That came after hiring a group of experienced aviation insurance experts.

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In Asia, China's airlines fly relatively few international routes, which limits their exposure to the "war risks" cover which is proving to be the sticking point for aviation insurance.

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Including the Thai Airways crash, the world has seen 20 accidents involving the loss of a commercial airliner in 1998, a number similar to that for the previous two years, according to Airclaims, a London-based firm of aviation insurance loss-adjusters.

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Last year Berkley opened five new businesses, including one that specializes in aviation liability insurance for small regional airlines.

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"The public wants this woman found, " said Ric Gillespie, a former aviation-insurance executive who for 28 years has run a foundation called the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery out of his home in Wilmington, Del.

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All major unions are protesting against government moves to open retail, insurance and aviation sectors to foreign investment and increase prices of subsidised fuel and cooking gas.

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But there are still too many protected sectors, including newsagents, the legal profession, most public services, health insurance, pharmacies and international aviation, where significant barriers to entry remain.

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In 1958, China abolished all insurance, except cover for cargo and aviation: anything more was deemed unnecessary.

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