France
EU considering impact on trade of Iranian oil insurance ban
Britain and France are studying a proposed European Union ban on insuring tankers carrying Iranian oil to see how severe an impact it would have on trade with non-EU countries, Reuters reported.
Casualty & General opens first office in London
Gibraltar-based liability cover specialist Casualty & General Insurance Company (Europe) has opened a representative office in London as part of plans to grow its business in the UK, particularly its casualty account.
Taiwan regulator lambasts fickleness of foreign insurers
Taiwan's Financial Supervisory Commission has criticised foreign insurers for exiting the market at the first sign of trouble, and urged them to honour their commitments in Taiwan.
Allianz hunts P&C acquisition targets
German insurer Allianz is considering property and casualty acquisitions, having a better grasp of future capital requirements for the business under Solvency II, according to reports.
Terrorism and political violence poll result
Risk downgrades were applied last week to the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
MMA posts £12.1m profit in final results before merger
MMA Insurance recorded pre-tax operating profit of £12.1m in its 2011 annual results, up from £0.3m in the prior year period.
Fitch affirms Coface's 'AA-' IFS rating
Credit insurer Coface's major group insurance entities have had their 'AA-' IFS rating and 'A+' IDR ratings affirmed by Fitch.
Credit card-linked insurance and assistance market worth €4bn in Europe
The market for packaging and cross-selling insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts is lively and competitive in most European countries, according to research by consultancy firm Finacord.
IT systems make Asian acquisitions an attractive option for insurers
Flexible and efficient IT systems are essential for insurers aiming to bolster Asian operations through acquisitions, according to IT consultancy Northdoor.
Litigation in Continental Europe may affect European insurers
Attempts to adapt local legislation to European Union and international law are creating a challenging environment for insurers operating in the region, according to Guy Carpenter.
Catalana Occidente bids for Groupama Spain
Insurer Grupo Catalana Occidente SA has made a non-binding bid for the Spanish arm of French insurer Groupama SA.
View from the Top: The varying role of the broker across Europe
There is no perfect model for an insurance broker. The important aspect to focus on is not the way in which distribution in individual European countries - or sectors - works, but the continued collaboration of the industry as a whole.
Price-comparison model questioned as Admiral casts off Italian Chiarezza
Admiral's sale of its Italian aggregator Chiarezza on Monday demonstrates a failure adequately to invest in overseas ventures, and further withdrawal from European aggregators is a possibility for the insurer, according to one analyst.
Mayer leaves Aviva as part of management restructure
Igal Mayer has left Aviva as part of a mangement restructure to 'simplify' and 'focus' the business, after little more than a year in his role.
Editor's comment: Shaking up the market
Two of this week's market stories - emanating from opposite ends of the insurance supply chain, and arising from both home and abroad - carry the potential for significant shakeup in the months to come.
Admiral sells Chiarezza to BlackFin Assurance
Admiral has sold its Italian price comparison venture to BlackFin Assurance Courtage.
Lloyd's Lonmar sells MediCare to April
Lloyd's broker Lonmar Global Risk has agreed terms for the sale of its MediCare International subsidiary to French firm April.
Insurance Insight – top 10 stories
The top 10 most popular articles published on insuranceinsight.eu over the past seven days.
Are you listening to your customer?
The perception in the insurance market is that all customers care about is price but, as Geoffrey Godding and John Cooper reveal, a recent survey highlighted that brand, financial security and insurer interaction are just as important.
Insurance Insight – top 10 stories
The top 10 most popular articles on insuranceinsight.eu over the past seven days.
RSA appoints new France country manager
Global insurer RSA has appointed Didier Arminjon as country manager for France.
MMA's Fearn becomes executive deputy chairman of Covéa
Garry Fearn, currently chief executive of MMA Insurance, is to take on a new role as executive deputy chairman of Covéa Insurance.
CCR removed from negative review after eurozone developments
State-owned Caisse Centrale de Reassurance has had its A++ financial strength rating and AA+ issuer credit rating removed from review by AM Best.
ISE 2012: France to suffer extreme temperatures due to global warming
Andreas Sterl, senior researcher at the Royal Netherlands meteorological Institute, has warned that France will be particularly affected by global warming.