Swiss Re News

Eight Leading Insurers and Reinsurers Launch Net-Zero Climate Alliance

Eight of the world’s leading insurance and reinsurance companies on Sunday launched an alliance to help speed up a transition to a net zero emissions economy. The companies, which include Europe’s top three insurers by premiums – Allianz, AXA and …

Swiss Re Sells Half Its Stake in Phoenix Group for $608 Million

Swiss Re announced the sell of a 6.6% stake in Phoenix Group Holdings plc for £437 million ($608 million). After the sale, which is expected to close on June 25, Swiss Re will still retain another 6.6% stake in Phoenix, …

8 Reinsurers Provide $897M Cover for Lloyd’s Central Fund with Aon as Placing Broker

Lloyd’s announced the marketplace has secured a five-year £650 million ($897 million) reinsurance cover for its Central Fund—a move that aims to protect against adverse tail risk, while supporting growth and bolstering the market’s balance sheet. The £650 million protection, …

Major Reinsurers Look to Exclude Coal from Treaty Policies, as Climate Pressure Grows

Major reinsurers have already pulled back from providing bespoke cover for coal projects as part of efforts to meet global climate change commitments, but now comes the hard part – finding ways to exclude coal from bulk-buy contracts, known as …

COVID Crisis Cuts Global Macro Resilience, Raises Insurance Protection Gap: Swiss Re

The COVID-19 crisis reduced overall global macro resilience – or the ability of societies to absorb shocks – by 18% in 2020 from 2019, according to a sigma report published by Swiss Re Institute. At the same time, the report …

Failure of Many ‘Zombie’ Companies Likely to Keep Insurance Rates Rising: Swiss Re

The expectation that hundreds of so-called zombie companies will fail over the next few years and drag on the economy is among the major concerns prompting insurers to reduce risk and charge higher premiums, a trend likely to continue as …

Canada Faces Mega-Hurricanes if Climate Change Pushes Storms North: Swiss Re Warns

Climate change is making hurricanes bigger and stronger, and it may soon push them farther north. Yet Canada’s homeowners, businesses and insurers underestimate that escalating risk, according to one of the world’s leading reinsurance firms. Overall, the northern nation has …

Swiss Re Scores Profit Despite COVID Death Claims, Catastrophe Losses

Swiss Re reported consolidated net income of USD 333 million in the first quarter of 2021, despite heightened losses in its life and health reinsurance business related to COVID and property and casualty reinsurance losses from U.S. catastrophes. The company …

Climate Change Could Cut Global GDP by 18% by 2050 – If Nothing Is Done: Swiss Re

If nothing is done to combat climate change, global temperatures could rise by 3.2°C within the next 30 years, shrinking the world economy by 18%, according to new research from Swiss Re, which was rolled out on Earth Day, 51 …

Alaska Wary of ‘California Style’ Blackouts; Study Assesses Global Hailstorm Trends

Alaska could face “California-style” blackouts as climate change increases the state’s wildfire risk. That’s according to an article this week in the Anchorage Daily News. The article centers on Alaska’s record-breaking 2019 wildfire season and the McKinley Fire, believed to …