May 23, 2006
Global broker Willis Group Holdings has been named the “2006 European Commercial Broker of the Year” for the second consecutive year. The award was presented as part of the annual European Risk Management Awards conducted by StrategicRISK. It’s determined by …
April 21, 2006
Programs for modifying environments where alcohol is served — including bars and liquor stores — do not help reduce alcohol-related injuries, according to a new review of controlled studies. “There is no reliable evidence that interventions in the alcohol server …
April 4, 2006
Columbus, Ohio-based Assurex Global has added new partners in Australia, Switzerland and Austria. OAMPS Insurance Brokers, Ltd. in Australia; GWP Insurance Brokers in Switzerland; and Assurance Partners Versicherungsmakler – und beratung GmbH in Austria were named Assurex Global Partners. OAMPS …
January 27, 2006
Old Mutual’s protracted efforts to acquire Skandia, Sweden’s largest insurer, has ended in success. The South African and U.K.-based company announced that it has declared the offer to acquire Skandia’s shares to be “unconditional,” which locks in the purchase of …
January 18, 2006
Zurich Financial Services Group announced that Zurich Insurance Ireland Limited (ZIIL), the EU-wide risk carrier for Zurich Global Corporate business, has opened branches in France, Sweden and Finland in addition to its UK branch, which was established in May of …
January 6, 2006
A team in the U.K. has produced a new wind damage prediction tool called EuroTempest, designed to provide local damage forecasts for European windstorms. An announcement on the Lloyd’s Website (www.lloyds.com) notes that the new model represents a joint effort …
December 21, 2005
Ever since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, 2005 looked certain to be a record-breaking year for insured losses. Swiss Re’s newly issued sigma report has now confirmed the sad fact. According to preliminary estimates (the full and exact figures won’t …
December 5, 2005
Global insurance broker Willis Group Holdings announced that it has agreed to purchase 100 percent of the share capital of Nicon Forsakringsmaklarna AB (Nicon), a property and casualty broker in Southern Sweden which focuses on municipality clients. Willis said: “Annualized …
October 12, 2005
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has raised its long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on Sweden-based If P&C Insurance Ltd. (publ) and Finland-based If P&C Insurance Co. Ltd., the core operating entities of the If …
September 6, 2005
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has placed its “A” long-term counterparty credit rating and “A-” long-term senior unsecured debt rating on Sweden’s Skandia Insurance Co. Ltd. (Skandia) on CreditWatch with negative implications. “This action relates solely to …