Articles by Jan-Henrik Förster, Aaron Kirchfeld and Sonia Sirletti

Generali Agrees to Acquire Liberty Mutual’s European Units for $2.5 Billion

Assicurazioni Generali SpA has agreed to acquire a group of European businesses from US insurer Liberty Mutual Holding Co. for €2.3 billion ($2.5 billion), as part of its plan to expand in non-life insurance. Liberty Mutual announced the sale of …

Liberty Mutual Explores $1 Billion Sale of Europe Businesses

Liberty Mutual Holding Co. is exploring a sale of its businesses in Spain, Portugal and Ireland, according to people familiar with the matter, joining other American insurers retreating from the region. The US insurer is working with Bank of America …

Zurich Insurance in Talks to Sell $21 Billion Portfolio to Cinven’s Viridium: Sources

Zurich Insurance Group AG is in advanced talks to sell a portfolio of German life insurance policies to Cinven’s Viridium Group, the latest transaction in a busy corner of financial dealmaking, people familiar with the matter said. The portfolio includes …

Broker Gallagher in Talks to Buy Aon, Willis Assets for $3 Billion

Insurance brokerage Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. is in talks to buy a portfolio of assets from Aon Plc and Willis Towers Watson Plc for about $3 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. An agreement could be reached …

Ex-Allianz CFO Wemmer Plans to Form SPAC to Target Insurance Deals

Dieter Wemmer, a veteran insurance executive who was chief financial officer at Allianz SE, is launching a blank-check company to target deals in the sector where he worked for more than three decades, people familiar with the matter said. Wemmer …

Allianz Privately Mulls Counteroffer for The Hartford After Chubb’s Offer

Chubb Ltd.’s $23 billion takeover offer for Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. has prompted Germany’s Allianz SE to study the feasibility of a counteroffer, according to people familiar with the matter. Europe’s biggest insurer is discussing its options with potential …

Macif Seen as Favorite to Buy $3.6B Aviva France; Talks to Sell Italian Unit Advance

Aviva Plc, the British insurer, is in advanced talks on a sale of its Italian operations as it pushes ahead with about 6 billion euros ($7.3 billion) of divestments, people with knowledge said. The U.K. company is in negotiations to …

Finland’s Sampo Oyj Explores Cash Offer of UK Insurer Hastings

Finnish insurance group Sampo Oyj is exploring an entry into the UK market with a potential bid for general insurer Hastings Group Holdings Plc. Sampo and Hastings’s biggest shareholder, Rand Merchant Investment Holdings Ltd., have approached the London-listed insurer about …

UK Insurer LV= Attracts Bidders Including Phoenix, Cinven: Sources

UK insurer Liverpool Victoria has attracted interest from rivals including Phoenix Group Holdings and private equity firm Cinven Ltd., according to people familiar with the matter. Fellow mutual insurer Royal London, Utmost Life and Pensions and European Insurance Consolidation Group …

Finnish Software Firm Basware Confirms Takeover Bid, Backed by Investors Including Ping An

Finnish software maker Basware confirmed the unsolicited takeover approach it received was from payment-technology startup Tradeshift Holdings Inc. The indicative proposal came from San Francisco-based Tradeshift, Basware said in a statement Tuesday in response to a Bloomberg News report. The …