Latest Swiss Re Headlines

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

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Feb 3 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has withdrawn the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A+’ (Superior) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of “aa-” of Swiss Reinsurance Company Canada and has assigned a category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...

Lloyd’s Web Site Summarizes Current Opinions on Climate Change

Jan 23 2009 // “The string of natural catastrophes that wreaked havoc in 2008, costing the global economy $225 billion and leaving insurers with their second costliest year in history, graphically highlights the increasing risks to...

Swiss Re Analyzes Benefits of ‘Sustainable Agricultural Insurance’

Jan 9 2009 // “Agricultural insurance plays an important role in stimulating investment in agriculture and in stabilizing farmers’ income,” concludes a recently issued report from Swiss Re.The report, “Setting up...

Swiss Re Signs $1.5 Billion Letter of Credit with JP Morgan

Dec 22 2008 // Swiss Re has reacted to what it describes as “the unprecedented turmoil in the capital markets,” by arranging a $1.5 billion Letter of Credit (LoC) facility with JP Morgan.The world’s largest reinsurer...

Swiss Re Study: 238,000 Dead, Losses $225 Billion from 2008 Catastrophes

Dec 18 2008 // According to initial estimates from the forthcoming Swiss Re sigma study on catastrophes, more than 238,000 people lost their lives to natural catastrophes and man-made disasters in 2008 – the fourth largest number...

Swiss Re Sees ‘Severe Recession;’ Insurers Should Preserve Capital

Dec 10 2008 // At their most recent conference in London, Swiss Re’s economists predicted a “severe recession until mid 2009 in industrialized economies, including the United States and Europe.” They also expect that...

Swiss Re <em>sigma</em> Report Analyzes Emerging Markets, Takaful

Dec 3 2008 // Swiss Re’s newly released sigma study explores the latest developments in the insurance sector of emerging market economies, with a special focus on the growing market for takaful, a form of Islamic insurance.Swiss...

Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation to Honor Swiss Re

Nov 18 2008 // The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) announced that it will honor Pierre Ozendo, CEO and chairman of the Americas division of Swiss Re, for the company’s ongoing commitment to developing sustainability...

S&P Says Swiss Re’s ‘AA-‘ Ratings ‘Unaffected by Q3 Net Loss’

Nov 5 2008 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said that its ‘AA-‘ insurer financial strength and long-term counterparty credit ratings on Zurich-based global reinsurance group Swiss Reinsurance Company (Swiss...

Swiss Re Reports $259 Million Q3 Net Loss: $754 Million 9-Month Profit

Nov 4 2008 // Swiss Re reported a net loss of CHF 304 million ($259.3 million) for the third quarter of 2008, despite what it described as “good technical results for Property & Casualty.” For the first nine months of...

Swiss Re Completes Barclay’s Life Acquisition

Nov 3 2008 // Swiss Re has completed the acquisition of Barclays Life Assurance Company Ltd. for a cash purchase price of £762 million ($1.235 billion). Swiss Re noted that the transaction was first announced on August 5, 2008 and...

Swiss Re Partners with CelsiusPro for Weather Derivatives

Oct 3 2008 // Swiss Re announced a partnership with Zurich-based CelsiusPro to offer weather risk transfer solutions to European companies. Swiss Re said it would “provide the risk capacity and expertise to support...

Swiss Re Writedowns Less than Feared, Keeps Financial Targets

Sep 25 2008 // Swiss Re said on Thursday its investment portfolio remains sound despite tough financial markets and reaffirmed its targets as additional writedowns were lower than many had expected.The world’s largest reinsurer...

Ratings Recap: AIG (Taiwan) Lehman Re, Swiss Re (Denmark), Connaught, Allianz (Austria), China Ins. (Singapore)

Sep 18 2008 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has lowered its long-term counterparty credit rating and insurer financial strength rating on AIG General Insurance (Taiwan) Co. Ltd. (AIG Taiwan), to ‘A’ from...

Swiss Re Details Exposures: Lehman $46 Million; AIG $178 Million

Sep 17 2008 // Swiss Re said it “estimates its overall net exposure to Lehman Brothers at approximately CHF 50 million [$46.6 million] and to American International Group (AIG) at approximately CHF 200 million [$178.5...

Swiss Re Describes Reinsurers’ ‘Challenging Business Environment’

Sep 9 2008 // Swiss Re’s bulletin from Monte Carlo stresses that the “(re)insurance industry is facing a more challenging business environment, characterized by continued soft (re)insurance markets, stock market turbulence...

Gustav Could Cost Insurers $8B, Says Swiss Re

Sep 9 2008 // Hurricane Gustav will cost the global insurance industry up to $8 billion, Swiss Reinsurance Co. said Monday.Insured damages from natural disasters through the end of August were 20 percent higher than in the same period...

People

Sep 1 2008 // Swiss Re appointed Walter A. Bell chairman of Swiss Re America Holding Corp.Bell, whose appointment with Swiss Re is effective Sept. 2, is currently insurance commissioner of the Alabama Department of Insurance, a position...

People

Sep 1 2008 // Swiss Re appointed Walter A. Bell chairman of Swiss Re America Holding Corp.Bell, whose appointment with Swiss Re is effective Sept. 2, is currently insurance commissioner of the Alabama Department of Insurance, a position...

Best Withdraws Some Ratings on Swiss Re Subs after Domicile Transfer

Aug 20 2008 // A.M. Best Co. has withdrawn the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A+’ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa” of Swiss Re Life & Health Limited and Swiss Reinsurance Company UK...