Latest Europe Headlines

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

Best Affirms FSR for Arch Insurance Co. (Europe)

Nov 1 2005 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating of “a-” of Arch Insurance Company (Europe) Limited (Arch Europe) (United Kingdom). The outlook for both...

S&P Evaluates Effect of EU Regulations on Europe’s Insurers

Oct 24 2005 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has published a study of the effects of new regulations on European insurers, which concludes that the regulations and structural developments within the sector “are...

S&P Finds ‘Positive Trends’ in European Insurance Market

Oct 11 2005 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has published its quarterly analysis of the leading European insurers, entitled “Industry Report Card: European Insurance.” S&P found that positive trends in...

European Polar Satellite Lost

Oct 10 2005 // The European Space Agency’s Cryosat spacecraft was lost minutes after lift-off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia on Saturday Oct. 8. Cryosat, which cost 135 million euros ($164 million) was designed to...

European Organization Tackles Health Care Fraud; Gee to Head EHFCN

Oct 10 2005 // Health care fraud is of as much concern in Europe as in the U.S. That’s the message from the second annual European Healthcare Fraud and Corruption Conference. The European Healthcare Fraud and Corruption Network...

News Briefs

Oct 3 2005 // Roundup of Katrina Loss Estimates: As the scope of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina became increasingly evident, European and Bermuda-based insurers and reinsurers continued to calculate their potential...

ABI Calls on Government to Delay VAT Enforcement Ruling; Cost Estimated at $352 Million

Sep 30 2005 // The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has called on the Government to delay implementation of an EU court ruling that would impose value added taxes (VAT) on services outsourced beyond EU borders. The ABI estimates...

International Newsbriefs

Sep 19 2005 // European Insurers Estimate Katrina Losses: A disaster the scope of Hurricane Katrina hits everybody, not just U.S. carriers. The following are some of the preliminary estimates of anticipated losses from a number of...

News Briefs

Sep 19 2005 // European Insurers Estimate Katrina Losses: A disaster the scope of Hurricane Katrina hits everybody, not just U.S. carriers. The following are some of the preliminary estimates of anticipated losses from a number of...

Zurich Appoints Lopez to Head Spain

Sep 15 2005 // The Zurich Financial Services Group has announced the appointment of Julian Lopez, 50, as CEO of its business in Spain effective April 1, 2006. He will take over from José Cela, 61, Zurich’s Spanish CEO since...

Allianz Offers $7 Billion for Remaining RAS Shares; Plans Restructuring

Sep 13 2005 // Germany’s Allianz AG announced an offer to shareholders of Riunione Adriatica di Sicurtà (RAS) S.p.A for the approximately 45 percent of the shares it doesn’t already own. At 19 euros ($23.35) per share that...

S&P Issues Report on European Insurers U.S. Operations

Sep 8 2005 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has issued a new report on how European insurers are doing in the U.S. market. The article entitled “Some European Insurers Maintain U.S. Property/Casualty Operations...

Zurich Estimates $100 Million in European Flood Losses; No Estimate Yet on Katrina

Sep 8 2005 // The Zurich Financial Services Group has issued a statement that, based on preliminary estimates, “it expects aggregate claims payments related to the recent floods affecting Switzerland, southern Germany and Austria...

Assured Guaranty Appoints Bajer Managing Director for Europe

Sep 7 2005 // Assured Guaranty Corp., a subsidiary of Assured Guaranty Ltd. announced that Assured Guaranty (UK) Ltd., its European unit, has appointed Marc Bajer as managing director and head of its European business. He will be...

Ace Europe Expands IT Loss Protection

Sep 6 2005 // The ACE European Group announced the launch of “Computerguard,” which it described as “the latest in its suite of loss protection products to cover financial losses relating to IT hardware and system...

Sep 5 2005 // Extreme Weather Hits Europe: Devastating wild fires in Portugal; torrential rains in Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Romania; drought in much of France. There seems to be no end to the list of extreme weather conditions...

International Newsbriefs

Sep 5 2005 // Extreme Weather Hits Europe: Devastating wild fires in Portugal; torrential rains in Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Romania; drought in much of France. There seems to be no end to the list of extreme weather conditions...

Converium Issues Statement on Katrina, Central Europe Flooding

Sep 2 2005 // Swiss reinsurer Converium has issued the following statement concerning expected losses from Hurricane Katrina and from the floods that ravaged Switzerland, Austria and other European countries in August. “Based on...

AWAC Promotes D’Orazio to Senior VP, Global Mgr. – General Casualty Division

Aug 29 2005 // Bermuda-based Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd. (AWAC) announced that Frank N. D’Orazio has been named senior vice president and global manager of its General Casualty division. He is charged with setting and...

Extreme Weather Hits Europe

Aug 23 2005 // Devastating fires in Portugal; torrential rains in Switzerland, Austria and Romania; drought in much of France – the list of extreme weather conditions continues to grow in Europe.No contrast is more vivid than...