Moody’s News

Insurer Impact from Sally Expected to be Moderate; Losses Estimated at $1B to $3B

Insured losses from Hurricane Sally could reach as much as $3 billion, according to catastrophe modelers, but ratings agency Moody’s expects a moderate impact on property & casualty insurers and reinsurers. “Because Sally appears to be primarily a flood event, …

Pricing Is Only Bright Spot in ‘Anemic’ Earnings Picture for Reinsurers: Moody’s

Even though investment returns rebounded from first-quarter levels during the second quarter of 2020, claims from COVID-19 created an “anemic earnings” picture for global reinsurers, Moody’s Investor Services says. In a new report on half-year earnings for the sector published …

Coronavirus Claims of Estimated €80B Are ‘Manageable’ for Europe’s Insurers: Moody’s

The coronavirus outbreak has had an adverse, but manageable, impact on the European insurance sector, leading to a drop in company earnings rather than capital erosion, says Moody’s Investors Service in a report. Central bank intervention has reversed much of …

Moody’s Acquisition Could Signal Shift in Pricing of Climate Risk: Viewpoint

The acquisition of California-based Four Twenty Seven, Inc., by Moody’s Corporation could signify the beginning of a major shift in how markets price risks related to climate change. Up until now, these risks largely have been absent from investors’ models, …

Insurer Innovation Comes Under the Rating Agency Microscope

Underway for some time now, the disruption of the insurance industry has moved into a new phase, following the announcement by A.M. Best that it may soon begin scoring insurers’ innovation efforts. Journalist Russ Banham spoke with ratings agencies, thought …

Moody’s, Israel’s Team8 to Offer Business Cyber Risk Benchmark for M&As, Insurance

Ratings agency Moody’s Corp. and Israeli cyber group Team8 launched on Thursday a joint venture to assess how vulnerable businesses are to cyber attacks and create what they hope will become a global benchmark. Cyber attacks are in focus after …

Fired Moody’s Executive Wins Back Paris Job, Gets $1.8 Million Payout

A Moody’s Corp. managing director fired for lashing out at a junior co-worker who criticized his team’s work won his Paris job back and a 1.6 million-euro ($1.8 million) payout. Moody’s France fired the managing director in March 2015 after …

Moody’s Says California Wildfire Losses Will Impact P/C Insurer, Reinsurer 4Q Earnings

Moody’s has released estimates showing property/casualty insurers and reinsurers total insured losses at $10 billion $15 billion from the California wildfires, which destroyed more than 20,000 residential and commercial structures, and damaged nearly 1,000 structures. Moody’s says it expects insured …

California Wildfire Insured Losses at Billions of Dollars and Climbing

An analysis by catastrophe modeler RMS shows 15 wildfires are burning more than 280,000 acres in California have collectively destroyed nearly 7,000 homes and businesses and killed 31 people. Roughly 300,000 have been evacuated, while 12,000 firefighters are working on …

Critics Say Bond Rating Agencies Ignore Municipalities’ Climate Risk

Last fall, after a trio of deadly hurricanes, ratings companies warned vulnerable coastal cities to get ready for climate change — or face higher borrowing costs on the $3.9 trillion municipal bond market. Climate advocates cheered, hoping the prospect of …