Latest S&P Headlines

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

S&P Lowers Skandia Ratings to ‘A-‘

Jan 30 2006 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has lowered its long-term counterparty credit rating on Swedish long-term savings provider Skandia Insurance Co. Ltd. to ‘A-‘ from...

Fitch Puts China’s CIIH Ratings on Watch-Negative; S&P Comments

Jan 27 2006 // Fitch Ratings announced that it has placed China Insurance International Holding Co. Ltd.’s (CIIH) long-term rating of “BBB-” and the senior debt rating of “BBB-” assigned to the guaranteed...

S&P Rates Endurance Debt Issue

Jan 27 2006 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has assigned its preliminary “BBB” senior debt, “BBB-” subordinated debt, “BB+” junior subordinated, and “BB+”...

S&P Rates ACE Debt Issue

Jan 24 2006 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has assigned its preliminary “BBB+” senior debt, “BBB” subordinated debt, “BBB-” junior subordinated debt, and...

S&P Sees ‘Little Impact’ on Ratings from Hurricane Estimate Differences

Jan 24 2006 // A self-descriptive article from Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services -“Increases In Hurricane Loss Estimates To Have Little Impact On Insurer Ratings -” clarifies some questions concerning the actual...

S&P Affirms Hannover Re, Clarendon Ratings; Off CreditWatch

Jan 23 2006 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has “affirmed its long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on Hannover Rückversicherung-AG and its core entities...

Global Catastrophe Reinsurance Price Increases Lower Than Expected

Jan 23 2006 // Although the overall market trends in both pricing and terms and conditions will not be fully developed until the July 1, 2006, Florida renewals are complete, and Standard & Poor’s says it is concerned that the...

Personal lines looking fine, thanks to fewer accidents and price changes

Jan 23 2006 // The year 2005 is looking like it was a relatively good one with solid financial news for property casualty insurers overall, despite record catastrophe losses, and 2006 could bring even better news, according to analysts...

S&P Reports on Japan Captives

Jan 23 2006 // According to a new report – “Tighter Regulations Spark Rating Demand In Japan’s Growing Captive Insurer Market” – published by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services; more attention is...

Personal lines looking fine, thanks to fewer accidents and price changes

Jan 22 2006 // I.I.I. JOINT P/C FORUM: Outside Looking In – Left to right: V.J. Dowling, Dowling & Partners Securities; Mark Puccia, Standard & Poor’s; David Schiff, Schiff’s Insurance Observer; Brian P....

S&P Sees European Securitizations Gaining Acceptance

Jan 19 2006 // Standard & Poor’s newly issued report on Corporate Securitizations notes that these types of transactions are gaining increasing acceptance as a capital management tool by European insurers, with Swiss Re and...

S&P Affirms Winterthur’s ‘A-‘ Rating

Jan 18 2006 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has affirmed its “A-” long-term counterparty and insurer financial strength ratings on Winterthur Swiss Insurance Co. with a stable...

S&P Lowers Cassiopea Re’s Ratings to ‘BBB+; Withdrawn at Company Request

Jan 16 2006 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has lowered its long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on Luxembourg-based reinsurer Casiopea Re S.A. to “BBB+” from...

S&P Survey of Australia NZ Market Notes M&A Activity; Rating Changes

Jan 16 2006 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has issued a report which notes: “Rating actions picked up noticeably in Australia and New Zealand in 2005, as merger and acquisition (M&A) activity intensified and...

S&P Assigns ‘BBB+’ Rating to Germany’s VHV Holding

Jan 12 2006 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has assigned its “BBB+” long-term counterparty credit rating to Germany’s VHV Holding with a stable outlook.S&P said: “The rating...

S&P Calls 2005 ‘a Good Year’ for European Insurers, Despite Losses

Jan 11 2006 // A report published by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, “Industry Report Card: European Insurance,” notes that “despite the large losses related to hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, 2005...

S&P Assigns Mitsubishi’s New Century ‘A-‘ Rating; CreditWatch Positive

Jan 10 2006 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced from its Tokyo office that it has assigned its “A-” insurer financial strength rating to New Century Insurance Co. Ltd. and placed the rating on...

S&P Keeps Unipol on CreditWatch

Jan 10 2006 // In a comment on its CreditWatch placement of Italian insurer Compagnia Assicuratrice Unipol SpA (Unipol), Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services commented that its “A-” long-term counterparty credit and...

S&P, Swiss Re Predict More Securitization, M&A’s in Life Market

Jan 9 2006 // It’s hard to get anything close to a consensus from financial analysts, but one forecast seems to be gaining almost universal credibility. The life sector is set for further consolidation in 2006. This appears to be...

S&P Maintains Stable Outlook on Italian Insurance Industry

Jan 9 2006 // In a recently issued study “Insurance Industry Risk Analysis: Italy (Republic of),” Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said it is maintaining its stable outlook on the Italian insurance industry....