Latest S&P Headlines
All the headlines from our S&P Topic Page, ordered by recency.
S&P Puts Berkshire Hathaway on Credit Watch – Negative
Nov 5 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has placed its ratings on Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK) and various affiliates on CreditWatch with negative implications following the company’s announcement that it will...
Ratings Recap: Arbella, Wayne Mutual, Arrowhead, Unique, Oswego County
Nov 4 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has upgraded the financial strength rating to ‘A-‘ (Excellent) from’ B++’ (Good) and issuer credit ratings to “a-” from “bbb+” of Arbella Insurance Group and...
Ratings Roundup: Harbor Point Re, Travelers (UK), Sovag
Nov 4 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook on Bermuda-based reinsurer Harbor Point Re Ltd. and its U.S.-based subsidiary Harbor Point Reinsurance U.S. Inc. to stable from negative. S&P also...
S&P Takes Rating Actions on ING Following Restructuring Plan
Oct 27 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced various rating actions on ING Groep N.V. and subsidiaries, following completion of the European Commission (EC) investigation into state aid [See IJ web site –...
S&P ‘Refining and Adapting’ Insurers ERM ‘Adequate’ Assessments
Oct 21 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Rating Services is refining and adapting its methodology for assessing insurance companies’ enterprise risk management (ERM), as set out in a recently published article, “Expanded...
Ratings Recap: AXIS, Groupama (notes), Newport Bonding
Oct 19 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that “there’s no impact on the ratings on Bermuda-based insurance and reinsurance holding company AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd. (A-/Stable/—) and...
S&P Takes Rating Actions on Endurance Specialty and Subsidiaries
Oct 13 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has assigned its ‘A’ counterparty credit and financial strength ratings to Endurance American Insurance Co. (EAIC), American Merchants Casualty Co. (AMCC), and...
Ratings Recap: Starr Surplus, Wethaq, Unity Re, Ansvar
Oct 1 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has assigned a financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and an issuer credit rating of “a” to Chicago-based Starr Surplus Lines Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of...
S&P Lowers Kingsway’s ‘Unsolicited’ Ratings to ‘CCC+’
Sep 28 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has lowered its unsolicited long-term counterparty credit and senior unsecured debt ratings on Toronto-based specialty insurance provider Kingsway Financial Services Inc. to...
Ratings Recap: Berkley (Notes), Selective, Fire Districts, Crestbrook
Sep 23 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has assigned a debt rating of “a-” to the new issuance of $300 million 7.35 percent 10-year senior unsecured notes of W. R. Berkley Corporation, and has assigned them a stable outlook. Proceeds...
S&P Revises Outlook on Willis to Stable; Rates New Debt Issue ‘BBB-‘
Sep 23 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook on Willis Group Holdings Ltd. to stable from negative, and has affirmed our ‘BBB-‘ counterparty credit and senior unsecured debt ratings on...
XL’s CFO to Step Down; S&P Sees no Affect on Ratings
Sep 16 2009 // XL Capital Ltd announced that the Company and its Chief Financial Officer, Brian Nocco, have agreed that he will leave XL effective after year end. Nocco has served as XL’s CFO since July 2007. He has agreed to...
S&P, Best See No Changes in Fairfax’ Ratings from Odyssey Re Repurchase
Sep 9 2009 // Neither Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, nor A.M. Best anticipate any changes in their ratings on Toronto-based Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. As a result of the Company’s announced decision to acquire...
Ratings Recap: IPC Re, Polish Re, Tunis Re
Sep 9 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has lowered its counterparty credit rating on Bermuda-based IPC Holdings Ltd. to ‘BBB-‘ from ‘BBB’ and removed it from CreditWatch, where it was placed...
S&P Affirms Allianz Russia Ratings; Revises Outlook to Negative
Sep 8 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook on Allianz Insurance JSC (Allianz Russia) to negative from stable and affirmed its ‘BBB-‘ long-term counterparty credit and insurer...
S&P Lowers ING’s Ratings; Outlook Stable; Hybrid Ratings Lowered To ‘B’
Sep 4 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has lowered its long-term counterparty credit ratings on The Netherlands-based ING Groep N.V. and ING Verzekeringen N.V. to ‘A’ from ‘A+’ and its long-...
Ratings Recap: Dah Sing, Everest Re, Omnium, First Takaful, TATIL
Sep 4 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has assigned a financial strength rating of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating of “a-” to Bermuda-based Dah Sing Insurance Company Limited (DSI) with stable outlooks. “The...
S&P Reports ‘Sukuk’ Market is Growing, Despite ‘Some Roadblocks’
Sep 3 2009 // A report from Standard & Poor’s Paris office – The Sukuk Market Has Continued To Progress In 2009 Despite Some Roadblocks – notes that new issues of “sukuk (bonds compliant with Islamic law)...
Judge Says Rating Agencies Not Shielded by Free Speech Defense
Sep 3 2009 // Credit rating agencies may find it harder to argue that their opinions deserve free speech protection after a judge rejected efforts by Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s to dismiss a fraud...
S&P Lowers Ratings on Selective Insurance Group; Outlook Negative
Sep 2 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has lowered its counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on Selective Insurance Co. of America and its insurance company affiliates (collectively referred to as...
