Latest Europe Headlines
All the headlines from our Europe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Marsh Reports Captives Maintain Position Despite Economic Crisis
Apr 28 2009 // A study, published by Marsh, finds businesses continue the trend to self-insure through captives. “Despite the global economic recession and continued soft commercial insurance market, businesses in all parts of the...
AIG a Lesson for European Watchdogs
Apr 28 2009 // AIG’s near collapse is a credit-crunch case study in how Europe can improve supervision of big cross-border insurers, a top EU market regulator said on Monday. The American insurer has received nearly $180 billion in...
EU to Launch Canada Trade Pact Talks
Apr 27 2009 // European Union foreign ministers agreed on Monday to launch talks on a trade pact with Canada worth over $27 billion per year, EU diplomats said. “The ministers gave the green light,” one diplomat told Reuters....
FERMA Approves EU Parliament’s Solvency II Adoption-With Reservations
Apr 27 2009 // The Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA) has issued a bulletin welcoming the vote of the European Parliament approving the Solvency II Directive, the new supervisory regime for EU insurance companies...
RMS’ Paradex Model Plays Key Role in Munich Re, Tokio Marine Cat Swap
Apr 27 2009 // Risk Management Solutions announced that Munich Re and Tokio Marine Nisshin Fire have closed a private catastrophe swap based on its industry loss index, Paradex-Europe Windstorm. “This transaction now brings the...
S&P Reports ‘Pressure Builds on Europe’s Insurers,’ Despite Strength
Apr 27 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has issued a new report, – “Europe’s Insurers Feel The Strain, But The Sector Retains Its Strength” – which indicates that for many insurers,...
Europe Votes to Adopt New Solvency Rules for Insurance by 2012
Apr 23 2009 // The European Parliament voted this week for new regulation of insurers that aims to cut costs by giving one national regulator the lead role in monitoring insurance companies operating across several EU nations. EU...
Somali Pirates Step up Attacks; Exemption Renewal for Europe’s Insurers
Apr 20 2009 // Pirates have stepped up their attacks on shipping in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. In three days (April 6-8) the marine marauders, based in Somalia, seized four cargo ships and a French yacht (See IJ Web site...
ING to Divest up to $10.6 Billion in Assets; Focus on Europe
Apr 9 2009 // The Netherlands ING Group said on Thursday that it plans to divest operations worth up to €8 billion ($10.6 billion) to reduce risk and will focus its banking activities on Europe. ING, which was loss-making in 2008...
FERMA Welcomes EC Report Favoring Extension of Insurers Block Exemption
Apr 7 2009 // The 16-member Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA) issued a statement that it “welcomes the European Commission (EC) Report in favor of renewal of the Insurance Block Exemption Regulation...
Business Moves
Apr 6 2009 // AIG American International Group (AIG) has taken down the most prominent sign at its downtown Manhattan offices. According to a Reuters report, the company replaced the large AIG sign — outside the entrance to its...
Business Moves
Apr 6 2009 // AIG American International Group (AIG) has taken down the most prominent sign at its downtown Manhattan offices. According to a Reuters report, the company replaced the large AIG sign — outside the entrance to its...
G20 Seals $1.1 Trillion Deal
Apr 3 2009 // World leaders clinched a $1.1 trillion deal on Thursday to combat the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and said financial rules would be tightened to stop it happening again. U.S. President Barack Obama...
EU Contributes $17 Million to Caribbean Cat Risk Insurance Facility
Mar 26 2009 // The European Union has joined the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility’s (CCRIF) 16 member governments – Canada, the World Bank, the United Kingdom, Bermuda, Ireland, France and the Caribbean...
XL Insurance Launches Solutions for German Upper Middle Market
Mar 25 2009 // XL Insurance, the global insurance operations of XL Capital Ltd., announced that it will offer insurance solutions to Upper Middle Market companies in Germany with an annual turnover ranging from approximately €30...
Ratings Recap: ACE Europe, Unipol
Mar 23 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A+’ (Superior) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of “aa-” of the UK-based ACE European Group Limited (AEGL) with stable outlooks. Best said...
Ace Europe Appoints Reynolds UK, Ireland Marine Manager
Mar 19 2009 // ACE Europe has appointed Mike Reynolds as Marine Manager for the UK & Ireland. He will be responsible for managing the ACE’s marine portfolio written outside of its London market operation through ACE...
UK’s FSA to Propose Overhaul of Global Bank Regulation
Mar 18 2009 // Britain’s Financial Services Authority (FSA) will publish Wednesday a blueprint for a shake-up of global banking regulations aimed at preventing a recurrence of the financial crisis weighing down the world...
Marsh Warns EU Environmental Laws Expose UK Firms to Increased Risks
Mar 18 2009 // Marsh has analyzed the possible effects of new European legislation designed to protect the environment. The broker points out that “businesses in the UK will now have to pay for any significant damage that they...
Arch Europe to Establish New Lloyd’s Syndicate
Mar 17 2009 // Arch Insurance Company (Europe) Limited, a subsidiary of Bermuda-based Arch Capital Group Ltd., announced that it has received approval from Lloyd’s to establish a new syndicate, which is slated to commence...
