Latest Europe Headlines

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

Best Revises Issuer Credit Rating Outlook for W. R. Berkley Insurance (Europe)

Feb 29 2016 // A.M. Best has revised the issuer credit rating (ICR) outlook to negative from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating of A (Excellent) and the ICR of “a+” of W. R. Berkley Insurance (Europe) Ltd....

G20 Puts ‘Brexit’ on List of Top Global Risks After Push by UK Government

Feb 29 2016 // British finance minister George Osborne pushed financial leaders from the top 20 economies to include the risk of Britain leaving the European Union in their list of dangers to the world economy on Saturday, gaining...

As UK Debate over Brexit Heats Up, Some Suggest Looking at Lessons of History

Feb 26 2016 // Cities don’t stay on top forever. Just look at Venice in the 15th century, Philadelphia in the 18th or even Vienna in the 19th. It’s a lesson some Londoners worry is being forgotten when it comes to the...

RSA’s CEO Warns That UK Withdrawal from EU Could Have Negative Impact

Feb 25 2016 // RSA chief Stephen Hester said a British exit from the European Union could have a negative impact on the insurer’s business and investment returns, underscoring a warning from top executives about the impact of...

AXA’s 2015 Net Income Rises 12% on Life Insurance Sales in Europe, Asia

Feb 25 2016 // AXA SA, France’s largest insurer, said 2015 profit rose 12 percent, helped by higher life insurance sales in Europe and Asia. The shares rose. Net income climbed to 5.62 billion euros ($6.2 billion) from 5.02 billion...

Allianz Puts South Korean Life Insurance Unit on Block: Sources

Feb 24 2016 // Europe’s largest insurer Allianz has put its South Korean life insurance business on the block as part of a global overhaul in a tough low-interest rate environment, sources with direct knowledge of the matter...

‘Brexit’ Would Risk Economy & Jobs, Caution 200 Executives in Open Letter

Feb 23 2016 // The bosses of a third of Britain’s biggest companies warned on Tuesday that an exit from the European Union would put the economy at risk and threaten jobs. In a letter to the Times newspaper, bosses from big...

British Corporate Leaders Will Likely Vote to Remain in EU: UK Business Groups

Feb 22 2016 // British corporate leaders will likely vote for the U.K. to remain a part of the European Union, according to lobby groups for business, manufacturing and financial services. The Institute of Directors said the deal reached...

What Will ‘Brexit’ Mean for London’s Financial Center? Some Questions Answered

Feb 19 2016 // The U.K.’s looming in/out referendum on European Union membership, which may come as early as June, has sparked jitters, with analysts predicting declines in everything from London property prices to the pound. But...

Allianz Q4 2015 Profit Rises to $1.6B on Cat Claims; Lower Than Analyst Estimates

Feb 19 2016 // Allianz SE missed analyst estimates for fourth-quarter profit because of claims from natural catastrophes. Net income at Europe’s biggest insurer increased to 1.42 billion euros ($1.6 billion) in the quarter from...

FACTBOX: What Will ‘Brexit’, a British Exit from the EU Look Like?

Feb 17 2016 // As Britons debate whether to stay in or leave the European Union at a membership referendum, one of the key arguments is what a British exit, or “Brexit,” would look like? Below is an outline of the process...

British Departure from EU Would Put at Risk $670 Billion of U.K. Trade: Study

Feb 16 2016 // A British departure from the European Union would put at risk 466 billion pounds ($670 billion) of U.K. trade with nations in Europe and beyond, according to a report published by the Centre for Economic and Business...

Liberty Specialty Announces Specialty Lines and Fine Art & Specie Appointments

Feb 12 2016 // Liberty Specialty Markets, part of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, has promoted Mike Gosselin to the role of chief underwriting officer for specialty, while also naming David Saillen as head of fine art & specie –...

‘Brexit’ Will Create Real ‘Risks & Uncertainties’ for Lloyd’s & London Market

Feb 11 2016 // A UK exit from the European Union will create a “rarely experienced” level of uncertainty for Lloyd’s, the London market as well as the UK and other European economies, according to Sean McGovern,...

Top Generali Investors Making Their Influence Felt in Hunt for New CEO

Feb 10 2016 // French corporate raider Vincent Bollore is making his influence felt in corporate Italy by defying the country’s old guard in choosing a replacement for Mario Greco as Generali chief executive. Greco may have...

Generali Names Galateri as Interim CEO After Greco Departs for Zurich Insurance

Feb 9 2016 // Assicurazioni Generali SpA appointed its Chairman Gabriele Galateri, as acting chief executive officer after CEO Mario Greco decided to quit Italy’s biggest insurer to become the head of Zurich Insurance Group...

‘Brexit’ Threatens Britain’s EU-Dependent SMEs: UK’s RSA

Feb 9 2016 // While UK-based small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) want to access opportunities in emerging and growth economies, they remain dependent on the European Union, which suggests that SMEs could be disproportionately...

Chubb Names Country Presidents to Lead Continental European Operations

Feb 5 2016 // Chubb has appointed the country presidents who will lead its operations in Continental Europe, with immediate effect. The country presidents will report to Jeff Moghrabi, division president, Continental Europe. These and...

California Commissioner Explains Call for Insurer Divestment from Coal

Feb 4 2016 // One can say California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has a beef with coal. Jones made a bold move on Jan. 25 when he asked all insurance companies doing business in California to voluntarily divest from their...

Chubb Completes Senior Management Team for European Region

Feb 2 2016 // Chubb has announced a group of appointments with immediate effect, which complete the line-up of its new European leadership team. First, there were the executive appointments that were announced late last year: Andrew...