Latest QBE Headlines

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

S&P Lowers QBE Hongkong Rating

May 15 2006 // As previously indicated (See IJ Website May 11), Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has lowered its insurer financial strength rating on Hong Kong-based general insurer QBE Hongkong & Shanghai Insurance...

S&P Puts QBE Hongkong on CreditWatch after Guarantee Withdrawn

May 11 2006 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced from its Melbourne office that it has placed its “A+” insurer financial strength rating on Hong Kong-based general insurer QBE Hongkong & Shanghai...

QBE Reports 2005 Profits Up 27% to $806 Million

Feb 23 2006 // The directors of Australia’s QBE Insurance Group Limited announced that net profit after tax for the 2005 financial year increased by 27 percent to A$1.091 billion (US$806 million). Profit before tax was up 37...

S&P Affirms, Withdraws QBE (U.K.) Ratings Following Consolidation

Feb 13 2006 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has affirmed its long-term “A+” counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on U.K.-based non-life insurer QBE Insurance Co. (U.K.)...

Best Affirms QBE’s Key Operating Subsidiaries ‘A’ Ratings

Jan 12 2006 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength rating of “A” (Excellent) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a+” of the following subsidiaries of Australian insurer QBE: QBE...

Vietnam’s BIDV Bank to Acquire QBE’s Insurance Co. Stake

Jan 9 2006 // The Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) has reportedly agreed to purchase all the stock held by Australia’s QBE Insurance Group in their joint-venture insurance company.As reported by Asia Pulse on...

QBE (Europe) Ratings “Unaffected” by Branding Change Says S&P

Nov 10 2005 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that its ratings and outlook on the recently rebranded QBE Insurance (Europe) Ltd., rated “A+” with a stable outlook, (formerly QBE International...

S&P Raises British Marine Luxembourg Ratings to ‘A’

Nov 10 2005 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has raised its long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on Luxembourg-based marine insurer British Marine Luxembourg S.A. (BM) to...

OneBeacon Closes Sale of National Farmers Union to QBE

Oct 4 2005 // OneBeacon Insurance Group in Boston has completed the sale of National Farmers Union Property and Casualty Company subsidiary to QBE Insurance Group as planned for approximately $142 million. The transaction included...

QBE Buying British Marine

Sep 27 2005 // Australia’s QBE Insurance Group today announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire the U.K.-based specialist marine insurer, British Marine Holdings Limited. The deal is expected to close before December 31,...

QBE Reports Record $375 Million 1st Half Profit

Aug 17 2005 // Australia’s QBE Insurance Group announced a record profit after tax of A$491 million (US$375 million) for the half year to 30 June 2005, an increase of 43 percent on the profit after tax of A$343 million (US$262...

OneBeacon Sells National Farmers Union to QBE

Jul 27 2005 // OneBeacon Insurance Group in Boston has agreed to sell its National Farmers Union Property and Casualty Company (NFU) subsidiary to QBE Insurance Group for approximately $142 million, subject to adjustment based on closing...

Best Upgrades QBE Int’l. Ratings

Jun 10 2005 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has upgraded the financial strength rating of the U.K.-based QBE International Insurance Limited (QIIL) to “A” (Excellent) from “A-” (Excellent) and the issuer credit...

Best Upgrades QBE (UK) Ratings

Jun 10 2005 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has upgraded the financial strength rating of QBE Insurance Company (UK) Limited (QBE UK) to “A” (Excellent) from “A-” (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating to...

QBE Adds Greenhill Underwriting Group

Mar 1 2005 // QBE announced on Tuesday it had agreed to acquire Greenhill Underwriting Group, subject to regulatory approval, to enhance its strength and profile in the continental European market.Greenhill is a UK-based underwriting...

QBE 2004 Operating Profit up 43% to $645 Million

Feb 25 2005 // Australia’s QBE Insurance Group announced a record operating profit after tax of A$820 million (U.S. $645 million) for the year ended Dec. 31, 2004, up 43 percent on the profit of A$572 million (U.S.$450 million)...

S&P Sees No Effect on Australian Insurers’ Ratings from Tsunami Losses

Dec 29 2004 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has issued a bulletin stating that it does not expect Australian general insurers to be materially affected by the cost of insurance claims arising from the Indian Ocean...

Best Assigns ‘bbb+’ Rating to QBE Notes

Sep 23 2004 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has assigned a rating of “bbb+” to the proposed £175 million ($315 million) senior notes due 2009 to be issued by Australia’s QBE Insurance Group Limited, the...

S&P Affirms QBE Re (Europe) ‘A+’ Ratings

Sep 23 2004 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has affirmed its “A+” long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on Dublin-based non-life reinsurer QBE Reinsurance...

S&P Assigns ‘A-‘ Rating to QBE Debt Securities

Sep 22 2004 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has assigned its “A-” senior debt rating to Australian insurer QBE’s Funding Trust III’s US$375 million 20-year zero coupon senior...