Expectations of rising dividends and share buybacks from Europe’s insurance companies are fading as ultra low interest rates make it harder for them to meet new capital regulations. Rock-bottom interest rates reduce insurers’ investment returns, raising the risk of them …
Allianz shareholders will see new CEO Oliver Baete installed on Wednesday and will be eager for any clues about his strategy for Europe’s largest insurer – and how he plans to improve the prospects of its asset manager Pimco. California-based …
Families of those killed aboard the Germanwings flight are likely to receive vastly different payouts depending on their nationality, where they bought the ticket, and how much they earned, even though they all shared the same fate, lawyers said. Claims …
Rock-bottom interest rates could erode insurers’ earnings power and financial strength for years to come, putting an end to a string of stronger-than-expected rises in dividends, analysts said in reports published on Thursday. Credit rating agency Moody’s said it expected …
Cyber attacks and commercial drones pose a growing risk of commercial airplane crashes, a major insurer said, running counter to a long-term decline in fatal accidents and insurance premiums. Technical advances in aircraft design and navigation systems have reduced the …
European insurers posted strong increases in earnings in the third quarter, helped by a slump in payouts for catastrophe damage, rising premium income, cost cuts and a weaker euro. Besides losses from the Malaysia Airlines jet downed over Ukraine and …
Reinsurers are being squeezed by price competition and subdued demand from insurers for their products, and traditional mergers may not be enough to save those that lack either global reach or specialized focus. Medium-sized, “me-too” reinsurers are ripe for consolidation, …
Insurance companies are increasingly turning to “big data” from satellites, social media and even cigarette sales at gas stations to help identify risks and build up customer profiles, according to reinsurers attending the annual Monte Carlo Reinsurance Rendez-vous this week. …
For a financial sector posting a double-digit rise in earnings and boasting large cash piles, reinsurers sure see a lot of storm clouds on the horizon. That’s because they are facing what many see as an unprecedented problem: an abundance …
Allianz is poised to reappoint Michael Diekmann as chief executive in October, investors believe, possibly delaying tough choices on whether Europe’s largest insurer expands its global presence or returns more cash to shareholders. The German group has grown to become …
