France News

European Insurance Forum puts Ireland in the spotlight

EU Reinsurance Directive, Solvency II, killer risks and catastrophes all up for discussion Eighteen years ago an Irish insurance conference would have consisted of a broker and an underwriter from Dublin having a pint of Guinness in a pub (most …

SCOR Profits Soar to $338 Million

France’s SCOR Group announced a 92 percent increase in net income for 2006 to €252 million ($338 million) before, what the report termed, “badwill” linked to the acquisition of Revios. Essentially the German life reinsurer, which SCOR bought last year, …

AXA Increases Presence in Italy

AXA SA, France’s largest insurer, said Friday it agreed to buy half of Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA’s insurance and pensions unit for €1.15 billion ($1.54 billion) in cash. The transaction will be funded with existing cash resources, …

Allianz Formalizes AGF Minority Shareholder Buyout Offer

Germany’s Allianz SE, Europe’s largest insurer in terms of gross premiums written, has formalized its offer to acquire the remaining 42.4 percent of the shares in French insurer Assurances Générales de France (AGF) that it does not already own (See …

AXA to Buy Korean Direct Auto Insurer

France’s Axa Group announced that it has reached an agreement with Kyobo Life to acquire its 75 percent stake in Kyobo Auto, a major South Korean direct automobile insurer. The announcement did not state the purchase price of the acquisition, …

People and Places

Markel Insurance Co. named Thomas K. “Smitty” Smith vice president of marketing. Smith joins Markel after three years as senior vice president and managing director of the Richmond, Va., branch of Riggs, Counselman, Michaels & Downes, which he established. AIR …

Caribbean nations establish joint disaster insurance pool

Caribbean countries joined by outside donors and international and regional organizations established a $47 million insurance pool to soften the blow from earthquakes and hurricanes. Called the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility, the program grew out of member governments’ determination …

Business Moves

Royal Sun, Arrowpoint Capital Delaware Insurance Commissioner Matthew Denn conditionally approved a management buyout of Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Group’s U.S. operations. Denn ruled that there is no legal or financial basis to reject the buyout, although he stressed …

People

Markel Insurance Co. named Thomas K. “Smitty” Smith vice president of marketing. Smith joins Markel after three years as senior vice president and managing director of the Richmond, Va., branch of Riggs, Counselman, Michaels & Downes, which he established. AIR …

Caribbean nations establish joint disaster insurance pool

Caribbean countries joined by outside donors and international and regional organizations established a $47 million insurance pool to soften the blow from earthquakes and hurricanes. Called the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility, the program grew out of member governments’ determination …