Latest QBE Headlines

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

QBE Ups Offer for IAG; ‘Short of Fair Value’ Says Takeover Target

May 19 2008 // Australia’s QBE Insurance Group tabled a new offer late Friday to take over the Insurance Australia Group (IAG). The “increased final proposal” offers IAG share holders 0.145 QBE shares and 90 cents cash...

Insurance Australia Group Rejects QBE Buyout Bid; Takeover Tussle

Apr 16 2008 // Insurance Australia Group (IAG) has rejected an A$7.4 billion (US$6.9 billion; €4.3 billion) unsolicited bid from rival QBE Insurance Group Ltd. as inadequate, the companies said Tuesday. IAG’s response to...

S&P: QBE, IAG Ratings Unchanged After Rejected Merger Proposal

Apr 16 2008 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said that its ‘A+’ ratings on the core operating entities of QBE Insurance Group Ltd. (currently ‘A-‘ with a stable outlook) are unchanged after...

QBE Net Profits up 30% to US$1.786 Billion

Feb 26 2008 // Australia’s QBE Insurance Group announced that operating profit after tax for the year ended 31 December 2007 was up 30 percent to a record A$1.925 billion ($US1.786 billion). Other key highlights for the year were...

Business Moves

Jan 13 2008 // R.E. Chaix & Associates, Katie Freeman Insurance Services Irvine, Calif.-based R.E. Chaix & Associates Insurance Brokers Inc. has agreed to purchase Katie Freeman Insurance Services Inc. Neither companies’...

Best Places North Pointe Subsidiaries Ratings Under Review/Positive

Jan 10 2008 // A.M. Best Co. has placed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a-” of North Pointe Insurance Company (NPIC) of Michigan, and the FSR of...

QBE Americas to Acquire North Pointe

Jan 4 2008 // Australia’s QBE announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire North Pointe Holdings Corporation, a NASDAQ listed, US-based P/C insurance group. The acquisition is subject to the approval of...

QBE H1 Net up 56% to $740 Million

Aug 20 2007 // Australia’s QBE Insurance Group reported a hefty 56 percent increase in after tax net profit for the half year to June 30, 2007 to a record A$921 million (US$740 million), compared to A$591 million (US$475 million)...

QBE the Americas’ President, CEO John Pollock to Retire

Aug 6 2007 // QBE the Americas has announced that president and CEO John Pollock will retire at year-end after 29 years of service to the company. Pollock will continue as chairman of the General Casualty and Unigard board of directors....

Best Affirms QBE Group Ratings

Jun 26 2007 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of “A” (Excellent) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a+” of UK-based QBE Insurance (Europe) Limited, Australia’s QBE Insurance...

Business Moves

Jun 18 2007 // Blackstone Group, Alliant Alliant Insurance Services Inc., one of the nation’s largest insurance brokerage firms, announced that The Blackstone Group, in partnership with Alliant’s management and employees,...

Business Moves

Jun 18 2007 // BB&T, Reese BB&T Insurance Services plans to expand its metro Atlanta operation with the acquisition of Reese Insurance Associates Inc. of Riverdale, Ga., which sells commercial and personal property and casualty...

Ratings Recap: QBE (US); HSBC; Genworth; State Farm; Mystic Re II

Jun 7 2007 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of “A” (Excellent) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a” of New York-based QBE Re Group U.S. and its members. Best also removed...

Wis. General Casualty, Unigard Purchase by QBE Insurance Finalized

Jun 1 2007 // The previously announced purchase of Wisconsin-based insurer General Casualty, its U.S. holding company, and sister company Unigard Insurance Group (Bellevue, Wash.) by Australia-based QBE Insurance Group was completed May...

S&P Raises British Marine Ratings To ‘A+’; Outlook Stable

Apr 4 2007 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has raised its long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on Luxembourg-based marine insurer British Marine Luxembourg S.A. (BM) to “A+”...

QBE Acquires Cumbre Seguros

Feb 2 2007 // QBE the Americas, the North American subsidiary of Australia’s QBE Group, announced that it has acquired 100 percent of Cumbre Seguros, a specialized insurer in Mexico from a group of private investors. The...

Best Affirms QBE Ratings; Off Review

Feb 1 2007 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “bbb+” and all debt ratings of Australia’s QBE Insurance Group Limited, and the financial strength ratings (FSR) of “A” (Excellent)...

S&P Puts British Marine Ratings On CreditWatch/Positive

Jan 30 2007 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has placed its “A” long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on Luxembourg-based marine insurer British Marine Luxembourg S.A. (BM) on...

QBE to Acquire Winterthur US from AXA for $1.16 Billion

Jan 5 2007 // In separate announcements, Australia’s QBE Group and France’s AXA SA said they have reached an agreement for QBE to acquire Winterthur’s US operations, principally General Casualty and Unigard, for...

S&P Comments on, QBE-AXA-Winterthur US Deal

Jan 5 2007 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services indicated that its ratings on France’s AXA Group, including Winterthur Swiss, and Australia’s QBE won’t be affected by the sale of Winterthur’s US-based...