Spain
Spanish Supreme Court ruling puts paid to 14-year dam legal battle
The Supreme Court in Spain has ruled that the 1998 rupture of the Aznalcollar tailings dam near Seville, Spain, was not caused by a fault in the design of the dam.
Moody’s takes action against insurance groups exposed to Italy and Spain
Moody's has taken action on several European insurance groups and related entities to reflect the increased financial risks stemming from their operating and investment exposure to weakened European sovereigns and banks, and the ratings agency's…
Market moves: MGAs making the moves
This week the recruitment space belonged to managing general agents.
Editor's Comment: RBSI takes the Direct approach
The news that Royal Bank of Scotland Insurance is to use the Direct Line brand comes as little surprise.
JLT merges Spanish arm with local giant
JLT is to combine its existing Spanish retail broking business JLT-SIACI Espana SL with the business of March - Unipsa Correduria de Seguros, SAU (Unipsa), the fourth largest commercial insurance broker in Spain and a subsidiary of Banca March, to form…
JLT merges Spanish arm with local giant
JLT is to combine its existing Spanish retail broking business JLT-SIACI Espana SL with the business of March - Unipsa Correduria de Seguros, SAU (Unipsa), the fourth largest commercial insurance broker in Spain and a subsidiary of Banca March, to form…
Liberty Europe targets energy and construction in Spain with two new hires
Liberty International Underwriters Europe has made two senior appointments in its Madrid office, as the firm looks to grow its energy underwriting and construction capabilities in Spain and Portugal.
Mapfre: performance warrants better credit rating
Mapfre's general manager criticised ratings agencies for failing to take the company's financial figures into account when downgrading them, at the Spanish insurer's press briefing this morning.
Mapfre reports 15.5% premium growth for 2011
Spanish insurer Mapfre reported a 15.5% growth in premiums to €19,600.2m in its full year 2011 results released today.
Liberty Mutual names three for claims
Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe has boosted its claims operations with three senior appointments in London, The Hague and Madrid.
Liberty Mutual Europe appoints senior claims figures
Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe has made three senior appointments to its claims operations as part of its quest to provide claims service on a local basis.
Mapfre IDR downgraded following sovereign
Fitch Ratings has downgraded the issuer default rating for Spanish insurer Mapfre SA and its core subsidiaries from ‘A-‘ to ‘A’.
Fitch: eurozone stress analysis concludes further rating actions unlikely
Fitch Ratings says that it does not expect to take any further rating actions on European insurers as a result of its most recently updated eurozone stress test analysis.
Reinsurance rates in Spain fell at January renewal
Reinsurance rates in Spain fell at the January 1, 2012, renewal, despite the effects of the European financial situation on the primary market.
Aon acquires 80% of Spanish broker GDS
Aon Corporation has agreed to acquire 80% of Spanish insurance broker GDS from banks La Caixa and Banca March.
Mapfre appoints three chairmen across the business
Rafael Casas, Javier Fernández-Cid and Pedro de Macedo have been appointed chairmen by the boards of directors of Mapfre America, Mapfre Internation and Mapfre Re respectively.
Arab Spring: Life during wartime
Continuing civil unrest in the Middle East and North Africa presents a challenge to the property insurance market — especially concerning the limits placed by the war risks exclusion.
Mapfre, Generali and CCR downgraded following sovereigns
A raft of European insurers including Italy-based Generali and Spanish insurer Mapfre were downgraded by Standard and Poor’s yesterday.
Portugal, Spain and Turkey lead the way in European banassurance
Banks are most important distributors of insurance in Portugal, Spain and Turkey, according to recent research.
Coface predicts recession rate of 0.1% for Europe in 2012
Credit insurer Coface warned about the systemic nature of the Eurozone crisis at its annual country risk conference but does not expect a return to depths of the 2008-2009 crisis.
DAC Beachcroft expands in Spain and Singapore
DAC Beachcroft has made appointments in its Spanish and Singapore offices to expand its international network.
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 gets green light for Brazilian insurance company
XL Group has announced that it has received final approval from the Brazilian insurance and reinsurance regulator, Superintendencia de Seguros Privados, to establish an insurance operation in the country.
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