Latest Swiss Re (SSREF) Headlines A.M. BestTV:
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A.M. BestTV: The Week Ahead; Longer Lifespans May Bring a Heavy Cost
Business Wire - Mon Mar 10, 9:38AM CDT
In this episode of A.M. BestTV, insurance industry executives discuss how longevity risk presents an opportunity to the insurance industry if it's able to handle all the risk. George Graziani, a senior vice president at Swiss Re, called the amount of longevity risk "epic" as the average life expectancy increases. Longevity risk is the financial risk that an individual or a group or individuals will outlive their savings, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that the percentage of Americans 65 and older will rise to 19% of the total U.S. population in 2030, from 13% in 2009. Graziani said the insurance industry is the logical home for the risk, because the life insurance industry can help offset the risk. Asha Attoh-Okine, managing senior financial analyst of insurance-linked securities at A.M. Best Co., said that to some extent, the capital markets would likely need to come into play, predominantly through longevity bonds. Click on http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=longevity314 to view the program.
Personal Accident and Health Insurance in Luxembourg, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2017
M2 - Wed Mar 05, 2:13AM CST
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b263pb/personal_accident) has announced the addition of the "Personal Accident and Health Insurance in Luxembourg, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2017" report to their offering. Luxembourg has one of the most comprehensive healthcare systems in the world. It offers virtually unrestricted access to its population. Luxembourg is also ranked amongst the leading ten countries in the world, in terms of per capita healthcare expenditure. Government-funded free basic healthcare is provided to every citizen. The total health spending, as a percentage of GDP (gross domestic product), was about 7.8% in 2012. The Caisse Nationale de Sant? (National Health Fund) collects funds for the 97.0% of the population that, as of 2012, was covered by public health insurance in 2012. However, private health insurance services act as a supplement to state health insurance. Private insurance is mainly for medical expenses outside Luxembourg, as well as dental and optical care, which are not covered by the state health insurance. Pressure on government finances and increasing awareness of health insurance due to rising life expectancy will continue to support the demand for personal accident and health insurance products over the forecast period (2012-2017). The report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Luxembourg personal accident and health insurance segment, including Key Highlights - The healthcare system in Luxembourg is one of the most developed in Europe. Compulsory government-funded free basic healthcare is provided to citizens. - Around 97.0% of the population was covered by the public health insurance in 2012. - Health insurance was the dominant category in the personal accident and health segment during the review period, accounting for 61.9% of the total written premium value in 2012 - The share of the commission earned by brokers increased steadily from 66.6% in 2008 to 67.5% in 2012. - In Luxembourg, the personal accident and health segment is highly concentrated, with the 10 leading companies representing 98.1% of the segment's gross written premium in 2012. Key Topics Covered: Executive Summary Introduction Personal Accident and Health Insurance Segment Outlook Analysis by Distribution Channels Reinsurance Growth Dynamics and Challenges Governance, Risk and Compliance Competitive Landscape and Strategic Insights Business Environment and Country Risk Appendix List of Tables List of Figures Companies Mentioned - AIG Europe Ltd - Arisa Assurances - Axa Assurances Luxembourg - DKV Luxembourg - Foyer Assurances - Foyer Sant? - Globality - La Luxembourgeoise - P&V Assurances - Swiss Re International For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b2...l_accident About Research and Markets Research and Markets is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.
