coronavirus losses News

COVID Takes Big Bite from Multiline Insurers’ Earnings, in ‘Manageable’ Event: S&P

The COVID-19 crisis cost 16 global multiline insurers about $8 billion in 2020, although they still reported substantial net profit of $36 billion, according to a report published by S&P Global Ratings. This net profit figure was down from $56 …

Zurich 2020 Profit Drop of 8% Reflects Pandemic, Catastrophe Claims

Zurich Insurance’s new capital target disappointed market expectations on Thursday, even as claims related to the COVID-19 pandemic and higher losses from natural catastrophes bit less than expected into full-year earnings. Insurers have faced hefty claims from event cancellations and …

W.R. Berkley Reports Record Q4 Net Income

W.R. Berkley Corp. generated record net income in its 2020 fourth-quarter and a healthy combined ratio, results that company attributed to rate hikes, bigger investment returns and ongoing underwriting discipline. Fourth-quarter net income reached nearly $312.2 million, or $1.67 per …

Everest Re Cites Social Inflation for $400M Prior-Year Reserve Charge

Everest Re is the most recent insurance and reinsurance company to announce catastrophe and COVID losses in advance of fourth-quarter earnings, but Everest’s disclosure on Monday also addressed a boost in prior-year casualty reserves. “The decisive reserving actions we are …

Insurers Winning Most, But Not All, COVID-19 Business Interruption Lawsuits

In the multibillion-dollar fight over insurance coverage for pandemic-related business losses, a Florida gynecologist succeeded where more than a dozen professional baseball teams and an iconic Hollywood restaurant failed. Since COVID-19 sparked government-ordered shutdowns in March, judges have dismissed more …

P/C Insurers Face Workforce, Risk, Policy Challenges as Pandemic Continues

Given that business-as-usual is unlikely to return soon due to the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. property/casualty insurers will continue to face challenges related to virus-related insurance losses and premium volume declines in 2021, according to Fitch Ratings. The operational and risk …

What 3Q Catastrophe Losses Mean for U.S. P/C Results

Driven by an elevated frequency of events during the quarter, third quarter natural catastrophe losses for the U.S. property/casualty insurance industry will be the largest since the third quarter of 2017, according to Fitch Ratings. Fitch said the (re)insurers it …

U.S. Pension Funds Sue Allianz After $4 Billion in Coronavirus Losses

Pension funds for truckers, teachers and subway workers have lodged lawsuits in the United States against Germany’s Allianz, one of the world’s top asset managers, for failing to safeguard their investments during the coronavirus market meltdown. Market panic around the …

Major UK Ruling on Business Insurance for COVID-19 Claims Expected Tuesday

Insurers battered by coronavirus are about to find out how much worse the damage could get. A London court is set to rule Tuesday in a case involving about 370,000 policyholders, companies including Zurich Insurance Group AG and Hiscox Ltd. …

Munich Re Expects Beirut Losses of €100 Million; Sees Slowdown in COVID-19 Losses

Munich Re said it faces claims of at least 100 million euros ($118 million) stemming from the deadly explosion that ravaged much of downtown Beirut last month. The German reinsurer said losses in the “low three-digit-million euro range” are expected, …