Latest Europe Headlines

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

UK Regulatory Consultant Analyzes Financial Services Regime Change

Jun 22 2010 // The UK’s new Chancellor (Finance Minister) George Osborne has announced plans to fundamentally reform the way financial services, including insurance, are to be regulated [See IJ web site –...

Insurers Revive Cat Bond Market

Jun 21 2010 // Insurers are issuing catastrophe bonds again to complement traditional and cheaper reinsurance and to spread the risks in buying protection against events that could cost them tens of billions of dollars in claims. The...

EU Leaders Meet to Work on Ways to Prevent New Debt Crises

Jun 17 2010 // European Union leaders hope to agree on ways to strengthen budget discipline and economic policy coordination on Thursday to show financial markets they can prevent a repeat of the euro zone debt crisis. Leaders of the 27...

Marsh Report Examines Need for Innovation in Captives

Jun 15 2010 // A report from Marsh’s London office examines the changing need and conditions affecting captive insurance companies. Marsh said the report – Single Parent Captive Benchmarking: Capital and Collateral, examines...

Coface Receives Russian License; Aims to Be European Rating Agency

Jun 10 2010 // Credit insurer Coface announced from its Paris headquarters that the Russian state authority for insurance (FSSN) has granted a license to its subsidiary “ZAO Coface Rus Insurance Company” based in Moscow....

Munich Re: ‘Ever Higher’ Nat Cat Costs; Ups Chile Quake Loss to $1 Billion

Jun 8 2010 // A bulletin from Munich Re, the world’s largest reinsurer, concludes that the “long-term trend towards ever higher natural catastrophe costs” looks set to continue, according to an analysis from its Geo...

Insurers Worry EU Could Extend Bank Levy to Other Financial Firms

Jun 8 2010 // The European Union could extend a planned levy beyond banks to other financial services firms, according to a report outlining the bloc’s message to G20 leaders who meet soon to tackle reform of the industry. The...

G20 Finance Ministers Don’t Even Try to ‘Spin’ Impact of Europe’s Debt Crisis

Jun 7 2010 // Finance ministers can usually be relied upon to put the best spin on whatever is happening to the global economy. Not at this weekend’s Group of 20 meeting in Busan. The two days of talks were remarkable for...

Commercial Market to Remain Stable, Challenging for Risk Managers

Jun 7 2010 // Marsh Sees Insurer Security, Transparency, Accountability as Issues Despite the global economic crisis, the commercial insurance market is poised to remain stable through 2010, but new challenges are emerging for risk...

Torus Names 3 Senior Execs for Professional Lines in France, Germany

Jun 3 2010 // Torus, the global specialty insurer, announced the appointment of Mathieu Borneuf as Head of Management Liability and Jérôme Gillet as Head of Professional Liability. Both men are based in Torus’ new...

Braemar Marine Expands in London, Singapore, Europe

Jun 3 2010 // Braemar Marine Inc, the marine claims and risk assessment specialist, has expanded its operations in both London and Singapore through with a series of key appointments. Chris Lunda, Formerly the VP of Braemar in the U.S.,...

Pickering to Head Willis Russia, E. Europe, M.East, So. Africa Operations

May 27 2010 // Willis Group Holdings has appointed Scott Pickering as CEO, Russia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South Africa, effective immediately. He will be based in the Al Futtaim Willis office in Dubai and will report to...

Intermap Technologies, JBA Consulting Provide European Flood Maps

May 26 2010 // Denver-based Intermap Technologies, a worldwide 3D digital mapping and geospatial solutions company, and the UK’s JBA Consulting, a European flood risk and environmental management firm, announced a strategic...

EU Faces a Battle in Achieving Closer Economic Union

May 21 2010 // Agreeing on a $1 trillion safety net may prove the easy part of saving the euro now the European Union’s leaders are turning to the divisive issue of tightening economic policy coordination. The European Commission...

Munich Re Securitizes $80 Million for Europe Windstorm, U.S. Hurricanes

May 21 2010 // Munich Re has obtained cover for US hurricane and European windstorm risks amounting to US$ 80 million from special-purpose vehicle EOS Wind Ltd, which placed a catastrophe bond in the market. “MEAG, Munich...

Willis’ Plumeri Urges UK Government to Spur Insurance Industry Growth

May 21 2010 // Joe Plumeri, Chairman and CEO of Willis Group Holdings, “told an audience of insurance executives that the new UK Government must address the struggling economy to spur growth in the British insurance industry, while...

Commercial Market to Remain Stable, Challenging for Risk Managers: Marsh

May 20 2010 // Despite the global economic crisis, the commercial insurance market is poised to remain stable through 2010, but new challenges are emerging for risk managers, according to a report issued by insurance broker Marsh. The...

CCIR Commends EU for Opposing US Reinsurance Proposals

May 20 2010 // The Coalition for Competitive Insurance Rates (CCIR) has issued a bulletin commending the European Union for “speaking out against a controversial tax proposal on affiliated reinsurance included in President...

Volcker Says Europe Committed to Common Currency

May 19 2010 // Europe’s $1 trillion economic rescue signals a recognition of the threat to the euro currency and a commitment to defending it, former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker said Tuesday. Volcker, a special adviser to...

Airline Industry Group Blasts Europe’s Handling of Volcanic Ash

May 19 2010 // European aviation authorities urgently need to revise their airspace rules to minimize disruption from ash emitted by an Icelandic volcano, the airline industry body IATA said on Tuesday. The International Air Transport...