Germany
All eyes on Polish regulator after EC clears Warta aquisition
The European Commission has cleared under EU merger regulations the acquisition of Polish insurance company Warta by Germany's Talanx International and Japan's Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance.
Allianz 'on track' for 2012 target after €2.3bn profit in Q1
Allianz Group achieved revenues of over €30bn in the first quarter of 2012, compared to €29.9bn in the first quarter of 2011, according to preliminary figures.
Terrorism and political violence poll result
Risk downgrades were applied last week to the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
Allianz sticking to targets for P&C profit plans
Allianz's attempt to more than double operating profit at its German property and casualty unit in the next three years is "on plan", according to Markus Riess.
Slim-line Talanx looking to shed 730 jobs by 2015
German insurance group Talanx plans to save €245m annually by cutting 730 jobs in a reorganisation of retail operations in its home market.
Spotlight On Technology: The developing world
With technological developments gathering pace, how will insurers cope with the influx of new gadgets and remain innovative?
Insurance Insight – top 10 stories
The top 10 most popular articles published on insuranceinsight.eu over the past seven days.
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.
Allianz backs Hartford's business plans
Allianz SE has endorsed Hartford Financial Services Group's plan to scale its business back.
Uniqa exits Germany as Continentale aquires Mannheimer
The Continentale insurance group has signed an agreement to acquire 92% of the shares of Mannheimer AG Holding from Austrian firm Uniqa.
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.
The challenges of the solar market
Solar power is a firm part of the green movement in Europe but, with government cuts becoming increasingly common, Jakki May asks whether this renewable energy will continue to be affordable and efficient.
Insurance Insight – top 10 stories
The top 10 most popular articles on insuranceinsight.eu over the past seven days.
Allianz buys wind farms as part of renewables investment
German insurer Allianz has bought two recently completed wind farms in France from Nordex SE.
ISE 2012: UK regulator’s emphasis on board role in risk management could attract “wrong” sort of execs
Following the bank crisis the Financial Services Authority in the UK has focused more closely on the board’s role in risk management in a move which could be bad for non-executive directors according to a legal expert.
Talanx 'thoroughly satisfied' after posting €1.2bn profit
German insurance giant Talanx was "thoroughly satisfied" after increasing operating profit 21% to €1.2bn for 2011, despite a turbulent year for the eurozone and high incidences of natural catastrophes.
ISE 2012: Interest in cyber insurance 'overwhelming' in Europe
Speaking at Insurance Insight's inaugural Insurance Strategy Europe event, Jacob Ingerslev, European underwriting director for technology and cyber risks at CNA, said that interest from Europe in cyber crime insurance is growing rapidly.
ISE 2012: Portugal to follow Greece but sovereign defaults won't 'cripple' insurers
Kurt Karl, managing director, chief economist and head of economic research and consulting at Swiss Re, has predicted that Portugal will be the next nation to default, but that it will not cripple the insurance industry.
Generali profit hit by €1,017m one-off impairments
Generali posted reduced profits for the full year 2011 due to impairments from Greek write-downs and its Telco investment to the tune of €1,017m.
European insurers win ground in Solvency II debate
European Union insurers could be spared the full impact of solvency rules owing to a last-minute agreement on Thursday between senior lawmakers.
Hannover Re latest group to reveal nat cat hit with 2011 results
Hannover Re this morning reported that its gross written premium in total business increased by 5.8% to Eur 12.1bn (2010: Eur 11.4bn).
Munich Re CEO von Bomhard forecasts €2.5bn profit for 2012 after good start
Munich Re has made a good start to 2012 and is aiming for a profit of around €2.5bn, according to CEO Nikolaus von Bomhard.
Social media-based broker heralded as five years ahead of the game
While the UK insurance industry is still trying to understand the financial merits of social media, one German online-based broker has already started using Facebook to encourage its users and their friends to sign up for cover.
Admiral overseas losses increase to £15.1m but policycount soars to 4.1m
Admiral Group has reported that its two international operations – motor and aggregator – increased their losses to £15.1m (2010: £12.8m loss) in 2010.