Non-Life Insurance in Luxembourg, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2017 Report
M2 - Tue Mar 04, 5:44AM CST
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/t2n763/nonlife) has announced the addition of the "Non-Life Insurance in Luxembourg, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2017" report to their offering. Luxembourg is amongst the world's most developed economies, and has the highest domestic per capita income. The global financial and eurozone debt crises affected the country's financial sector during the review period. In 2009, a decline of 4.1% at current prices was recorded in GDP, but the economy recovered to expand by 2.9% in 2010 and 1.7% in 2011. Marred by troubles in other eurozone economies, GDP growth moderated to 0.3% in 2012 and a stable housing and automobile industry supported growth in the non-life segment. The segment posted a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.3% during the review period. The segment is highly competitive, with 42 operational insurers - 31 domestic and 11 foreign - as of 2012. The Commissariat aux Assurances (CA) is the regulator of Luxembourg's insurance industry. The report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Luxembourg non-life insurance segment, including: - The Luxembourg non-life insurance segment's growth prospects by non-life insurance categories - Key trends and drivers for the non-life insurance segment - The various distribution channels in the Luxembourg non-life insurance segment - The detailed competitive landscape in the non-life insurance segment in Luxembourg - Detailed regulatory policies of the Luxembourg insurance industry - A description of the non-life reinsurance segment in Luxembourg - Porter's Five Forces analysis of the non-life insurance segment This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the non-life insurance segment in Luxembourg: - It provides historical values for Luxembourg's non-life insurance segment for the report's 2008-2012 review period and projected figures for the 2012-2017 forecast period. - It offers a detailed analysis of the key categiories in Luxembourg's non-life insurance segment, along with market forecasts until 2017. - It covers an exhaustive list of parameters, including written premium, incurred loss, loss ratio, commissions and expenses, combined ratio, frauds and crimes, total assets, total investment income and retentions. - It analyses the various distribution channels for non-life insurance products in Luxembourg. - Using Porter's industry-standard Five Forces analysis, it details the competitive landscape in Luxembourg for the non-life insurance segment. - It provides a detailed analysis of the reinsurance segment in Luxembourg and its growth prospects. - It profiles the top non-life insurance companies in Luxembourg and outlines the key regulations affecting them. Companies Mentioned - Arisa Assurances - Axa Assurances Luxembourg - Baloise Assurances Luxembourg - Camca Assurance - Foyer Assurances - La Luxembourgeoise - Swiss Re International - Telefonica Insurance - The Ship-Owners Mutual Protection and Indemnity Association - The West of England Ship-Owners Mutual Insurance Association For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/t2n763/nonlife About Research and Markets Research and Markets is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.
Best's Rating Notification - Continental General Insurance Company
Rating Division - AMBest - Fri Feb 21, 2:35PM CST
A.M. Best Company has made the following rating update:
A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd and Its European Affiliates
Business Wire - Fri Jan 31, 9:30AM CST
A.M. Best Europe - Rating Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of A+ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of "aa-" of Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd (Switzerland), European Reinsurance Company of Zurich Ltd (Switzerland), Swiss Re Europe S.A. (Luxembourg), Swiss Re International SE (Luxembourg) and Swiss Re Corporate Solutions Ltd (Switzerland). At the same time, A.M. Best has affirmed the related debt ratings of Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd and subsidiaries. (See link below for a detailed list of debt ratings). The outlook for all ratings is stable.
A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd and Swiss Re Corporate Solutions Ltd's U.S. Subsidiaries
Business Wire - Fri Jan 31, 9:30AM CST
A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of A+ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of "aa-" of the U.S. property/casualty subsidiaries of Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd (Swiss Re) and Swiss Re Corporate Solutions Ltd (Swiss Re Corp) (both domiciled in Switzerland). A.M. Best also has affirmed the FSR of A+ (Superior) and ICR of "aa-" of Swiss Re's U.S. life/health subsidiary, Swiss Re Life & Health America Inc. (SRLHA) (Armonk, NY). The outlook for all ratings is stable. (Please see link below for a detailed listing of the companies and ratings.)
A.M. BestTV: Insurance Executives Promote Green Investments, Climate-Proofing Cities at UN Summit
Business Wire - Mon Jan 20, 11:36AM CST
In this episode of A.M. BestTV, insurance executives at the 2014 Investor Summit on Climate Risk at the United Nations discuss opportunities they believe are worth seizing in the areas of making cities climate-proof, along with green investments. J. Eric Smith, president and CEO of Swiss Re Americas, discusses how making urban areas more resilient intersects with climate change. "As the climate changes and as more and more people move to cities, our population and our businesses are more exposed to weather-related catastrophes." Cecilia Reyes, chief investment officer at Zurich Financial Services Group, said the company's responsible investment strategy is about generating competitive financial returns and positive societal impact. "Responsible investing is all about Zurich doing well, and doing good, at the same time," Reyes said. Zurich's strategy includes green bonds, which finance environmentally friendly projects. Reyes said they are a strategic component of Zurich's allocations to fixed-income assets. Click on http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=climate114 to view the video program.
