Latest Europe Headlines
All the headlines from our Europe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Brexit Vote Prompts Inquiries from Insurers Weighing Opening Offices in Dublin
Aug 30 2016 // Ireland says the Brexit vote has led to a jump in inquiries from London firms considering opening offices in Dublin, one of a handful of European cities trying to draw business away from Britain’s financial...
Low Interest Rates Pose Unknown Risks for European Insurers: CEO of Gjensidige
Aug 30 2016 // Cheap money could have unknown consequences for Europe, according to the chief executive officer of Gjensidige Forsikring ASA, Norway’s largest listed insurer. “It’s a sign of sickness for the economies...
London Financial Groups Losing Faith in Quick Fix to Get EU Access After Brexit
Aug 26 2016 // Big financial groups in London are losing faith in a quick fix to get access to the European Union after Britain leaves the bloc and are instead drawing up contingency plans to avoid becoming hostage to Brussels...
RMS Releases Suite of Europe Inland Flood Risk Data to Open U/W Opportunities
Aug 22 2016 // RMS, the Newark, Calif.-based catastrophe risk management firm, has released a suite of Europe inland flood hazard data products. Describing the release as “the highest resolution view of the risk available on the...
Formal Brexit Talks Likely to Be Triggered in April 2017: UK Officials
Aug 19 2016 // Prime Minister Theresa May’s team is still leaning toward the first part of 2017 as the best moment to trigger the start of formal talks over the U.K.’s withdrawal from the European Union, according to two...
China’s Ping An Eyes Overseas Acquisitions, Including in Post-Brexit UK
Aug 18 2016 // Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China Ltd, the country’s second-largest insurer, is aiming for a possible fivefold increase in overseas investments and has not been put off Britain by its vote to leave the European...
Watford Specialty Looking to Build Program Business with U.S. Acquisition
Aug 17 2016 // Newly formed Watford Specialty Insurance Co. (WSIC), a subsidiary of Bermuda-based Watford Re, took a big leap forward recently with its acquisition of a carrier with admitted licenses in all 50 states and the District of...
VW’s Keyless Entry Systems Vulnerable to Hacking: European Researchers
Aug 12 2016 // Tens of millions of vehicles sold by Volkswagen AG over the past 20 years, and some current models, are vulnerable to theft because keyless entry systems can be hacked using cheap technical devices, according to European...
Zurich Insurance Q2 Net Income Declines 12% on Restructuring, Nat Cats
Aug 11 2016 // Zurich Insurance Group AG said second-quarter profit fell 12 percent on higher restructuring charges and claims from natural catastrophes as Chief Executive Officer Mario Greco overhauls the company’s biggest...
Air Pollution Affects Many London Parks
Aug 10 2016 // London is famous for its numerous parks and gardens, but even those green spaces aren’t safe from pollution. The air in many city parks surpass legal limits for nitrogen oxide set by the European Union, according to...
A.M. Best Assigns ‘A’ Rating to Starr International (Europe) Ltd.
Aug 8 2016 // A.M. Best has assigned a financial strength rating of “A” (Excellent) and an issuer credit rating of “a” to UK-based Starr International (Europe) Ltd. (SIEL). The outlook assigned to each rating is...
Echelon Insurance Agrees to Sell European Subsidiary
Aug 8 2016 // Echelon Financial Holdings Inc., an operator in the property/casualty insurance industry in Canada and Europe, primarily focused on providing non-standard automobile insurance and other niche and specialty insurance...
Allianz Q2 Profit Drops 46% on Nat Cat Claims, Expected Sale of South Korea Unit
Aug 5 2016 // Allianz SE said second-quarter profit almost halved, missing estimates, as Europe’s biggest insurer faced higher claims from natural disasters and charges for the expected sale of its South Korea unit. Net income...
UK Insurers Aviva and RSA Report Higher H1 Profits, Shrug Off Brexit Fallout
Aug 4 2016 // Insurers Aviva Plc and RSA Insurance Group Plc shrugged off any fallout from the Brexit referendum by reporting higher first-half profit and increasing shareholder payouts. The shares rallied in London trading. Aviva, the...
AXA H1 Net Income Rises 4% to $3.6B as L&H Earnings Offset Cat Losses
Aug 3 2016 // AXA SA, France’s biggest insurer, said first-half profit rose 4 percent as increased earnings from life and health insurance helped offset higher claims from natural catastrophes. Net income climbed to 3.2 billion...
Liberty Specialty Markets Appoints Sinz as Head of Europe
Aug 2 2016 // London-based Liberty Specialty Markets (LSM), part of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, has appointed Kadidja Sinz to the new role of head of Europe. Sinz will be responsible for leading and directing the specialty and...
Fosun Plans to Sell as Much as $6 Billion in Assets to Raise Credit Rating
Aug 1 2016 // Fosun Group, one of China’s most acquisitive conglomerates, is preparing to sell as much as 40 billion yuan ($6 billion) in assets as it focuses on raising its credit rating to above junk. After announcing more than...
AIG Offers Brexit Coverage in UK for Anxious Executives
Jul 29 2016 // American International Group is coming out with new Brexit coverage in the UK for anxious executives, barely weeks after the fateful British vote to pull out of the European Union. AIG division AIG UK will handle the...
U.S., EU Report on Re/Insurance Covered Agreement Talks
Jul 28 2016 // Representatives of the United States and the European Union met in Brussels this week to continue their joint negotiations for a bilateral agreement on insurance and reinsurance measures. “Both sides continued to...
Dublin Looks to Lure Financial Services Jobs from UK After Brexit Vote
Jul 27 2016 // Irish recruiters are already filling jobs for financial services firms which are shifting some operations from the United Kingdom, with Dublin moving fast to steal a march on rivals just a month after Britons voted to...