Latest QBE Headlines

All the headlines from our QBE Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Best Sees No Effect on QBE’s Ratings from Balboa Deal

Feb 16 2011 // A.M. Best Co. has commented that the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings of “a” of the New York-based QBE Re Group – US and its members are unchanged following...

QBE Forms U.S. General Aviation Underwriting Group

Feb 4 2011 // QBE the Americas created a U.S.-based general aviation underwriting operation. Headquartered in Atlanta, QBE the Americas’ Aviation Team is designed to expand the company’s global aviation activities. QBE is...

BofA Sells Balboa Insurance Portfolio to Australia’s QBE

Feb 4 2011 // Bank of America agreed to offload its Balboa insurance portfolio to Australia’s QBE Insurance for more than $700 million, the latest in a string of asset sales by the U.S. lender as it recovers from the global credit...

No Comment from QBE on Report of Talks to Buy Balboa from BofA

Feb 3 2011 // QBE Insurance, Australia’s biggest insurance group, is in talks to buy U.S. insurer Balboa from Bank of America , a media report said on Thursday, sparking talk that QBE would have to sell new shares to help fund the...

Best Withdraws Ratings of Various QBE U.S. Subsidiaries Following Reorganization

Feb 2 2011 // A.M. Best Co. has withdrawn the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a+” of Blue Ridge Insurance Company (BRIC) (Sun Prairie, WI), United Security...

Best, S&P Put RenRe’s U.S. Operations under Review/Negative

Nov 19 2010 // A.M. Best Co. and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services have both placed their credit and financial strength ratings on RenaissanceRe’s U.S. insurance companies under review with negative implications. The...

RenaissanceRe to Sell U.S. Insurance Operations to QBE

Nov 18 2010 // Bermuda-based RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. announced that it has “entered into a definitive agreement with QBE Holdings, Inc. to sell its U.S. property and casualty business underwritten through managing general...

Best Affirms ‘A’ Ratings of QBE Insurance Group and Subsidiaries

Sep 30 2010 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength ratings of ‘A’ (Excellent) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a+” of UK-based QBE Insurance (Europe)...

QBE Subsidiary Sterling National Corp. Acquires Seattle Specialty

Sep 3 2010 // QBE today announced that its subsidiary, Sterling National Corp., has acquired Seattle Specialty Insurance Services Inc. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed. Headquartered in Everett, Wash., Seattle Specialty...

Business Moves

Jul 19 2010 // First Mercury, Valiant First Mercury Financial Corp., based in Southfield, Mich., reported that its principal insurance subsidiary, First Mercury Insurance Co., is acquiring Valiant Insurance Group Inc., a subsidiary of...

QBE Europe Promotes Tonchev and Jenny

Jul 13 2010 // QBE’s European division announced that Petko Tonchev has been promoted to General Manager for Central and Eastern Europe and Felix Jenny will take up the interim position of General Manager of QBE‟s...

Crop Insurer NAU Sold to QBE

Jul 2 2010 // Lightyear Capital LLC, a New York-based private equity firm, has completed the sale of crop insurer The NAU Group to QBE Holdings, Inc. NAU is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of QBE. As consideration for the merger, QBE made...

CNA Completes Sale of Its Argentinean Subsidiary to QBE

Jun 8 2010 // CNA Financial Corporation announced that it has completed the sale of its Argentinean subsidiary, CNA Aseguradora de Riesgos del Trabajo (CNA ART S.A.), to QBE the Americas, the Australia-based insurer and reinsurer. The...

Ratings Recap: Torus, QBE (debt)

May 4 2010 // A.M. Best Co. has commented that the ratings of Bermuda-based Torus Insurance Holdings Limited and its operating subsidiaries are unchanged following Torus’ announcement that its subsidiary, Torus Insurance (Bermuda)...

QBE Acquires NAU Country Insurance

Apr 16 2010 // QBE Americas has agreed to acquire NAU Country Insurance Co., a writer of crop insurance business based in Ramsey, Minn. Completion is expected in July 2010, subject to regulatory approvals. The acquisition supports...

QBE Europe to Purchase Munich Re’s Evergreen Brand, Renewal Rights

Dec 18 2009 // QBE European Operations (QBE EO), the specialist business insurer, announced its purchase of the brand and renewal rights of the Evergreen portfolio from MSP Underwriting Limited, the Lloyd’s underwriting agency,...

Miami Condo Association Sues QBE Insurance Over Hurricane Claims

Nov 25 2009 // A Miami condominium association is suing its insurer, QBE Insurance Corp., and its Florida general managing agent, for more than $500 million in damages, claiming bad faith and deception in handling hurricane...

Business Moves

Oct 5 2009 // Willis, Ireland Willis Group Holdings Limited wants to change the company’s place of incorporation from Bermuda to Ireland. Shareholders will vote on the measure at a meeting in three or four months. The change also...

Best Affirms Ratings on QBE and Operating Companies

Oct 1 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a+” of UK-based QBE Insurance (Europe) Limited , Australia’s QBE Insurance...

Best Affirms QBE’s U.S. Subsidiaries Ratings; Upgrades North Pointe

Oct 1 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the various financial strength ratings (FSR) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of the operating entities of QBE the Americas, which include the New York-based QBE Re Group, the Delaware-based QBE...