Latest Europe Headlines

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

European Insurers Increase Payouts, as Capital Recovers

Feb 19 2010 // Two leading European insurers on Thursday unveiled big dividend increases, confirming a sector-wide trend as the industry takes comfort from a steady recovery in its capital strength since the crisis. AXA, Europe’s...

Kyoto Climate Pact Risks Dying, as No New Agreement is in Sight

Feb 18 2010 // Efforts to extend the Kyoto climate pact framework risk collapse in a setback to years of diplomatic bargains, as chances fade that the United States will join other rich nations in capping emissions. December’s U.N....

Italian Auto Insurers’ Shares Could Gain from Price Increases

Feb 12 2010 // Shares in Italy’s top motor insurers could become more attractive this year because of the likely success of tariff [premium] increases in a market where rivalry from online and bank sales is still weak. Fund...

Malhi Joins ACE Europe as Account Engineer-Property

Feb 11 2010 // The ACE European Group announced the appointment of Imran Malhi as Account Engineer for its property business. He will provide value-added property services including client management, risk consulting and hazard...

Melody to Head New Barney & Barney European Office in Germany

Feb 3 2010 // San Diego-based Barney & Barney LLC, one of the U.S.40 largest insurance brokerages, has announced the creation of a new international position it has established in Stuttgart, Germany. Client Executive Bevin Melody...

EU Insurance Regulators Annuity Capital Decision Postponed

Feb 1 2010 // European insurance regulators need a little more time to thrash out a compromise on rules for annuity providers that UK insurers fear could force them to raise up to £50 billion ($81 billion) of capital. Regulators...

EU Welcomes China’s Support Against Somalia Piracy

Jan 29 2010 // China’s participation in an international naval operation to protect ships from pirates off the coast of Somalia should help improve maritime security in the Horn of Africa, an EU naval commander said Thursday. China...

Davos Report: Business Leaders Warn Regulations May Crimp Recovery

Jan 27 2010 // Global business leaders warned Western governments on Wednesday that a populist crackdown on the financial industry could crimp a fragile recovery from the worst recession since the 1930s. The worried response to U.S....

Torus Appoints Guesde to Lead European Casualty

Jan 26 2010 // Torus has appointed Thomas Guesde as Senior Vice President of its new European Casualty platform. His appointment follows Torus’ launch of its operations in Continental European in September 2009. Guesde reports to...

European Union Maintains Current Carbon Emissions Offer

Jan 22 2010 // The European Union will stick to its current offer in U.N. talks to cut carbon emissions to one fifth below 1990 levels over the next decade, but will raise that if others follow suit, a draft EU letter showed. “The...

UK’s Miller to Expand Cover Holder Business in Europe

Jan 22 2010 // London-based Miller Insurance Services Limited has appointed Alessandro Noce to their programs and facilities unit in an initiative to expand their binding authority business in Europe. . CEO Graham Clarke noted that...

Torus Adds Personnel for New UK-based Property Team

Jan 20 2010 // Torus announced that it is in the process of establishing a London-based property tem to serve the UK. David Ring joins the Company to lead the new operations as UK Head of General Property. He is responsible for managing...

XL to Move Corporate Domicile to Ireland

Jan 19 2010 // The struggling Irish economy heard some good news last week when XL announced that it is moving its place of incorporation to the Emerald Isle from the Cayman Islands, and will rename the company XL Group plc. Many of its...

Winter Weather Freezes UK, Europe, But Impact is Limited

Jan 15 2010 // Old Man Winter has been showing his teeth. Freezing temperatures, combined with the heaviest snowfalls Britain and Europe have seen in 30 years, have snarled road, rail and air transportation, caused power outages and...

Zurich Transfers More General Insurance Business to Irish Subsidiary

Jan 12 2010 // Zurich Financial Services Group has announced the transfer of the “vast majority of its general insurance portfolios in Italy, Portugal and Spain to local branches of its EU-based risk carrier Zurich Insurance plc,...

EU Trade Commissioner-Designate ‘Unsure’ over Doha Conclusion in 2010

Jan 12 2010 // The European Union’s trade commissioner-designate said on Tuesday he was unsure whether the Doha round of global trade talks would be concluded this year or in 2011. “I’m personally confident that we are...

ACE Europe Appoints Ainslie Technology and Cyber Liability Underwriter

Jan 8 2010 // The ACE European Group has appointed Iain Ainslie to the role of Technology and Cyber Liability Underwriter. ACE said the appointment underscores its “commitment to enhancing its service offering and presence in this...

Most Property Reinsurance Rates Down at January Renewal As Capital Rebounds

Jan 5 2010 // Reinsurance rates across most lines of property catastrophe business declined at the Jan. 1, 2010 renewal, according to a briefing by Guy Carpenter & Co., LLC. Guy Carpenter’s World Catastrophe Rate on Line...

Allianz Names Bauer to Head Europe, Middle East ‘Growth Region’

Dec 31 2009 // Allianz annonced that, effective January 1, 2010, Manuel Bauer will be CEO of the new growth region – ‘Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and North Africa’ (CEEMA). He succeeds Klaus Junker, former...

Europe Feels Left Out in Cold on Climate Change Deal

Dec 23 2009 // It’s a climate deal that has Europe feeling left out in the cold. The continent that used to take the lead in advocating climate action is now taking the lead in climate complaining. And it’s not just upset...