Latest Europe Headlines
All the headlines from our Europe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Aon Benfield’s 2012 Cat Review Finds 36% Rise in Insured Losses at $133 Billion
Jan 24 2013 // Impact Forecasting, the catastrophe model development center of excellence at Aon Benfield, has published its Annual Global Climate and Catastrophe Report along with the establishment of a new website, Catastrophe Insight,...
UK Prime Minister Cameron Promises Britons Straight Choice on EU Exit
Jan 23 2013 // Prime Minister David Cameron promised on Wednesday to give Britons a referendum choice on whether to stay in the European Union or leave if he wins an election in 2015, placing a question mark over Britain’s...
EU Countries to Receive Go-ahead for Financial Transaction Tax
Jan 22 2013 // Germany, France and nine other euro zone countries will get the go-ahead on Tuesday to push on with a financial transactions tax, a measure likely to unsettle banks but which will please voters and raise much-needed...
Genworth Separates Mortgage Insurance Unit, Reduces Bond Default Risk
Jan 17 2013 // Genworth Financial Inc. on Wednesday said it was reorganizing itself to separate its mortgage insurance business from the rest of the company, reducing the risk of default on its bonds and sending its shares up 9...
U.S. Plans to Negotiate Services Trade Pacts with EU, Japan, 18 Others
Jan 16 2013 // The United States said on Tuesday it plans to negotiate an agreement with the European Union, Japan and 18 other economies to remove trade and investment barriers in services ranging from finance to express...
Sources Say Iran Charters Oil Tanker with Indian Insurance
Jan 15 2013 // A loophole in an Indian insurance scheme has allowed Iran’s state-run tanker company NITC to bolster oil exports by chartering a vessel insured by India’s state-run firms, industry and shipping sources said on...
Zurich’s European Survey Confirms Insurance Isn’t a Luxury in Economic Crisis
Jan 15 2013 // A survey conducted by GfK on behalf of Zurich Insurance Group analyzed how the people in seven different European countries are dealing with their insurance needs in the light of the ongoing economic crisis. Insurance...
U.S. to Open Trade Talks on Global Insurance, Financial Services
Jan 15 2013 // The U.S. Trade Representative’s office is expected to notify Congress soon of its plan to enter into talks with the European Union and more than a dozen other countries on a pact to tear down barriers to trade in...
Is the WTO About to Abandon Dream of Global Free Trade?
Jan 14 2013 // As it seeks a new chief to lead it out of a negotiating death-spiral, the World Trade Organization looks doomed to be fatally undermined by new global carve-ups that will leave many of the world’s poorest...
New Generali Boss Promises ‘Revolution’ at Italian Insurer
Jan 14 2013 // Mario Greco, the new boss of Europe’s 3rd largest insurance group, Italy’s Generali, has vowed to boost operating profit by a quarter via an ambitious turnaround strategy that focuses on “value over...
Governments Struggle with Financial Crisis as the Planet Warms up
Jan 11 2013 // The global economy has been through economic recessions before, and has eventually recovered from them. This time around, however, it must do so while coping with the ever increasing menace of climate change – that makes...
Calnan Joins Ironshore Europe to Lead International Offshore Energy Expansion
Jan 11 2013 // Bermuda-based Ironshore Europe Ltd. (IEL) announced that Paul Calnan has been named Senior Vice President Global Offshore Energy, responsible for expanding the Global offshore energy business throughout Ironshore...
Best Affirms Amlin AG, Amlin plc, Lloyd’s Syndicate 2001 Ratings; Outlook Stable
Jan 11 2013 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A+’ (Superior) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of “aa-” of Lloyd’s Syndicate 2001, which is...
FERMA Appoints Bedhouche as Full Time European Affairs Adviser
Jan 10 2013 // The Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA) has appointed Julien Bedhouche as its first full time European affairs adviser. He is a French national with a masters degree in European law from Rennes...
Multilateralism in Trade is ‘Dead’ Says French Industry Minister
Jan 10 2013 // Multilateral trade deals are “dead”, France’s industry minister said on Tuesday, professing a preference for bilateral accords as the 27-nation European Union and the United States prepare to begin talks...
Events that Topped World Insurance News in 2012
Dec 28 2012 // While 2012 wasn’t as tumultuous as 2011, it had its share of insurance shaking trends and events. Here in roughly chronological order are some of them: 1) The costs of the flooding in Thailand in 2011, wasn’t...
Any Prospects for Insurance Regulatory Changes in 2013?
Dec 26 2012 // Progress in making insurance regulatory changes has been slow, and there’s really nothing to indicate that the situation will change in the near future. The United States, however, has managed to make some relevant...
Ratings Recap: Echelon, Nationale Suisse, MAPFRE Global Risks/Empresas
Dec 21 2012 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘B++’ (Good) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of “bbb+” of Echelon General Insurance Company, as well as the ICR of “bb+” of...
Ratings: Aviva (Subs), Flagstone Re Africa, Arig, Salama, Bahrain Nat’l., BEST RE
Dec 20 2012 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a+” of several European insurance subsidiaries of...
Ratings Recap: Jordan Plc, Builders Re S.A., Sava Re, Allianz (Notes)
Dec 17 2012 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘B++’ (Good) and the issuer credit rating of “bbb+” of Jordan Insurance Company Plc (JIC), both with stable...
