Latest Europe Headlines

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

Kiln Strengthens European Presence with New Office in Paris

Sep 11 2009 // Lloyd’s insurer R J Kiln & Co Limited, the UK operation of the Tokio Marine Group, has opened a new office in Paris. Initially it will underwrite aviation business, including airline hull and liability...

Guy Carpenter Report Updates European Legal, Legislative Changes

Sep 10 2009 // Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC has published its annual update on legislative and legal developments affecting insurers and reinsurers in Continental Europe. The report – available at: www.GCCapitalIdeas.com...

At Home and Abroad, Vacated Properties Posing Greater Risks

Sep 7 2009 // A global recession, which has led to layoffs and a sharp drop in consumer spending, has also created a glut of commercial real estate space around the world. Vacated properties are a significant concern because they are...

Ratings: Syndicate 2003 (Catlin), La Colonial, United, Arch, Ballantyne Re

Sep 2 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the Best’s Syndicate Rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating of “a+” of Lloyd’s Syndicate 2003, which is managed by Catlin Underwriting Agency...

Marsh Finds Europe’s Retailers Fear Working Capital, Supply Chain Risks

Aug 28 2009 // New research by Marsh has found that senior executives at Europe’s leading retail and consumer brands businesses will be concerned by risks such as cash flow, credit risk and trade credit over the next 18 months. An...

Marsh Finds Excess Capacity, Competition Inhibit Premium Increases

Aug 26 2009 // According to figures released by Marsh “insurance premium rate reductions slowed for property and casualty business across Europe, the Middle East and Africa in the first half of 2009.” Marsh also concluded...

Pirelli’s Risk Manager Named as New FERMA Board Member

Aug 24 2009 // Jorge Luzzi, Worldwide Director of the Risk Management Department for the Italian based industrial group Pirelli, has been appointed as a member of the board of the Federation of European Risk Management Associations...

FERMA Supports RIMS Position on Brokers Contingent Commissions

Aug 17 2009 // The Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA) has issued a bulletin expressing concerns over a new ruling in the US state of Illinois that allows brokers to resume taking contingent commissions. The...

Hennessy Named CEO for CNA Europe

Aug 14 2009 // CNA Financial Corp. has named John Hennessy to the position of chief executive officer of CNA’s European operations. The announcement comes soon after the insurer announced a strategy to grow its international...

Zurich Makes Two Executive Appointments

Aug 13 2009 // Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich) has appointed Alan Fairhead (50, British citizen), currently chief underwriting officer for Global Corporate, to the position of chief underwriting officer for Europe General...

Allianz P/C Profit Down, Combined Ratio Up for Q2

Aug 7 2009 // Allianz disappointed investors on Friday as its property/ casualty insurance business missed expectations even as improving financial markets helped group net profit rise by a fifth in the second quarter. Net profit at...

Validus Opens European Office

Jul 22 2009 // Bermuda-based Validus Holdings, Ltd. has opened a European reinsurance representative office located in Hamburg, Germany. The new office will represent Validus Reinsurance, Ltd. (Validus Re), the Group’s...

S&P Affirms/Withdraws Some Swiss Re Operating Company Ratings

Jul 15 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has affirmed its ‘A+’ long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on various operating companies belonging to global reinsurer Swiss...

Best Affirms Omega Specialty, Lloyd’s Syndicate 958 Ratings

Jul 15 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating of “a-” of Bermuda-based Omega Specialty Insurance Company Limited (OSIL), both with stable...

France Sees Global ‘Airline Blacklist’ Ready Soon

Jul 13 2009 // A global blacklist for unsafe airlines will be set up soon, France’s Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau said on Monday. On Thursday the head of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) had rejected...

Catlin Names Haas Chief European Underwriter

Jul 8 2009 // Catlin Group Limited announced that Heinz-Walter Haas has joined Catlin as chief underwriting officer for Continental Europe. He is based in the Cologne office, and is responsible for the execution of the Group s...

Heavy Rains Trigger Flooding in Central Europe

Jul 1 2009 // According to a report from Risk Management Solutions, last week’s extremely heavy rainfall, which continued for three days over Central Europe, triggered severe flooding across parts of the Czech Republic, Germany,...

Marsh: Europe’s Communications, Media, Tech Firms Focus on Risks

Jun 25 2009 // A new report from Marsh concludes that the senior management at “85 percent of Europe’s leading communications, media and technology (CMT) companies have indicated they are placing increased importance on risk...

Ratings: Everest Re (Ireland), Bosna Re, Peace Hills, Farmers (NZ), Swiss Re (debt), Optimum

Jun 18 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has assigned its ‘A+’ counterparty credit and financial strength ratings to Everest Reinsurance Co. (Ireland) Ltd. S&P also said the outlook on Everest Re...

ACE Opens Branch Office in Turkey

Jun 16 2009 // the ACE European Group announced the opening of a new branch office in Istanbul, Turkey, as it expands its presence across Central and Eastern Europe. ACE said it has “obtained a letter from Turkey’s Under...