine beaches, quaint villages, and medieval hilltop towns with an Italy travel package from Tour Italy Now. Bask in the beauty of charming villas, rolling hills, colorful vineyards, and lush gardens with our incredible Italy vacation packages. Unearth ancient artifacts and hidden treasures tucked away in famous museums, palaces, and cathedrals with an Italy travel package. Travel to Italy with us and enjoy all this and more when you book your Italy vacation packages. Our Italy travel package helps you experience the splendor and charm that sets Italy apart from the rest of the world! So travel to Italy with Tour Italy Now today! Travel to Italy Now ! Classic Italy Bike Across Italy 2 Italy by Train A Week in... Italy Amalfi Stroll & Roll Home | Tours | Hotels | Group Travel | About Us | Contact © 2004 Tour Italy Now. All rights Reserved. Powered by Amorbis LLC Site Map Link Exchange Resources Privacy Statement Terms and Conditions

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South America Travel

Hiking tours in Peru, Ecuador and the Galapagos with ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA offers a variety of cultural and outdoor adventure-orientated, hiking, biking, and multi-activity guided adventure tours around Peru Ecuador , Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands . ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA allows you to experience our unique blend of physical activities, friendly guides, and legendary service, in some of the most awe inspiring parts of the world - Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands! We'll take you through the most beautiful parts of South America. You'll enjoy some of the best hiking in Peru , Costa Rica and Ecuador, along with other heart pumping activities like cycling, rafting, sea kayaking , and snorkeling/diving in the Galapagos Islands and other parts of South America. You'll also get to meet the locals, eat fantastic food and sleep well in some unique locations. We hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu , one of the great wilderness trails in the world. Our trips also involve trekking in the rainforest, mountains and volcanoes of Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. We'll tour the Galapagos Islands in typical ACTIVE style - cycling, hiking, sea kayaking, and with a mask and snorkel, while accompanied by the friendly local Giant Tortoises and marine life. We'll paddle a sea kayak to one of the most beautiful tropical islands in the world in Costa Rica or across Lake Titicaca to a local island community. If you're a diver, we'll take you diving in the Galapagos to all the best spots. If you're into cycling, you won't want to miss the rides we'll take you on around the massive volcanoes, mountain ranges and Pacific coasts of Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador and the Galapagos - the biking we do is second to none! Awesome Active Adventure & hiking tours in Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands ! Our 14-day Jaguar adventure tour is our most adventurous trip packed with hiking, biking, backpacking, jungle hikes, a village home stay and plenty of multi- activity options. It also includes hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu . Our 7-day Alpaca adventure tour is designed so you can visit the highlights of Peru, including the hike up the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, even if you have limited time. Our 11-day Tucan adventure tour is designed to explore the little-known areas of Ecuador while cycling, hiking, caving, river tubing and reverse canyoning. This multi-activity adventure tour in Ecuador will take you well off the beaten track, and you'll love the hikes, bike rides, river rafting, caving, and all the other things we'll do! Our 10 day Tortuga is a multi activity tour around the Galapagos Islands. It’s packed with lots of sea kayaking, snorkeling/diving, hiking and cycling as we sail from island to island checking out the Galapagos wildlife as we go. Our 11 day Iguana is an off the beaten track hiking, biking and sea kayaking trip in Costa Rica. We'll explore this amazing country from the highlands to the tropical coast - hiking, paddling, and cycling in typical ACTIVE style. You don't need to have experience in any of the outdoor activities you'll do on our trips - our well trained guides will make sure that even if you haven't been hiking, snorkeling or backpacking before, you'll really enjoy yourself. The areas we hike in are absolutely stunning and we'll explore some unusual and isolated places you probably wouldn't find on your own. Our cycling trips have enough flexibility that, novice or 'gearhead', you'll find the biking very much to your taste. If cycling is not your thing, you can enjoy more time hiking or just relaxing and taking in the surroundings! If you're interested in wildlife then you'll love our adventure tours in Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands and the Amazon rainforest - there are animals everywhere! "This trip was the best adventure I have ever had. Every day was enjoyable, we could hardly wipe the smiles off our faces. This trip has changed us for the better. I don't thing we will see things quite the same." Jessica Croxford, Tucan - October 2 2005 We are also focused on sharing local culture in the countries we visit. We'll take you closer to the people and wildlife of Costa Rica , Peru , Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands . We stay with local families, travel with special interest local guides and use various methods of transport so you'll have a chance to explore life in South America. Adventure, discovery, exercise...with friendly people, professional guides, astounding scenery...with a hint of challenge and a tincture of endorphins - that's ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA! Check out the Jaguar - Biking, sea kayaking & hiking Peru in 14 days The Iguana - Biking, sea kayaking & hiking adventure tour in Costa Rica FREE CALL FROM THE US 8 66 753 3163 FREE CALL FROM THE UK 0 808 234 7780 US OFFICE PO Box 368 Ithaca, NY, 14851 Email Us Galapagos tours · Machu Picchu tours · Ecuador tours · Travel in Peru · Galapagos vacations · Travel in Ecuador · Galapagos Islands history · Inca Trail tours · Lake Titicaca · Hiking the Inca Trail · Hiking to Machu Picchu Take a look at travel photos from Aotearoa Photography