Latest S&P Headlines
All the headlines from our S&P Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Ratings Recap: Dah Sing, Everest Re, Omnium, First Takaful, TATIL
Sep 4 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has assigned a financial strength rating of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating of “a-” to Bermuda-based Dah Sing Insurance Company Limited (DSI) with stable outlooks. “The...
S&P Reports ‘Sukuk’ Market is Growing, Despite ‘Some Roadblocks’
Sep 3 2009 // A report from Standard & Poor’s Paris office – The Sukuk Market Has Continued To Progress In 2009 Despite Some Roadblocks – notes that new issues of “sukuk (bonds compliant with Islamic law)...
Judge Says Rating Agencies Not Shielded by Free Speech Defense
Sep 3 2009 // Credit rating agencies may find it harder to argue that their opinions deserve free speech protection after a judge rejected efforts by Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s to dismiss a fraud...
S&P Lowers Ratings on Selective Insurance Group; Outlook Negative
Sep 2 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has lowered its counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on Selective Insurance Co. of America and its insurance company affiliates (collectively referred to as...
S&P Rates Max Capital’s Operating Companies ‘A-‘; Outlook Stable
Aug 26 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has assigned its ‘A-‘ counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on Max Capital Group Ltd.’s operating insurance and reinsurance companies. S&P...
S&P, A.M. Best Rate Fairfax Financial’s Debt Issue
Aug 18 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services and A.M. Best Co. have both assigned ratings to the C$400 million (US $368 million) 7.5 percent senior unsecured fixed rate notes due 2019 to be issued by Fairfax Financial...
Ratings Roundup: Glencoe (RenRe), Aegon, IGI
Aug 18 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has assigned its ‘A+’ counterparty credit and financial strength ratings to Glencoe Insurance Ltd., Stonington Insurance Co., Lantana Insurance Ltd., and Stonington...
S&P Affirms Ratings, Revises Outlook on Fortis, after Amlin Acquisition
Jul 23 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook to stable from negative on Netherlands-based commercial lines insurer Fortis Corporate Insurance N.V. (FCI), and affirmed its ‘A-‘ long-term...
Ratings Recap: QBE (US), Triangle, Zurich (US) Subsidiaries
Jul 22 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has assigned its ‘A+’ counterparty credit and financial strength ratings to QBE Specialty Insurance Co. (QSIC) with a stable outlook. “We view QSIC to be a...
S&P Lowers Ratings on 6 Cat Bonds; Puts 4 on CreditWatch/Negative
Jul 21 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has lowered its ratings on six natural peril catastrophe bonds issued in 2007 and 2008, as listed below. The bulletin said: “We lowered our ratings by...
Giant Pension Calpers Sues Moody’s, S&P, Fitch Over Securities Ratings
Jul 16 2009 // Calpers, the biggest U.S. public pension fund, has sued the three largest credit rating agencies for giving perfect grades to securities that later suffered huge subprime mortgage losses. The California Public...
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...
Ratings Roundup: Arch Capital, American Safety, Parkton Re
Jul 13 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook on Bermuda-based insurance and reinsurance holding company Arch Capital Group Ltd.(ACGL) and its operating subsidiaries to positive from stable....
S&P Raises Validus Outlook to ‘Positive;’ IPC Outlook Stays Negative
Jul 13 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook on Bermuda-based insurance and reinsurance holding company Validus Holdings Ltd. to positive from stable, and has affirmed its ‘BBB-‘...
S&P Lowers AIG’s Personal Lines Subs, 21st Century Ratings
Jul 9 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has lowered its counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on the personal lines operating insurance units of 21st Century Insurance Group and American International...
S&P Changes Outlook on PartnerRe’s Ratings to Negative
Jul 7 2009 // While Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services is positive in its outlook for PARIS RE (See related article), it is less so when it comes to the acquiring company, Bermuda-based PartnerRe. S&P said it has revised...
S&P, Best See Positive Outlook for PARIS RE Deal with PartnerRe
Jul 7 2009 // Both A.M. Best Co. and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services have taken a positive outlook for their ratings on PARIS RE and its operating companies, following the announcement that the group would be acquired by...
Employers Holdings To Be Added to S&P 600
Jun 19 2009 // Reno, Nev.-based Employers Holdings Inc. announced Standard & Poor’s will add it to the S&P 600 SmallCap Index. The S&P 600 is considered the preferred small capitalization-market index in the United...
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...
S&P Places IPC Holdings and Related Ratings on CreditWatch/Negative
Jun 17 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has placed its ‘BBB’ counterparty credit rating on Bermuda-based IPC Holdings Ltd. on CreditWatch with negative implications. S&P also placed its...
