Latest S&P Headlines

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

S&P Lowers Hartford’s Ratings to ‘A-‘; On CreditWatch Negative

Feb 10 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has lowered its counterparty credit rating on Hartford Financial Services Group (HIG) to ‘A-‘ from ‘A’. S&P also placed its ratings on HIG and its...

Thai Bank Acquires AIG Bank, Card Business; S&P: ‘No Rating Change’

Feb 9 2009 // Thailand’s Bank of Ayudhya Public Company Limited (BAY) and American International Group, Inc. (AIG) announced an agreement under which BAY will acquire AIG Retail Bank Public Company Limited and AIG Card (Thailand)...

S&P, Best Put Swiss Re’s Ratings on Negative Credit Watch

Feb 6 2009 // Reactions from the rating agencies to Swiss Re’s announcement of further losses (See IJ web site – https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2009/02/05/97610.htm) has been swift.A.M. Best announced...

S&P: Irish Non-Life Market-‘Testing in 2009’, But ‘Fundamentally Robust’

Feb 5 2009 // In a report entitled “A Testing 2009 For The Irish Non-Life Insurance Market, Despite Fundamental Strengths,” Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services forecast a “difficult year ahead for the Irish...

S&P Withdraws, Affirms Ratings of Several ‘Minor AIG Subsidiaries’

Feb 5 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has announced various ratings actions on several subsidiaries of the American International Group.“These actions follow AIG’s decision to revise or terminate...

S&P Rates Phila. Indemnity, Phila. Insurance; ‘AA-‘; Outlook Stable

Feb 5 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has assigned its ‘AA-‘ counterparty credit and financial strength ratings to Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Co. and its sister company, Philadelphia Insurance Co....

S&P Foresees ‘Tough Times’ for Russian Insurers In 2009-2010

Feb 4 2009 // A report from Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services entitled, “Tough Times Will Challenge Russian Insurers In 2009-2010”, published on its RatingsDirect web site, concludes that “Russia’s...

Markel’s Ratings ‘Unaffected’ by Investment Losses Says S&P

Feb 4 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has indicated that its ‘BBB’ counterparty credit rating on Markel Corp (MKL) “is not affected by today’s announcement of fourth quarter 2008...

Ratings Recap: New Castle Re, Generali (Hungary), Allianz Risk Transfer

Feb 4 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength rating to ‘B++’ (Good) from ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) to “bbb” from “a-” of Bermuda-based New...

S&P Raises AXIS and Subs Ratings; Outlook Stable

Feb 3 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has raised its counterparty credit and senior unsecured debt ratings on Bermuda-based insurance and reinsurance holding company AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd. to ‘A-‘...

S&P Withdraws Emerson Re Loan Rating; Other Ratings Unaffected

Feb 3 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that its “ratings on Emerson Re Ltd.’s three bank loans are unaffected by CIG Reinsurance Ltd. and New Castle Re Ltd.’s (collectively the cedents)...

Ratings: Swiss Re (Canada), New India, Transsib Re, HDI, Willow Re (Notes), Euro Arab

Feb 3 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has withdrawn the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A+’ (Superior) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of “aa-” of Swiss Reinsurance Company Canada and has assigned a category NR-5 (Not...

S&P Takes Rating Actions on Aurora, Unipol, UGF Ahead Of Merger

Feb 2 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has withdrawn its ‘A-‘ long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on Italy-based composite insurer Aurora Assicurazioni...

S&P Lowers Allstate’s Operating Co. Ratings to ‘AA-‘; Outlook Negative

Jan 30 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has lowered its counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on Allstate Corp.’s core property-liability (Allstate Protection) and life insurance (Allstate...

Ratings Recap II: Chaucer, MSIG, Congregational, Top Layer, Asia Capital

Jan 30 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has issued a bulletin indicating that “its ‘3’ Lloyd’s Syndicate Assessment (LSA) on Chaucer – Syndicate 1084 is not affected by the announcement...

Ratings Recap I: Coachman/SGI, Ceska, Indus. Alliance, Polish Re, Jasindo

Jan 30 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has upgraded the financial strength rating (FSR) to ‘B++’ (Good) from ‘B’ (Fair) and issuer credit rating (ICR) to “bbb” from “bb+” of Canada’s Coachman...

S&P Assigns Preliminary Ratings to Atlas Re V Securitization

Jan 29 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has assigned its preliminary credit ratings to the $200 million principal at-risk variable-rate notes series 1, 2, and 3 issued by Atlas Reinsurance V Ltd.“The sponsor...

S&P Raises Fairfax Ratings to ‘BBB-‘ From ‘BB+’; Outlook Stable

Jan 29 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has raised its counterparty credit and senior unsecured debt ratings on Toronto-based Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. to ‘BBB-‘ from ‘BB+’. The outlook...

S&P Affirms ING’s ‘AA’ Ratings; Outlook Remains Negative

Jan 28 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has affirmed its ‘AA-/A-1+’ long- and short-term counterparty credit ratings on ING Groep N.V. and ING Verzekeringen N.V., and its ‘AA/A-1+’ long- and...

S&P Revises Aioi, Nissay Outlooks to Positive; Mitsui to Negative

Jan 27 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised to positive from stable its outlooks on the insurer financial strength ratings and long-term counterparty credit ratings on Japan’s Aioi Insurance Co. Ltd....