France
Ferma 2011: Torus to bring property underwriting to French office
Insurer Torus has confirmed that it will be bringing property underwriting to its French operation.
Fitch downgrades French life sector
Fitch has revised its rating outlook for the French life sector to negative from stable, indicating that it believes a significant portion of life ratings could be downgraded over the next 12 to 24 months.
European contract law poll result
Does the European insurance market need an optional contract law?
Insurance Insight weekly update live
Insurance Insight’s weekly update is live with an article on International geocoding; and a View from the Top on the importance of collaboration and partnership for the modern broker.
Groupama actions fail to avert S&P rating action
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services has lowered its long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings of Groupama SA and its related subsidiaries to 'BBB' from 'BBB+', and removed them from Credit Watch with negative implications.
Insurance Insight weekly update live
Insurance Insight’s weekly update is live with an article on the pitfalls and opportunities with exporting to the US; and a View from the Top the different approaches being adopted for environmental liability.
Exporting to the US: pitfalls and potential
Exporting to the US could be a solution to Europe’s economic problems but as Pat Drinan explains brokers looking to help out firms venturing into this market need to watch their own back as well as their clients.
View from the top: Environmental variations cause issues
Differing approaches adopted by individual European countries have added complexity to the issue of environmental liability.
Broadgate acquisition is last for Torus
The recent acquisition of Broadgate Underwriting by Torus finalises a string of hires and acquisitions by the globetrotting insurer.
Whiplash - Britain: The European whiplash capital
With its proportion of whiplash claims far outstripping any other European nation, what must the UK do to curb this cause of claims inflation?
European Commission to propose additional contract law in October
European Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding is today meeting with leaders of European insurance companies to discuss European contract law in the insurance sector.
Stable rating outlook for Dutch insurance sector
The rating outlook for the Dutch insurance sector is stable, indicating that a vast majority of Dutch insurer ratings are likely to be affirmed over the next 12-24 months.
Insurance Insight Q&A: Stef Witteveen
Claims-processing management firm CED recently expanded in Spain with the acquisition of CSP, Insurance Insight caught up with Stef Witteveen, chief executive officer, to find out all the news on the purchase and the firm’s plans has for the future.
Mooted HSBC GI sale a sign of the times
HSBC’s mooted plan to sell its general insurance arm is part of a growing trend of banks “retrenching”, according to an analyst.
Interview – Pierre Lefèvre: A long time coming
As international division managing director for Groupama, the UK once again falls under the watchful eye of Pierre Lefèvre, after an earlier five-year stint as the country’s CEO. Almost a decade after their last interview, Lynn Rouse catches up with…
French academic institutes join Willis Research Network
Willis Research Network has introduced two new French members to its network.
Mooted HSBC GI sale a sign of the times
HSBC’s mooted plan to sell its general insurance arm is part of a growing trend of banks “retrenching”, according to an analyst.
AIR updates European wind and earthquake CAT models
Catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide has released updates to its Extratropical Cyclone and Earthquake Models for Europe.
Property lines remain volatile across Europe
Property lines remain substantially more volatile than other major lines across Europe, according to new research.
Insurance Insight weekly update live
Insurance Insight’s weekly update is live with an article on the growing problem of travel clinic fraud: and a blog asking when the Middle East will stop being an emerging market?
Catastrophe poll result
Find out if the market voted for government to be the fund of last resort in catastrophes?
Guest Blog: Middle East: Emerging or developed?
To understand where the Middle East insurance markets are heading you first have to look at where they are coming from.
Travel clinic fraud: a growing problem
Thousands of holidaymakers who receive medical treatment while travelling abroad are at risk of being overcharged, according to Mike Keating.
Strong European performance helps Coface H1 results
Credit insurer Coface group has reported robust results for the first half of 2011, which the firm said confirms its financial recovery, and vindicates the decision to refocus its credit insurance in March this year.