Europe
QBE and Institute of Risk Management enter partnership
QBE has entered into a partnership with the IRM involving sponsorship of the risk leaders' conference, the Professional Development Forum and special interest groups.
Skuld forms P&I partnership with Alandia
Norwegian mutual insurer Skuld has joined forces with Alandia Marine to bring Skuld's protection and indemnity products to Alandia's members and clients.
RSA and Groupama sign motor claims agreement
RSA and Groupama Insurances have signed a bilateral agreement to help tackle the industry issue of subrogated motor repair costs.
MS Frontier Re to open Malaysian office
MS Frontier Re plans to establish a new branch office in Malaysia subject to regulatory approval to service its clients in Asia and Oceania.
French treasury to raise €800m via tax on insurers
French insurers and reinsurers face a 7% hike in the exit tax on capitalisation reserves, if proposals in the 2013 budget go ahead.
Ace launches property offering to fill terrorism gap
Ace Group has launched a property insurance proposition designed to cover the gaps between traditional property, terrorism and political violence insurance policies.
Munich Re chief laments China's poor rate of quake cover
Nikolaus Von Bomhard has implored China to create a public-private partnership to provide earthquake protection for businesses and citizens in the country.
Talanx completes IPO
German insurance group Talanx AG has completed its IPO with an initial listing of shares on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange today.
Lloyd's Italy sees 20% growth in H1
Lloyd's bucked the European economic trend to grow 20% in Italy in the first half of 2012.
Top five European news stories
The top five European stories from www.insuranceinsight.com over the past seven days.
Lemma faces liquidation after deterioration in finances
The Gibraltar Financial Services Commission has confirmed that Lemma Insurance Company has gone into liquidation.
Travelers appoints Willis' Wilson as COO Europe
Travelers has appointed Matthew Wilson as chief operating officer for Europe.
Pricing and claims improving in French GI sector
The French general insurance sector's outlook is stable, despite weak volume growth over the past 12 months, according to Fitch.
EU and US seek to harmonise insurance regulation
Regulators from the EU will meet with their US counterparts this month in a bid to increase understanding and enhance cooperation between the two regimes on insurance regulation.
UK private medical cover second most expensive in Europe
UK policyholders of private medical cover pay some of the highest premiums in Europe, despite scaled back cover and a limited choice of providers.
Covéa launches in UK
Covéa Insurance, the business created from the merger of MMA Insurance and Provident Insurance, launched today, promising to deliver "the quality, consistency and financial reassurance that our broker partners and customers value".
Francis accepts nomination for Swiss Re board
Mary Francis has been proposed for election to Swiss Re's board of directors at its next annual general meeting in April 2013, and to join the board of directors of Swiss Reinsurance Company on 1 October 2012.
Allianz shuns European sovereign debt
German insurer Allianz will eschew European sovereign debt when seeking future investments, preferring to invest in energy and infrastructure projects, chief executive Michael Diekmann said this week.
European floods: keeping the funds flowing
Floods are an on-going threat for Europe, yet the approach to insuring and recovering from them is wide and varied. Francesca Nyman investigates how Europe is tackling the issue and what the future is likely to bring.
Perception of insurance changing with next generation of Kazakhstanis
After being negatively affected by the global financial crisis Kazachstan's insurance market has enjoyed a strong recovery over the past two years which is continuing into 2012, according to a report by AM Best.
AIA wins race to buy Aviva's Sri Lanka insurance arm
British insurer Aviva has accepted a bid from AIA group subsidiary, American International Assurance Company, for its 58.44% interest in Aviva NDB Holdings Lanka for £31m.
Reinsurers look to underwriting results as investment yields fall
The investment returns achieved by reinsurers have fallen significantly during 2012 as Eurozone fears drive a flight to higher grade securities perceived as less risky, according to Guy Carpenter.
Liability insurance buying on the rise for EMEA firms
Companies in Europe, the Middle East and Africa are buying higher levels of liability insurance as fears increase over possible claims during the economic downturn.
New jet allows CEGA to repatriate claimants across the globe
Medical assistance and claims management company CEGA is extending the international reach of its air ambulance service to meet growing demand for long-distance critical care transfers.