Italy
Top five Asian news stories
The top five Asian news stories from wwww.insuranceinsight.com over the past seven days.
Unipol to sell Generali stake by end of 2012
Italian insurer Unipol will sell its stake in rival Generali by the end of 2012, chief executive Carlo Cimbri told analysts on a conference call last week.
Generali names investor relations lead
Italian insurer Assicurazioni Generali has recruited Deutsche Bank's European insurance equity research head, Spencer Horgan.
Generali offloads assets to raise cash for emerging markets
Generali is to sell non-strategic assets next year in a bid to generate cash to invest in emerging markets in Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.
Insurers urged to check books as S&P held accountable for 'misleading' rating
Insurers have been urged by a leading lawyer to check their books to see whether they have open notifications from credit rating agencies after an Australian court ruled that Standard & Poor's was liable for damages to investors.
Fitch issues negative outlook for Italian insurers
Fitch Ratings has issued the Italian insurance industry with a negative rating outlook for 2013, indicating an elevated risk of downgrades for Italian insurers over the next 12 to 24 months.
Generali profit up 37.3% for first nine months despite cat losses
Italian insurer Generali posted 37.3% growth in net profit to €1,133m in the first nine months of 2012, driven by progress in production and strong growth in the life operating result.
Aviva reveals 97% COR in steady results
Aviva's general insurance business delivered a combined operating ratio of 97% in the first nine months of 2012, in line with the previous year, excluding RAC.
Top five European news stories
The top five news stories from www.insuranceinsight.com over the past seven days.
Solvency II: To 2015 and beyond
Solvency II implementation is almost upon us but, as Martin Bradley and Jan Leiding explain, European insurers' preparedness varies significantly between countries and companies.
Competition keeps prices low for Italian PI
Italian legislation making professional indemnity insurance compulsory presents opportunities for insurers, but competition is keeping prices low, according to Davide Balloco, head of PI for Markel in Italy.
More pragmatic solution for Solvency II needed, says L&G chief
The head of UK insurer Legal & General has lambasted proposed Solvency II measures, saying they are unlikely to work in their current form and may need to be redrawn, Reuters reported.
AM Best removes Aviva subsidiaries from under review
AM Best has reaffirmed the 'A' financial strength rating and 'A+' issuer credit rating of the insurance subsidiaries of British insurer Aviva.
Migdal sale provides liquidity boost for Generali
Generali has completed the sale of its 69.1% share in Migdal Insurance and Financial Holdings to Eliahu Insurance Company for €705m.
Generali rejigs business structure
Italian insurer Generali has overhauled its business structure in a bid to ensure the group is managed "in a more integrated way".
Italy - land of opportunities
Recent research shows that car insurance in Italy costs five times the European average, underinsurance is rife and the government is scaling back on its intervention. Liz Booth investigates whether there are any opportunities for foreign insurers.
Top five European news stories
The top five European stories from www.insuranceinsight.com over the past seven days.
HDI Gerling CEO to head AGCS' Mediterranean unit
Patrick Thiels, chief executive of HDI Gerling in Belgium and Luxembourg, will join Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty from 1 April to lead the insurer's new Mediterranean division.
Mapfre opens Milan office
Spanish insurer Mapfre has opened a representative office in Milan to serve the Italian market.
Italy's GI sector weathers major changes
Legislative changes, industry consolidation and on-going economic difficulties are changing the landscape of Italy's general insurance market, according to AM Best.
Q&A with Lloyd's' Enrico Bertagna
Lloyd's Italy country manager Enrico Bertagna discusses the impact of recession, the country's growth sectors, and why he believes natural catastrophe provision in Italy needs a major overhaul.
Lloyd's Italy sees 20% growth in H1
Lloyd's bucked the European economic trend to grow 20% in Italy in the first half of 2012.
European floods: keeping the funds flowing
Floods are an on-going threat for Europe, yet the approach to insuring and recovering from them is wide and varied. Francesca Nyman investigates how Europe is tackling the issue and what the future is likely to bring.
DLG drafts in management trio as part of international shake-up
Direct Line Group has further bolstered its international standing following the "high calibre" addition of three new members to its expanding management team.