Hannover Re News

Persistent Soft Market Begins to Hit Reinsurer Stock Prices: A.M. Best

While global reinsurers are continuing to withstand challenging market conditions, their stock prices, on average, are starting to take a hit as a result of the persistent soft market and its negative effect on top line growth, according to a …

Rio Olympics Will Proceed – Despite Zika Epidemic: Munich Re Underwriter

Should the Olympics proceed in Rio de Janeiro in August as planned? With the lighting of the torch set to take place in less than three months, a handful of medical experts are calling for the games to be postponed …

Update: Hannover Re Weighs Higher Dividend After Record 2015 Earnings

German reinsurer Hannover Re will focus on boosting earnings rather than premiums this year and may pay out more special dividends to shareholders, Chief Executive Ulrich Wallin said on Thursday. The world’s third largest reinsurer posted record 2015 net profit …

Reinsurers’ Loss Reserves Dwindle While Rates Continue to Drop: Allianz Re CEO

Reinsurers are running out of claims reserves that they can release to boost profits as pricing continues to fall, according to the head of Allianz SE’s reinsurance unit. “I don’t think there are too many loss reserves left and the …

Energy Insurers Become Latest Casualty of Oil Slump as Projects Are Postponed

The insurance industry is becoming the latest casualty of the oil price slump, with postponements and cancellations of energy projects forcing down premium rates and income in a market that was already crowded. Insurers forecast income could dive by 20 …

Global Insurers Explore Opportunities in Iran; Market Worth Premiums of $7.4B

Global insurance firms are circling Iran for business opportunities following the lifting of sanctions – and the first test of their appetite could come in March when some Iranian companies seek new cover. Insurers, the reinsurers that share their risk …

Best Affirms ‘A+’ Ratings of Hannover Re and Subs; Outlook Stable

A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A+’ (Superior) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa-” of Germany’s Hannover Rueck SE (Hannover Re) and its main subsidiaries. Best also affirmed the issuer ratings of the existing …

Reinsurance Execs at Rendez-Vous Question Recent High-Priced M&As

Global reinsurance executives who met in Monaco questioned whether a frenzy of mergers in Europe means buyers of Lloyd’s of London insurance companies are paying too much. Deal-making will continue after Tokyo-based MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings Inc. agreed last week …

Reinsurers Seek New Markets, Underinsured Risks to Ease Price Pressures

Major reinsurers like Munich Re, Swiss Re, Hannover Re are looking to new markets and selling more cover to existing clients to ease price pressures after several years of falls, they said at their annual meeting in Monte Carlo this …

Reinsurers Expect Continued Downward Pressure on Pricing During 2016

The world’s largest reinsurers and brokers see little relief in pricing in 2016 amid a relentless influx of alternative capital from pension funds and one of the past decade’s quietest years for catastrophe losses. Rates for property-and-casualty reinsurance are expected …