Latest Europe Headlines
All the headlines from our Europe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Will Regulatory Reform Trigger Doomsday for Captives?
Oct 8 2012 // If you’re startled by this headline, you’re not alone. Until recently, the words “reform” and “captive” were rarely used in the same sentence. That’s because captive insurance...
Chairman Nelson Charts Future Course for Lloyd’s
Oct 8 2012 // Lloyd’s of London Chairman John Nelson knew when he acceded to his post one year ago that his predecessor, Lord Peter Levene, would be a hard act to follow. Levene served for nine years and oversaw significant...
Finaccord Analyzes Prof. Indemnity Insurance in Australia, Canada, So. Africa
Oct 3 2012 // New research, conducted by market research consultants Finaccord, reveals that “competition among underwriters of professional indemnity insurance in Australia and Canada is at least as strong as in Europe’s...
Best Affirms QBE Insurance Group ‘A’ Ratings; Outlook Stable
Oct 1 2012 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a+” of UK-based QBE Insurance (Europe)...
Allied World Europe Launches Corporate Property Line of Business
Oct 1 2012 // Allied World Europe has launched its Corporate Property line of business. The unit will target a range of European domiciled companies writing lead, co-insured and layered programs. Richard Nathan, Vice President, European...
EU Insurers’ Capital Charges May be Cut to Boost Loans
Sep 28 2012 // Capital charges for insurers in the European Union could be cut to encourage lending for long-term projects and help boost the flagging economy, the bloc’s executive body said in a high profile policy shift. The...
Catalonia Shows Euro’s Weak Links: Commentary by James Saft
Sep 27 2012 // Just when Spain, and the euro zone, needed it least, along comes the Catalan secession drama to remind us exactly how many parties, peoples and factions have the potential to undermine the single currency’s...
ABI Issues Guidance for Impending ‘Gender-neutral’ Insurance Pricing
Sep 25 2012 // With three months to go until the European Court of Justice ban on insurers taking a person’s gender into account when calculating premiums and benefits, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has published...
Ratings Recap: Casiopea Re, FM (UK), Jamaica Int’l., Salama, BEST RE
Sep 24 2012 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating of “a-” of Luxembourg-based Casiopea Re S.A., the reinsurance...
Willis Opens New Office in Malta
Sep 20 2012 // Willis Group Holdings plc has opened a new office on the island of Malta, which it said is “to serve its growing captive and commercial insurance clients in the region,” an area that “has experienced...
Aon Outlines Risk Management Approach for Emerging Economies
Sep 19 2012 // A bulletin from Aon Global Risk Consulting, the risk management arm of Aon plc, using responses from 100 senior risk industry professionals at its annual Client Symposium, indicates that “organizations in Central and...
US Renews Waivers of Iran Sanctions for Japan, EU Nations
Sep 17 2012 // The United States has renewed waivers on Iran sanctions for Japan and 10 European countries because they cut their purchases of the OPEC nation’s crude oil, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday. The...
Swiss Re’s Chief Economist on the State of the Global Economy
Sep 14 2012 // “The European debt crisis is affecting the global economy, definitely,” said Kurt Karl, Swiss Re’s chief economist in an interview at the recent Reinsurance Rendezvous in Monte Carlo. He did indicate that...
Ratings Recap: AmerInst, Trust Re, Flagstone Re Africa, Univé Stormher
Sep 14 2012 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating of “a-” of Bermuda-based AmerInst Insurance Company Ltd., as well as the ICR of...
Best Affirms Catlin Group and Subs ‘A’ Ratings; Outlook Stable
Sep 14 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 the Bermuda-based Catlin Insurance Company...
Commentary by Gordon Brown:* Europe Risks Going the Way of Japan
Sep 14 2012 // The good news is that Europe is no longer going the way of Greece. The sad news is that it is threatening to go the way of Japan. After years of hesitation punctuated by panic, Europe has finally accepted the compelling...
Best to Assign Ratings to Merged QBE European Reinsurance Entities
Sep 13 2012 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has commented that it expects to assign a financial strength rating (FSR) and an issuer credit rating (ICR) to UK-based QBE Re (Europe) Limited) on or shortly after 30 September...
Reinsurance Rendezvous Focuses on Euro Zone, Interest Rates, Capital
Sep 10 2012 // For once there’s no natural catastrophe hanging over the annual Reinsurance Rendezvous in Monte Carlo (the 56th edition). Tropical storm Leslie missed Bermuda and Hurricane Michael is safely out in the Atlantic. But...
Best’s Global Reinsurance Market Review Analyzes Top 50, Capital, Ratings
Sep 5 2012 // A.M. Best has published a review of the international reinsurance market, which analyzes the performance of the largest reinsurers (rated by gross premiums written). Although the figures – based on 2011 – do not...
Commentary: Iran Confident It Is Winning Sanctions War
Sep 4 2012 // Despite ludicrous claims to the contrary, Western sanctions have hurt Iran’s crude oil exports, but it’s also not all gloom and doom. In unsurprising, but obviously factually incorrect, remarks, the director of...
