Austria News

Best Affirms ‘A++’ Ratings of French Gov’t. Reinsurer Caisse Centrale

A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A++’ (Superior) and issuer credit rating of “aa+” of French government backed reinsurer Caisse Centrale de Réassurance (CCR), both with stable outlooks. The ratings reflect CCR’s “superior risk-adjusted capitalization, good …

Zurich Financial Appoints Orator as Chief Administrative Officer

Zurich Financial Services Group today announced the appointment of Christian Orator as chief administrative officer and member of the Group Executive Committee, effective September 1, 2010. He is succeeding Richard P. Kearns, who is retiring early next year. In his …

Torus Targets New Business in Europe with Executive Appointments

Torus Insurance is “continuing the rollout of its Continental European operation,” notes a company bulletin. It announced the appointment of Esther Fittinghoff as Professional Lines Manager and Kurt Fleischmann as Senior Casualty Underwriter. They are based in Torus’ Cologne and …

JLT Expands International Network with 3 New Agreements

UK-based broker Jardine Lloyd Thompson announced a major expansion of its JLT International Network in Continental Europe and the CIS countries. “Three of Europe’s leading independent insurance brokers, SIACI SAINT HONORE (S2H), GrECo Group (GrECo) and Ecclesia Group (Ecclesia) have …

(Re)Insurers Take on $5 Billion Risk with Soccer World Cup Coverage

Soccer teams and fans aren’t the only ones girding themselves for the start of the World Cup in South Africa. The world’s insurance companies have sold policies covering $5 billion worth of risks linked to the games. With just a …

UK’s Amlin to Establish European Reinsurance Company in Switzerland

London-based Amlin plc, one of Lloyd’s and the UK’s best known insurers, has announced plans to establish a reinsurance company in Switzerland to serve European clients. Amlin said it believes that the company “will provide the European insurance market with …

Mandatory Microchips, Insurance Proposed for UK Dogs

A chip for Spot? In a country where guns are tightly controlled and even carrying a kitchen knife can bring prison time, some thugs use dogs to menace their victims. Now the British government is proposing that dog owners be …

Ratings Recap: AIA/AIAB, SOVAG, Coface, PhilNaRe, Generali Rueck

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has placed its ‘A+’ counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on American International Assurance Co. Ltd. (AIA) and American International Assurance Co. (Bermuda) Ltd. (AIAB) on CreditWatch with developing implications. The ratings on American International …

California Continues To Evaluate Insurers’ Iranian Investments

California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner has released a list of 50 companies doing business in the Iranian oil and natural gas, nuclear and defense sectors, and announced that as of March 31, 2010, no investments that an insurer holds in …

Most Property Reinsurance Rates Down at January Renewal As Capital Rebounds

Reinsurance rates across most lines of property catastrophe business declined at the Jan. 1, 2010 renewal, according to a briefing by Guy Carpenter & Co., LLC. Guy Carpenter’s World Catastrophe Rate on Line (ROL) Index declined by six percent at …