Latest S&P Headlines
All the headlines from our S&P Topic Page, ordered by recency.
ZFS’ Centre Solutions on Watch Neg
Sep 18 2003 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced it placed its ratings on Centre Solutions (Bermuda) Ltd. and related operating companies (collectively referred to as Centre) on CreditWatch with negative...
ZFS Subs Outlook Revised to Stable
Sep 18 2003 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services revised its outlook on the core operating entities of the Switzerland-based composite insurance group Zurich Financial Services (collectively ZFS) and the outlook on the group...
S&P Places Centre Solutions, Bermuda, Ratings on Watch Negative
Sep 17 2003 // Standard & Poor’s has placed its ratings on Centre Solutions (Bermuda) Ltd. and related operating companies (collectively referred to as Centre) on CreditWatch with negative implications because of concerns that...
Aviva Plans $1.9 Billion Bond Issue – Rating Agencies React
Sep 11 2003 // Aviva Plc., the U.K.’s largest insurer, announced plans to raise £1.2 billion ($1.91 billion) in new capital through the issuance of junior subordinated bonds. Plans call for the issue to be completed by the end of...
S&P Reports Marine Hull Insurance Rates Set to Peak in 2005
Sep 10 2003 // Standard & Poor’s reported that rates across the global marine hull insurance market look set to peak in 2005, a year later than previously expected. It noted, however, that although this promised a...
S&P Sees Stability in Reinsurers’ Ratings
Sep 9 2003 // Standard & Poor’s has issued a report entitled “Global Reinsurance: Calmer Waters Ahead?” which indicates that the outlook for reinsurers’ ratings “is now nearing stability.” The...
Recent Ratings Round-up
Sep 5 2003 // Due to the significant number of ratings announcements released recently, the IJ offers the following summary of actions taken by the rating agencies indicated. More complete information can be obtained directly from the...
S&P Affirms Everest Re Group Ratings
Sep 4 2003 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has affirmed its ‘A-‘ counterparty credit and preliminary senior debt, ‘BBB+’ subordinated debt, and ‘BBB’ preferred stock...
S&P Publishes Encouraging Report on Asia-Pacific Reinsurance Market
Sep 2 2003 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has published a report on the Asia-Pacific nonlife reinsurance market, which indicates that it “is experiencing a period of profitability following a decade of weak...
S&P Lowers Munich Re Ratings to ‘A+’
Aug 28 2003 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has lowered its long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on Munich Reinsurance Co. and related core subsidiaries of the Munich Re...
S&P Comments on Promina’s Profit Figures
Aug 28 2003 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services issued a bulletin noting that Australia and New Zealand’s Promina Group Ltd.’s reported half-year profits of A$135 million ($U.S.$87 million) after tax, indicating...
Blackout to Have Small Impact on U.S. Insurers
Aug 21 2003 // Last week’s blackout that halted power throughout the Midwest, the northeastern U.S., and parts of Canada reportedly might only have a minimal impact on U.S. insurance companies, depending on the official cause of...
S&P Releases Report on Australian Insurers
Aug 19 2003 // Standard & Poor’s has released a report on the life and nonlife insurance sectors in Australia that concludes the two are facing “very different operating environment dynamics in 2003.” It is the...
S&P Revises Norwegian Bluewater Insurance Outlook to Negative
Aug 18 2003 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has revised its outlook on Norwegian marine insurer Bluewater Insurance ASA to negative from stable. However, it affirmed its ‘BBB-‘ long-term...
S&P Cuts Swiss Re
Aug 18 2003 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services lowered its long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on Zurich-based global reinsurer Swiss Reinsurance Co. and related core subsidiaries of the...
S&P Cuts Unitrin Debt
Aug 15 2003 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services lowered its counterparty credit and senior debt ratings on Chicago-based insurer Unitrin Inc. to “BBB+” from “A-” because of a decline in operating...
S&P Revises Aon Outlook to Negative
Aug 14 2003 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook on Aon Corp. to negative from stable because of concerns about the disparity in pre-tax margins between what Aon is earning on its risk and insurance...
S&P Affirms Gerling NCM Credit and Finance Ratings
Aug 13 2003 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has affirmed its ‘A’ counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on the core operating entities of Germany-based insurance group,...
S&P affirms Oil Insurance Ltd., ‘A+’ Ratings
Aug 13 2003 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has affirmed its ‘A+’ counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on Oil Insurance Ltd. (OIL) with a negative outlook, and has removed them...
S&P Publishes Industry Report Card on Reinsurers
Aug 11 2003 // Standard & Poor’s has published an industry report card on North American reinsurers. Continued rate increases in the global reinsurance market have failed to stem the downward pressure on ratings, and Standard...
