European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority News

European Insurers Worried Regulators May Block COVID-19 Dividends

Global regulators should not ban insurers from paying dividends as a result of COVID-19 and should give firms more time to report their capital positions, European insurers said on Monday. The pandemic will likely lead to between $50 and $100 …

Europe’s Insurers Turn to Risky Property Investments, in Hunt for Better Returns

Traditionally conservative European insurers and pension funds are turning increasingly to risky property bets on everything from new homes in provincial Britain to car parks at Brussels airport, as they feel the pinch from rock-bottom interest rates. While much is …

EU Weighs Solvency II Capital Relief for Insurers’ Investments in Infrastructure

The European Union is preparing reduced capital requirements for insurers in a bid to spur investment in long-term infrastructure projects. The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, is considering amending insurance rules known as the Solvency II Delegated Act to …

European Insurers’ Dividend Growth Unlikely With Rock-Bottom Interest Rates

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 …

A.M. Best Comments on Results of EIOPA’s Insurance Stress Test

A.M. Best said it would be premature to draw negative conclusions from the most recent Solvency II stress tests conducted by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) and does not anticipate any rating implications at this stage. In …

Lengthy Period of Low Interest Rates May Hurt Some European Insurers

One in four European insurers may struggle to meet promises to policyholders in a prolonged period of low interest rates, the European Union’s insurance watchdog said following a stress test of the industry. These insurers will need to raise capital …

EIOPA Releases Final ‘Own Risk and Solvency Assessment’ Report

The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has published its Final Report on draft Guidelines for Own Risk and Solvency Assessment (ORSA), which “underlines the purposes of the ORSA,” and provides “additional details on how the guidelines are to …