Germany
Net write-down will not affect Allianz rating
Allianz's net write-down of €2.6bn on its investment portfolio in Q311 will not affect the insurer's rating.
Greek exposure hits Allianz Q3 profits
Impairments of €931m from investments including Greek sovereign debt slashed Allianz’s profits for the third quarter, but the insurer said it is still on course to achieve profits of €8.0bn for 2011.
Gothaer's IFS affirmed at 'A'
Gothaer Allgemeine Versicherung AG's and Gothaer Lebensversicherung AG's have had theit insurer financial strength ratings affirmed at 'A' and long-term issuer default ratings at 'A-'.
Vienna Insurance appoints new head of investor relations
Vienna Insurance Group has appointed Nina Higatzberger as head of investor relations.
View from the top: A better deal on motor
We have a problem. As an industry, claims inflation in motor insurance is racing ahead of average earnings increases.
AIR flood model maps exposure at the street level
AIR’s inland flood model for Germany is the first to combine a global climate model and a localised numerical weather prediction model, giving users a unique ability to calculate exposure.
'Difficult environment' hits Munich Re’s Q3 profits
Munich Re has reported an 88% reduction in operating profits for the third quarter, down to €402m from €3.4bn year on year.
Coface achieves 'AA-' rating and stable outlook
The major insurance entities of the Coface group has all received insurer financial strength ratings at 'AA-'.
AIR releases inland flood model for Germany
AIR Worldwide has released an inland flood model for Germany that is said to offer a fully probabilistic approach for determining the likelihood of flood losses from all types of storms.
AIR releases German flood catastrophe model
Catastrophe risk modelling firm AIR Worldwide has released an inland flood model for Germany that is said to offer a fully probabilistic approach for determining the likelihood of flood losses from all types of storms.
The challenge of life sciences
Mid-sized life sciences firms offer an attractive opportunity for insurers in Europe with many entering the market. Yet as Francesca Nyman reports litigation and legislation make this a challenging market too.
Strong US ties help rate Axa's entities as 'AA-'
Axa has had all its entities' insurer financial strength ratings affirmed at 'AA-' by Fitch Ratings.
LIU Europe opens Hamburg branch
Liberty International Underwriters has opened a new branch in Hamburg, Germany as it seeks to become a competitive, niche player in the region.
Greek debt exchange won't lead to insurance downgrades, says Fitch
Leading insurers across Europe have been told that manageable exposure to Greek government bonds will mean they will not be downgraded if they accept the EU's offer of a 50% haircut in return for new debt, according to Fitch Rating.
Munich Re receives A+ (superior) rating
Munich Re has had its financial strength rating affirmed of A+ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings of “aa-” along with its subsidiaries.
Axa reports revenue up across Europe for Q3
Axa has reported increases its third quarter property & casualty revenues for all regions in Europe.
Fitch affirms ratings of Generali's German subsidiaries
Fitch Ratings has affirmed the ratings of Generali Deutschland Group's German non-core subsidiaries Envivas Krankenversicherung AG and Advocard Rechtsschutzversicherung AG.
Rating factors - Age: Age-old dilemma
After losing the battle to use gender as a rating factor, could the insurance industry be facing a new threat as age falls under the spotlight?
Broking supplement - Interview Toby Esser: Expansive thinking
Toby Esser talks about striking serious deals, his acquisitive ambitions and plans to penalise paper-lovers
Insurance Insight weekly update live - 21 October
Insurance Insight’s weekly update is live with an article on how brokers need to be up to date on the cyber risks their customers are facing; and a feature of how Lloyd’s of London has spread its each across Europe.
Cyber risks in the modern business
Technology is evolving every day and as Iain Ainslie explains if brokers want to offer their customer the best cover possibly they need to be aware of all risks and the specialist policies available to help them.
Lloyd’s in Europe
Lloyd’s of London is no longer only accessed through London and has spread its reach across the globe in recent times. Francesca Nyman asks how established it is in Europe and what challenges it faces here.
Flood effects aggravated by insufficient investment in preventative measures
Although floods occur more frequently than any other natural disaster worldwide, the risk they pose is often aggravated by human activity, according to a report by Allianz.
In series: Lloyd's & London Market: Staying number one
Tightening regulation and a less advantageous tax regime are making it tough for Lloyd’s to retain its pre-eminence, but is protectionism the greater threat?