Latest S&P Headlines

All the headlines from our S&P Topic Page, ordered by recency.

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...

S&P Affirms Max Cap’s Ratings – Off CreditWatch; Outlook Positive

Jun 17 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has affirmed its ‘BBB-‘ counterparty credit rating on Max Capital Group Ltd. and removed it from CreditWatch, where it was placed on March 2, 2009.The outlook on...

Analysts: P/C Insurers’ Hopes for Hard Market Undercutting Reserves

Jun 10 2009 // Some property/casualty insurers might be in for a rude awakening with respect to their reserve practices, according to industry experts.The property/casualty insurance sector’s ability to properly estimate its loss...