Spain
Zurich GI profit falls after Sandy and German 'system error'
Operating profit in Zurich's general insurance business dropped by $150m to $2.1bn year-on-year in 2012 after above average catastrophe and weather-related losses offset gains made through tighter underwriting discipline and expense management.
Spanish demand "very weak" across all lines
A decline in insurance demand is being seen across nearly all business lines in Spain, according to Mapfre’s vice chairman Esteban Tejera.
Spanish court quashes €120m fines for "cartel" insurers
Spain's court of appeal for antitrust cases has quashed the €120m fine imposed by the Spanish Competition Commission on six insurance companies accused of price fixing.
French consumers least likely to go online for insurance purchases
Online comparison sites are the fastest growing distribution channel for motor and household insurance in Europe, according to Finaccord.
France lags European neighbours for aggregator use and online sales
Aggregators are the fastest-growing distribution channel for motor and household insurance in Europe while online purchases have grown rapidly across the continent, according to research from Finaccord.
Former UK GI CEO McMillan to become Aviva Europe boss as Trevor Matthews quits
David McMillan has been appointed CEO of Aviva Europe.
Mapfre reports 2012 revenues up 7.5%
Spanish insurer and reinsurer Mapfre has reported an increase of revenues for the year ended 31 December 2012, attributing the growth to its Brazilian and USA businesses.
Mapfre reports 2012 revenues up 7.5%
Spanish insurer and reinsurer Mapfre has reported an increase of revenues for the year ended 31 December 2012, attributing the growth to its Brazilian and USA businesses.
Airline Iberia extends its insurance agreement with Allianz Global Assistance
Allianz Global Assistance has struck a new deal with Iberia, the Spanish airline, offering travel insurance in the UK. The agreement sees existing work with Iberia in other countries expanding to open up new opportunities within the UK travel market.
Three Mapfre offices become branches
Mapfre Global Risks' representative offices in Germany, France and the United Kingdom are to become fully fledged branches.
Spain's criminal code reforms could impact D&O, broker warns
Reform of Spanish regulations governing the criminal liability of companies could impact the directors and officer’s insurance market, according to Guy Carpenter.
Challenges and opportunities abound in 2013
Against the backdrop of a challenging economic climate and continued uncertainty over both the timescales for implementation of European regulation and varied national approaches to the adoption of it, European insurers face a number of critical…
Like the drugs trade, Cybercrime is not just a US issue
Last year, according to the Norton Cybercrime Report, global cybercrime cost an estimated $388bn. That's $100bn more than the cost of the global black market for marijuana, cocaine and heroin combined. And just like the world's drugs trade, cybercrime is…
EMEA commercial market to remain stable in 2013
The insurance market across Europe, the Middle East and Africa is expected to remain broadly stable in 2013, according to Marsh's Insurance Market Report 2013.
Marsh forecasts 10% rate increases across Europe
European financial institutions can expect challenging conditions in 2013 amid ongoing concerns about the Eurozone and increased regulatory action, according to broker Marsh.
The indirect tax problem
Tax compliance can be a challenging issue for insurers and as Anne-Louise Fogtmann discovers unprecedented levels of indirect tax changes across Europe in 2013 are likely to keep insurers on their toes.
Corporates still at risk from Eurozone economic woes
The Eurozone's economic situation may be improving, but the environment for corporates remains very difficult, according to Coface chief economist Yves Zlotowski.
Consumers see insurance as essential not discretionary spend
When it comes to reducing expenses, European consumers are cutting back on discretionary areas such as dining out, holidays and clothing, but still see insurance as essential.
View from the Top: Premature death notice for networks
Contrary to popular belief, broker networks are thriving domestically and internationally, says Brendan McManus.
Aviva ends legal battle over Spanish JV Aseval
Aviva has reached a settlement with Bankia regarding their Spanish joint venture, Aseval. The agreement marks the end of legal proceedings between the two firms.
Analysts approve of Aviva's JV Aseval sale
Analysts have praised Aviva for continuing to execute its disposal programme by selling its entire stake in Spanish JV Aseval to Bankia.
Aviva settles with Bankia for €608m
Aviva has reached a settlement with Bankia regarding their Spanish joint venture, Aseval. The agreement marks the end of legal proceedings between the two firms.
Over 50% of European firms unprepared for cyber threats
Despite 98% of continental European firms experiencing a cyber incident in the past five years, research has found that a significant proportion are unprepared to deal with this threat in the future.
Top five European news stories
The top five European news stories from wwww.insuranceinsight.com over the past seven days.