France
Aviva posts COR of 106% for H1 in Ireland
Aviva's general insurance and health business posted operating profit of £461m for the first six months of 2012, up from £455m in the first half of 2011, driven by strong UK performance.
Axa posts fall in net income in H1
French insurance group Axa saw net income fall to €2.6bn from €4.0bn in the first half of 2012 owing to a non-repeat of the exceptional gains on disposals in 2011.
Generali sees profits boost from premiums outside Italy
Generali Group has posted net profits up 4.5% to €842m (2011 H1: €806m) for the first half of 2012, with the operating result stable at €2.34bn despite significant catastrophe events.
French court ruling could expose insurers to €16bn claims
French insurers and banks that own large insurance subsidiaries could be exposed to claims of up to €16bn from policyholders following a decision by the French Council of State.
Scor hails renewals success with 24% premium increase
French insurer Scor Global P&C delivered a strong 24% premium increase at constant exchange rates to €462m during the June-July renewals.
Half of CEOs responsible for risk management as terrorism tops concerns
The chief executive or chief operating officer has formal responsibility for risk management at 50% of European companies, according to a new survey which found that companies feel underprepared for terrorism and political violence risks.
EC approves acquisition of Groupama's Gan by Allianz France
The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation Allianz's proposed acquisition of a non-life insurance portfolio of Groupama-owned Gan Eurocourtage.
Coface's Charbonnel promoted to chief operating officer
Cyrille Charbonnel has been appointed group chief operating officer for Coface, a newly created position at the credit insurer.
Helvetia swoops on Groupama's Gan in €38.5m deal
The Helvetia Group has confirmed it is to take over the French transport insurance portfolio of Gan Eurocourtage, a subsidiary of Groupama SA.
Hannover Re installs Agencyport 'what if' risk management suite
Hannover Re has installed Agencyport risk management software in six of its Worldwide offices and will roll out to further offices in due course.
Mandatory commission – an necessary evil?
Rumors of mandatory commission disclosure have plagued the market since the start of the year but as the European Commission confirms brokers fears Francesca Nyman assesses the impact on European brokers.
Helvetia bidding for Groupama's French marine portfolio
Swiss Insurance Group Helvetia Group has confirmed it has entered into exclusive negotiations with Groupama to acquire its French marine insurance portfolio.
A mutual future?
Regulations like Solvency II will have a significant impact on mutuals across Europe. Francesca Nyman asks whether the model will survive.
Groupama UK fights back over S&P downgrade
Groupama Insurances in the UK is strong and secure, according to CEO François-Xavier Boisseau.
S&P drops Groupama's rating to BB
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services has lowered its long-term counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on France-based insurer Groupama SA and its guaranteed subsidiaries to 'BB' from 'BBB-'.
Grupo Catalana Occidente enters motor insurance top five after Groupama swoop
Grupo Catalana Occidente and INOCSA have signed a binding purchase agreement to acquire Groupama Seguros y Reaseguros SAU, Groupama's Spanish subsidiary.
Broker demand persuades Casualty & General to rebrand as CGICE
Casualty & General Insurance Company (Europe), the Gibraltar-based specialist in liability cover, has rebranded as CGICE after broker calls.
Axa moves to loans to diversify investment portfolio
Insurance group Axa will offer loans to mid-cap companies in France as the firm looks to diversify its investment portfolio.
UK insurers face capital hike under RMS v11
UK insurers may see increases of up to 97% in their capital requirement for catastrophe exposures under Solvency II rules when making calculations under the new RMS model version 11, with French and German insurers facing similar though not quite so…
German financial watchdog on the hunt for new insurance head
Germany's financial regulator Bafin is seeking a new head of insurance supervision following Gabriele Hahn's move to a new role after only 18 months in the job.
Coface expects lower profit margins due to Europe debt crisis
Credit insurer Coface SA has said it may post lower profit margins from underwriting as Europe's debt problems fuel higher claims.
Allianz France agrees deal for Groupama's Gan Eurocourtage
Groupama has agreed to sell the property and casualty brokerage-related activities of its Gan Eurocourtage subsidiary to Allianz France for an undisclosed sum.
View from the top: The French connection
London's cosmopolitan nature means it is well placed to capitalise on emerging market opportunities, says Nicolas Aubert.
Norton Rose bolsters French practice with new appointments
Global law firm Norton Rose has recruited Hogan Lovell's Bénédicte Denis as a corporate partner in its Paris office.