Reinsurance in Italy, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2017 Research Report
M2 - Wed Jan 08, 3:33AM CST
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/sbqnr3/reinsurance_in) has announced the addition of the "Reinsurance in Italy, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2017" report to their offering. The Italian reinsurance segment declined at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.0% during the review period (2008- 2012), from EUR1.4 billion (US$2.0 billion) in 2008 to EUR1.2 billion (US$1.6 billion) in 2012. This was mainly due to persistent weak economic conditions and the absence of any compulsory natural disaster-related insurance. The treaty reinsurance category accounted for 85.9% of the segment's total written premium, while the facultative reinsurance category accounted for 14.1%. The reinsurance segment is mostly dominated by foreign insurers. The report provides in depth market analysis, information and insights into the Italian reinsurance segment, including: - The Italian reinsurance segment's growth prospects by reinsurance categories - Key trends and drivers for the reinsurance segment - The Italian reinsurance segment's growth prospects by reinsurance ceded from direct insurance segments - The competitive landscape in the Italian reinsurance segment Key Highlights - The Italian reinsurance segment posted a CAGR of -3.0% during the review period. The primary application of reinsurance in Italy is to manage exposure to natural disasters - During the review period, two major earthquakes - L'Aquila in April 2009 and Emilia Romagna in May 2012 - claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed properties - In the absence of obligatory insurance for natural disasters, the Italian government covers the majority of losses, spending an annual average of EUR4.5 billion (US$5.8 billion). - In the absence of any domestic reinsurance company, the segment is dominated by multinational reinsurers such as Swiss Re, Munich Re and SCOR - The treaty reinsurance category accounted for 85.9% of the reinsurance premiums generated in 2012, while the facultative reinsurance category accounted for the remaining 14.1% Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive Summary 2 Introduction 3 Italian Insurance Industry Attractiveness 4 Key Industry Trends and Drivers 5 Competitive Landscape and Strategic Insights 6 Business Environment and Country Risk 7 Appendix List of Tables List of Figures Companies Mentioned - Hannover Re Services Italy Srl - Muenchener Rueck Italia SpA - SCOR Italia Riassicurazioni SpA - Swiss Re Italia SpA For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/sb...surance_in About Research and Markets Research and Markets is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.
ING completes sale of stake in SulAmerica to Swiss Re
Thomson Reuters ONE - Tue Jan 07, 3:00PM CST
ING announced today that it has completed the sale to Swiss Re Group of 37.7 million units in Sul America S.A., as previously announced on 18 November 2013. The transaction further reduced ING's stake in the Brazilian insurance holding to approximately 10%.
RMS Pioneers New Approach to Modeling Indemnity-Catastrophe Bonds for Tradewynd Re Ltd.
Business Wire - Fri Dec 20, 10:30AM CST
RMS, the world's leading catastrophe modeling firm, today announced that the company has worked with AIG and Swiss Re to pioneer a new approach to modeling indemnity catastrophe bonds with the issuance of Tradewynd Re Ltd Series 2013-2 notes sponsored by AIG.
Swiss Re: 2013 Catastrophes, Disasters Estimated at $44 Billion
Michael Buck - AMBest - Wed Dec 18, 2:37PM CST
Insured losses from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters in 2013 have been estimated by Swiss Re at $44 billion, down from $81 billion in 2012, according to the recently released sigma report.
Swiss Re Selects Wolters Kluwer Financial Services for Global Credit Risk Management and Reporting
Business Wire - Tue Nov 26, 4:00AM CST
Wolters Kluwer Financial Services announced today that Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd (Swiss Re), has selected its Summix Credit Risk solution. The Swiss Re Group is a leading wholesale provider of reinsurance, insurance and other insurance-based forms of risk transfer. In support of an updated target operating model for its credit risk management, Swiss Re has chosen Summix Credit Risk. The new system will provide credit exposure analysis, aggregation and reporting as well as credit limit management and monitoring across its global operations.
A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of Elips Life AG
Business Wire - Fri Nov 22, 10:26AM CST
A.M. Best Europe - Rating Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating of A (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating of "a+" of Elips Life AG (elipsLife) (Liechtenstein). The outlook for both ratings is stable.
