Latest Europe Headlines
All the headlines from our Europe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Europe’s Big Insurers Hit by Debt Crisis, Catastrophes, Economy
Feb 16 2012 // European insurers Axa and Zurich Financial suffered on all sides last year as Europe’s debt crisis ate into their sovereign bond holdings, catastrophe claims emptied coffers and the downturn cut demand for life...
PERILS Estimates Windstorm Andrea Property Losses at $350 Million
Feb 15 2012 // According to PERILS, the Zurich-based catastrophe data provider, initial loss estimates for property losses caused by windstorm Andrea, which struck Western Europe at the beginning of January, are €267 million [$350...
Willis Re Appoints Melia as CEO Willis Re International
Feb 13 2012 // Willis Re, the reinsurance arm of Willis Group Holdings, announced the appointment of Tony Melia as CEO of Willis Re International, effective immediately. He has been with Willis Re since 1988, and will lead the...
Freezing European Weather May Last to End of February
Feb 8 2012 // The worst February cold spell Europe has seen in decades may last until the end of the month, leading meteorologists said, raising the prospect of further deaths and an extended spike in European spot gas prices. “We...
TomTom Sees Potential in Europe’s Auto Insurance Market; Motaquote Signs On
Feb 8 2012 // TomTom satnavs will in future help insurers tell the difference between a good driver and a bad one under a scheme designed to revive the Dutch navigation device maker’s flagging fortunes. The company, which made its...
Baucher Joins Argo’s Paris Team to Manage Casualty & Financial Lines
Feb 7 2012 // Argo Group International Holdings announced that Valerie Baucher has joined Argo Assurances, the Argo Group’s Paris-based underwriting platform for large specialty risks. She will lead a financial lines and casualty...
Torus Appoints Rousseau to Develop General Property in France
Feb 6 2012 // Global specialty insurer Torus has appointed Gilles Rousseau as Senior Underwriter, General Property. He is based in Paris and has more than 30 years of underwriting experience, as well as “extensive knowledge of the...
People
Feb 6 2012 // Marsh & McLennan Companies has appointed AIG executive Julio Portalatin as CEO of Mercer, MMC’s human resource consulting unit. Portalatin succeeds M. Michele Burns who left the firm last October. Portalatin...
PIP Breast Implant Scandal Exposes Weaknesses in EU Safety Net
Feb 3 2012 // In June 2000, when American medical regulators posted a warning letter on the Internet about problems at a breast-implant maker in southern France, French authorities didn’t pay much attention. A U.S. Food and Drug...
EU Regulators Look to Halt Google’s New Privacy Policy
Feb 3 2012 // A group of European regulators has written to Google Inc. calling on it to halt the introduction of its new privacy policy, saying it needs to investigate whether the proposals sufficiently protect users’ personal...
Europe Freeze Kills 89; Fears Rise over Russian Gas
Feb 1 2012 // Record-low temperatures in parts of Eastern Europe pushed the death toll from Arctic conditions to at least 89 people on Wednesday, and have forced Russian gas provider Gazprom to warn over supplies to Europe. Europe had...
Best Revises AIG and Subs Outlook to Stable; Affirms Ratings
Jan 27 2012 // A.M. Best Co. has revised the outlook to stable from negative and affirmed the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “bbb” of American International Group. It has also revised the outlook to stable from negative and...
Best Sees No Ratings Change for QBE Despite Lowered Profit Estimates
Jan 24 2012 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has commented that the ratings of Australia’s QBE Insurance Group Limited and its main insurance subsidiaries are unchanged following the market update issued by QBE on...
Analysis of New EU Data Protection Laws Command the Tide but Not the Cost
Jan 24 2012 // New data-protection proposals from the European Union to help people regain control of personal information from sites like Facebook could prove as effective as commanding the tide, while hurting small firms and Web giants...
Euro Zone Ministers Reject Private Bondholders’ Offer on Greek Bonds
Jan 24 2012 // Euro zone finance ministers on Monday rejected as insufficient an offer made by private bondholders to help restructure Greece’s debts, sending negotiators back to the drawing board and raising the threat of Greek...
Markel Enters Germany Through Joint Venture with Anglo Underwriting
Jan 23 2012 // Markel International has made a move to start writing business in Germany through a joint venture with Anglo Underwriting. With Markel’s support, Anglo’s primary focus will be to increase opportunities in...
Europe to Issue Tough Rules Protecting Internet Users’ Data
Jan 23 2012 // The European Union will propose tough new rules in the coming days on how corporations handle Internet users’ personal data, a long-awaited move that could have far-reaching implications for Web giants such as Google...
New Global Risks Create Need for Expanded Directors & Officers Liability Program
Jan 23 2012 // The risk of lawsuits against senior executives has long been a major concern for businesses in the United States. But in the last few years it has become a much more serious global exposure as well. The international legal...
S&P Follows up on Euro Zone Rating Actions
Jan 18 2012 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has followed up on the rating actions it announced in December concerning a number of Europe’s largest insurers. S&P has lowered its ratings on the following insurers...
Chartis Realigns Global Business Units Amid Departure of Key Executive
Jan 18 2012 // Chartis said it is streamlining its geographic structure to add greater focus on its growth economies initiatives. The move comes amid the departure of Chartis Growth Economies CEO Julio Portalatin, who is leaving the...
