Germany
Elite opens offices in France and Italy
Specialist legal and after-the-event insurer Elite is expanding its footprint in Europe by opening two new offices.
XL names former Marsh exec country manager for Germany
XL Group has appointed Michael Harth as country manager for Germany, with effect from the 16 April 2012.
Clustering seen as Windstorm Andrea follows hot on Ulli's heels
Windstorm Andrea passed through the UK earlier last week, fast on the heels of Windstorm Ulli, which brought widespread travel and power disruptions to Scotland.
Axa raises €2.5bn to invest in the European property market
French insurer Axa will invest up to €2.5bn in the development of green and brownfield sites and existing properties which require extensive redevelopment across the continent, to exploit the gap left by banks in the property lending market.
A windstorm for the insurance market
As the market gradually starts to digest the recent European renewals, Francesca Nyman considers the increasing challenge that European windstorms pose and whether insurers are adequately protected against this risk.
Bancassurance: a bright future?
With all the turmoil across the Eurozone and with regulatory upheaval ahead, it seems it could be an interesting time for the bancassurance market, as Jakki May reports.
Windstorm Ulli expected to hit Scandanavia then dissipate
Windstorm Ulli is passing through Scandinavia and is expected to dissipate as it moves over the Baltic Sea today.
Allianz's 'AA-' IFS rating affirmed
Allianz SE has had its insurer financial strength rating and long-term issuer default rating affirmed at 'AA-' by Fitch
Global insurance premiums top pre-crisis levels at $4.3trn according to study
Global insurance premiums grew by 2.7% in inflation adjusted terms in 2010 to $4.3 trn, climbing above pre-crisis levels, according to a new study by The City UK.
Europa placed on positive watch ahead of acquisition
Europa has had its rating watch upgraded in high of its proposed takeover by Talanx.
View from the top: Regulation - it’s a matter of the right amount
Time and again, debates rage as to the role of the European Central Bank in the crisis.
Direct Line in Germany implements new business continuity infrastructure
German insurer, Direct Line Versicherung AG, has implemented Datacore's business continuity and disaster recovery architecture.
Generali's German subsidiaries downgraded
Generali Group's three German non-core subsidiaries have been downgraded by Fitch, following the downgrade of their parent company.
Perils updates windstorm exposure data for 11 European countries
Perils, the independent organisation that provide industry-wide catastrophe insurance data, has updated the windstorm exposure data for 11 European countries.
Talanx announces acquisition plans
German insurance group Talanx is to purchase insurance companies Europa Non-Life and Europa Life from private financial group Getin Holding.
Allianz expands offshore energy
Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty has appointed Pete Connors as offshore energy global product leader with effect from January 3, 2012.
European financial services M&A activity down by 25%
There has been a significant slowdown in European financial services M&A activity during the Q3 of 2011.
Young women could see 11% rise in car premiums due to gender ruling
A study quantifying the economic impact on European consumers of the EU's gender ruling will hit young women hardest, with an 11% rise in car insurance premiums.
Talanx licenses Towers Watson software for global risk management
Talanx has purchased Towers Watson's financial modelling and reserving software to harmonise its regulatory capital reporting.
Product innovation in European insurance firms is widespread
Product innovation in non-life insurance is widespread according to a new report.
Torus acquires Starr’s Continental Europe renewal rights
Specialty insurer Torus's syndicate 2243 has acquired the renewal rights to the European business of CV Starr's syndicate 1919.
Munich Re receives funding from German ministry for climate change initiative
Munich Re has teamed up with the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility and specialist microinsurance broker Micro Ensure to develop insurance solutions developing countries vulnerable to climate change.
Allianz targets profit with overhaul of property business
Allianz Deutschland AG is restructuring its German property insurance segment, with the aim of returning the business to growth and profit long term.
Fire protection sprinklers: The market needs saturating
Despite research showing sprinklers significantly reduce economic damage and environmental impact following major fires, hopes for mandatory legislation remain low.