Latest Europe Headlines

All the headlines from our Europe Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Record Flooding Impacts Southeast Europe: AIR Analysis

May 20 2014 // According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Southeast Europe is experiencing record levels of flooding after three months’ worth of rain fell in just three days. The report cited the “many...

‘Mega Trends’; Optimism at the EIF 2014 Conference; DIMA CEO Interview

May 19 2014 // Ireland has been through some difficult economic times, but this year’s European Insurance Forum, held at the Four Seasons Hotel on May 15 and 16, highlighted the progress that’s been made, and the bright...

Europe Moves Ahead with Self-Driving Cars in Reponse to Google

May 19 2014 // Cars could be driving themselves down the world’s streets far sooner than expected, thanks to a change in a global treaty backed by European countries. A little-noticed amendment to the United Nations Convention on...

Generali Begins Talks on BSI Sale; Q1 Profit Up 9.4%

May 15 2014 // Italian insurer Generali expects to meet key capital and asset sales targets ahead of time after kicking off talks with Brazil’s BTG Pactual for a possible sale of Swiss unit BSI, a central plank of its...

EU Court Backs ‘Right to Be Forgotten’ in Ruling Against Google

May 13 2014 // Google Inc. may be ordered to remove personal information from its search engine after the European Union’s top court paved the way for citizens to have a “right to be forgotten.” “Links and...

CME, SIX to Provide Collateral Management Services to Swiss Insurers

May 12 2014 // CME Group Inc.’s European clearinghouse and SIX Group’s central-securities depository have agreed to offer an integrated collateral-management service to insurance companies operating in Switzerland. Once the...

RSA Insurance Reports 15% Drop in Q1 Premiums amid Asset Sales

May 8 2014 // The RSA Insurance Group Plc reported a 15 percent decline in revenue for the first quarter after the U.K.’s biggest non-life insurer by market value sold assets to bolster its balance sheet. Net written premiums, a...

Müller to Head New Allied World Europe Onshore Construction Unit

May 2 2014 // Allied World Europe has launched an Onshore Construction insurance line of business and appointed Alf Müller as senior vice president to lead the team. He will be responsible for building the line of business and...

RRJ, Temasek to Invest $1.8 Billion in ING Insurance Unit

May 1 2014 // RRJ Capital Ltd., run by Charles Ong, and his former employer Temasek Holdings Pte, have agreed to invest €1.28 billion ($1.8 billion) in ING Groep NV’s NN insurance business before the unit’s initial public...

U.S. Chamber, BUSINESSEUROPE Urge TTIP Agreement Adoption

May 1 2014 // U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue recently met with BUSINESSEUROPE President Emma Marcegaglia and Director General Markus Beyrer, as well as leaders of business federations and companies from...

EU Exit Could ‘Wreck’ London as Financial Capital, Says City Lobby Group

Apr 29 2014 // If the UK exits the European Union, it could wreck London’s position as the only financial center to rival New York and isolate the country’s economy, research ordered by a lobby group for banks and money...

Report: Former EU Banker Urges Reactivate Securitization to Enhance Credit

Apr 22 2014 // Jacques de Larosiere says he is an isolated and modest man. Yet the 84-year-old former head of the International Monetary Fund is one of the most influential voices in European and global finance. An eminence grise as...

Poland’s PZU to Pay $498 Million for RSA’s Eastern European Units

Apr 17 2014 // PZU SA, central Europe’s largest insurer by market value, agreed to buy RSA Insurance Group Plc’s four units in the biggest foreign acquisition by a Polish financial company. PZU will pay a combined €360...

Ratings Recap: Samsung Europe, Transmonde, MAPFRE PRAICO, Ocaso

Apr 15 2014 // A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating of “a” of UK-based Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Company of Europe, Limited (SFME), both...

European Insurers Shifting Investments Into Loan Market, Acting Like Banks: Moody’s

Apr 9 2014 // European insurers such as Allianz SE and Axa SA are shifting investments into the loan market, taking business from banks that are being forced to increase capital and meet tougher regulations, Moody’s Investors...

IMF Sees Global Growth Gaining Along with Rising Risks in Emerging Economies

Apr 8 2014 // The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday predicted the global recovery would strengthen this year as output in richer nations picked up, but it warned of rising risks in emerging economies. In its latest global economic...

PERILS Issues Updated Europe Industry Exposure Database for 2014

Apr 1 2014 // Zurich-based PERILS AG, announced the release of the 2014 update of the PERILS Europe Industry Exposure Database, which, it said, “contains updated market-wide property sums insured for European windstorm for the...

Italy, France Threaten European Growth: Swiss Re Economist Kurt Karl

Apr 1 2014 // The lack of structural measures in large economies including France and Italy present the biggest threat to growth in the euro area, Swiss Re Ltd.’s Chief Economist Kurt Karl said. The region’s economy will...

Chubb Appoints Barr as European Environmental Manager

Apr 1 2014 // Chubb Insurance Company of Europe SE announced the appointment of David Barr to the role of European Environmental Manager. Fred Shurbaji, Chubb European Commercial Manager, explained that Barr “will be responsible...

Allied World Approved to Launch New Managing Agency at Lloyd’s

Mar 31 2014 // Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG announced that it has received approval from Lloyd’s, the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to establish its own Lloyd’s...