News: QBE Lloyd's of London insurer Axis Capital drops bid to cover Carmichael mine -source

NEW YORK/LONDON, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Lloyd's of London insurer Axis Capital has become the latest to rule itself out of providing coverage for Adani Enterprises Ltd's ADEL.NS contentious Carmichael coal mine project in Australia, a source close to the company said on Wednesday.

Axis has withdrawn its quotes for insurance of the mine's railway, the source told Reuters.

The insurer will publish a formal policy to cut its exposure to coal more broadly in the weeks ahead, the source added.

Axis joins a growing list of global insurers to refuse to insure the project, which received the green light from Canberra in June despite fierce opposition from environmental groups.

The Queensland-based Carmichael mine is expected to chalk up annual production of 8 million to 10 million tonnes of thermal coal, responsible for a large slice of the world's carbon emissions.

As a result, 14 large insurers including AXA SA AXAF.PA , Allianz ALVG.DE , Liberty Mutual Insurance Co , Munich Re MUVGn.DE , Swiss Re SRENH.S and local market leader QBE Insurance Group Ltd (QBE) have already confirmed they will not insure Carmichael, according to lobby group Market Forces.

Sixteen insurers including Chubb Ltd CB.BN , Australia's QBE and Suncorp Group Ltd (SUN) and European insurers Allianz and Zurich Insurance Group AG ZURN.S have already adopted policies to cut their exposure to coal projects, according to lobby group Unfriend Coal.