Hong Kong Reinsurance Industry: Key Trends and Opportunities to 2017
M2 - Fri Nov 22, 8:30AM CST
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/zk229j/reinsurance_in) has announced the addition of the "Reinsurance in Hong Kong, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2017" report to their offering. The popularity of Hong Kong as a reinsurance hub and the anticipated growth of the life, non-life, and personal accident and health segments are expected to drive the growth of the Hong Kong reinsurance segment over the forecast period. Reinsurance companies operating in Hong Kong generate a considerable proportion of their revenue from offshore business, with the frequent occurrence of natural disasters in primary offshore markets of the Asia-Pacific region forcing insurance companies to cede part of their premiums to reinsurers to avoid substantial incurred loss. Overall, the written premium of the Hong Kong reinsurance segment increased at a review-period CAGR of 17.5%. Key Highlights - The Hong Kong reinsurance segment is dominated by international reinsurers - Reinsurance companies operating in Hong Kong generate the majority of their revenues from offshore markets such as Mainland China, Japan, Taiwan and other Asian countries - The Hong Kong reinsurance segment is one of the largest in the Asia-Pacific region, with total written premiums increasing from HKD5.4 billion (US$0.70 billion) in 2008 to HKD10.3 billion (US$1.33 billion) in 2012, at a CAGR of 17.5% during the review period - Hong Kong's liberal trade policies have made the country, alongside Singapore, a leading reinsurance hub in the Asia-Pacific region Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive Summary 2 Introduction 3 Hong Kong Insurance Industry Attractiveness 4 Key Insurance Industry Trends and Drivers 5 Competitive Landscape and Strategic Insights 6 Business Environment and Country Risk 7 Appendix Companies Featured - CNOOC Insurance - Zurich Insurance - Lloyd's - Taiping Reinsurance Company Ltd - Munich Re (M?nchener R?ckversicherungs-Gesellschaft) - Swiss Re (Schweizerische R?ckversicherungs-Gesellschaft AG) - Asia Insurance Company Ltd - XL Insurance - Coface - Asia Capital Reinsurance Group Pte Ltd For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/zk...surance_in
ING agrees to sell 11.3% direct stake in SulAmerica to Swiss Re
Thomson Reuters ONE - Mon Nov 18, 3:02PM CST
ING announced today that it has reached an agreement with Swiss Re Group on the sale of an 11.3% direct stake in Sul America S.A., further reducing its stake in the Brazilian insurer.
A.M. BestTV: Sandy Triggers a Targeted Response from Carriers
Business Wire - Wed Oct 30, 10:34AM CDT
In this second part of three A.M. BestTV episodes focusing on the one-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, brokers say that in the storm's wake, carriers have responded rationally on pricing, limits and conditions on property insurance, with exception of one area of coverage: flood insurance. Aaron Davis, managing director at Aon Risk Solutions, and Duncan Ellis, U.S. property practice leader at Marsh, said they saw some carriers pull back on the amount of coverage they were giving in those areas or decline to write additional northeast exposure as opposed to across-the-board rate increases. J. Eric Smith, president and CEO of Swiss Re Americas, said that the impacts to the industry overall were minimal: "There are plenty of reserves ... so it fit within the models." However, it's been a different story for flooding coverage, as rates have mostly gone up. David Passman, senior vice president and national director of Willis' property claims practice, said he believed underwriters were taken aback by the amount of flood exposure they had. Click on http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=sandy21013 to view the video program.
A.M. BestTV: One Year after Sandy, Storm Surge Concerns Remain
Business Wire - Mon Oct 28, 10:34AM CDT
In this first part of three A.M. BestTV episodes focusing on the one-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, insurance executives say storm surge risk remains a challenging area to underwrite. David Passman, Willis' national property claims practice director, said the storm was an eye-opener for the industry, and that Northeast windstorm models were no longer hypothetical. Duncan Ellis, U.S. property practice leader at Marsh, discusses how insurers need to take these types of flooding and windstorm losses into consideration when writing policies. From a storm surge point of view, Peter Raab, head of property underwriting at Munich Re America called it the worst-case event, saying that "we don't understand enough as an industry at this point and time" to underwrite the risk appropriately. J. Eric Smith, president and CEO of Swiss Re Americas, explores how populations have moved to the coastlines, and the impact that has had on the industry when storms occur. Aaron Davis of Aon talks about a renewed focus on exposure mitigation in response to the underground electrical systems in New York and homes that were damaged by salt water. Click on http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=sandy1013 to view the video program.
MarketResearchReports.com: Reinsurance in Colombia, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2017, New Report Launched
M2 - Wed Oct 09, 8:25AM CDT
Market Research Reports, Inc. has announced the addition of "Reinsurance in Colombia, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2017" research report to their offering.
LeapFrog Investments raises over $200m for emerging consumer fund, as insurers and asset managers tap new source of growth and profits
PR Newswire Europe - Mon Sep 09, 6:56AM CDT
* LeapFrog Fund II will focus on eight markets in Africa and Asia where financial services growth is nearly 18% per annum and 4x global nominal GDP growth