Latest Swiss Re Headlines

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

Smith to Join Swiss Re as President, CEO Americas; Ozendo Retiring

Jun 15 2011 // The Directors of Swiss Re Group and the Directors of Swiss Re America Holding Corporation announced that J. Eric Smith will join Swiss Re as President and CEO, Americas effective July 11. He will replace Pierre Ozendo who...

Swiss Re to Reinsure Ethiopian Microinsurance Project

Jun 10 2011 // Swiss Re is to reinsure a five-year project that provides drought insurance for crops in Ethiopia, in a microinsurance program developed by the World Food Program (WFP) and Oxfam America.The world’s biggest reinsurer...

Swiss Re to Acquire $2.62 Billion in Assets from American Life

Jun 1 2011 // Swiss Re announced that it will acquire approximately 300,000 policies and £1.6 billion [$2.62 billon] in assets from American Life Insurance Company.The transaction reinforces Swiss Re’s “commitment to...

First Quarter Earnings Report: Swiss Re, Zurich Financial Services

May 5 2011 // Swiss Re has estimated that its first quarter P&C pre-tax catastrophe losses exceed $2.3 billion, resulting in the $1.233 billion operating loss in this sector given above. Swiss Re’s earnings bulletin pointed...

2010 Nat Cats, Disasters Cost $218 Bn – $43 Bn Insured; Says Swiss Re

Mar 29 2011 // According to Swiss Re’s latest sigma study, worldwide economic losses from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters were $218 billion in 2010, more than triple the 2009 figure of $68 billion.The losses cost the...

Swiss Re Gives Proposals for Next AGM

Mar 25 2011 // Swiss Re’s Board of Directors has announced the agenda for the reinsurer’s forthcoming annual general meeting, set for April 15, and the proposals for which it will seek approvals.The Board will propose a...

Swiss Re Estimates Japan Earthquake, Tsunami Claims at $1.2 Billion

Mar 21 2011 // Swiss Re has released a preliminary estimate of its claims costs, net of retrocession and before tax, from the earthquake and the tsunami in Japan of $1.2 billion. The reinsurer cautioned that these “estimates are...

Swiss Re Reaffirms Commitment to Japanese Market

Mar 15 2011 // Swiss Re issued a statement which stressed that it is “committed to the Japanese insurance market and to supporting the country’s recovery from the devastating earthquake and tsunami which claimed many lives...

Swiss Re Estimates Christchurch Quake Claims at App. $800 Million

Mar 2 2011 // Swiss Re has announced that, based on current information, it provisionally estimates its claims cost from the earthquake in New Zealand on February 22nd to be approximately $800 million, net of retrocession and before...

Swiss Re 2010 Net Income up on Buffet Loan Repayment, but Miss Forecasts

Feb 17 2011 // Swiss Re struck a note of confidence on its pricing power and hiked its dividend, saying capital had recovered since it turned to U.S. billionaire Warren Buffett for help in the financial crisis.The world’s...

Swiss Re Urges Australia to Use Cat Bonds as Disaster Risk Rises

Feb 10 2011 // Global reinsurance giant Swiss Re said Australia’s natural disaster risk was increasing and urged its governments to cover the rising damages bill using insurance instruments like catastrophe bonds as opposed to...

Swiss Re Calls for Increased Role for Public-private Partnerships in Disaster Relief

Jan 27 2011 // Swiss Re notes that the “increasing severity and frequency of natural catastrophes are driving up the cost of disaster relief, especially in developing and emerging markets as they are hurt the most and prepared the...

Canopius Launches Swiss Reinsurance Operation; Seeks Omega Deal

Jan 10 2011 // Canopius Group Limited, a privately owned Lloyd’s re/insurer, has announced its intention to “extend its international footprint with the establishment of a reinsurance underwriting platform, Canopius Europe,...

Swiss Re Places $97 Million Windstorm Cat Bond for Groupama

Jan 7 2011 // Swiss Re Capital Markets has successfully structured and placed €75 million [app. $97 million] of notes issued by Green Fields Capital Limited covering French windstorm events.“Green Fields is a newly...

Swiss Re Concludes $170 Million Successor X Cat Bond Placement

Jan 5 2011 // Swiss Re has obtained another $170 million in protection through the Successor X Ltd. catastrophe bond program, covering Australia earthquake, North Atlantic hurricane and California earthquake risks.“The combination...

Swiss Re’s New sigma Study Highlights ‘Relevance of Microinsurance’

Dec 15 2010 // Swiss Re’s latest sigma study – “Microinsurance – risk protection for 4 billion people” – emphasizes the relevance of microinsurance as an effective and viable risk management solution...

Swiss Re Secures $106.5 Million Vega Cat Bond for Multiple Perils

Dec 14 2010 // Swiss Re announced that it has obtained $106.5 million in coverage “against North Atlantic hurricane, European windstorm, Californian earthquake, Japanese earthquake and Japanese typhoon through a natural catastrophe...

Swiss Re’s Economic Forum Sees Continued Growth, Pressure and Risks

Dec 8 2010 // Swiss Re’s Economic Forum singled out three main factors that will continue to affect the re/insurance market in 2011. The Forum’s economists forecast “continued global economic expansion in 2011, led by...

Catastrophes Cost World $222 Billion in 2010: Swiss Re

Nov 30 2010 // According to initial estimates from Swiss Re’s sigma research team, worldwide economic losses from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters totaled $222 billion in 2010; more than triple the 2009 figure of $63...

Swiss Re: Investment Managers Face ‘New, Challenging Environment’

Nov 23 2010 // Swiss Re’s latest sigma study, #5/2010, – “Insurance investment in a challenging global environment” – warns that a “low yield environment coupled with tighter regulatory standards could...