Europe In anticipation of the January 2016 rollout, the European insurance industry focused squarely on Solvency II. Rating agencies refrained from instituting any new criteria. ... Continue Reading »
S&P
GC Strategic Advisory Update: Reinsurers Ratings Challenged with Negative Sector Outlook
Mark Murray, Senior Vice President Contact The major rating agencies covering the reinsurance sector (A.M. Best, S&P, Moody’s, Fitch) have all voiced concerns with the industry’s ability to adjust to the seemingly overwhelming headwinds currently facing the sector. With A.M. Best recently changing its outlook, the view of the reinsurance sector across the rating agencies is ... Continue Reading »
GC Strategic Advisory Update: Reinsurers Ratings Challenged with Negative Sector Outlook
Mark Murray, Senior Vice President Contact The major rating agencies covering the reinsurance sector (A.M. Best, S&P, Moody's, Fitch) have all voiced concerns with the industry's ability to adjust to the seemingly overwhelming headwinds currently facing the sector. With A.M. Best recently changing its outlook, the view of the reinsurance sector across the rating agencies ... Continue Reading »
Guy Carpenter Strategic Advisory Appoints Two Prominent Rating Agency Executives
Guy Carpenter today announced the appointments of Eric Simpson as Managing Director and Mark Murray as Senior Vice President. Mr. Murray reports to Mr. Simpson, who reports directly to Jack Snyder, Managing Director, Head of the Rating Agency Practice, Guy Carpenter Strategic Advisory. Both are based in the Philadelphia office. Mr. Simpson joined Guy Carpenter on April 28 and ... Continue Reading »
Standard & Poor’s Proposed Criteria – Guy Carpenter’s View on Key Ratings Drivers
Birgitte Arendal, Senior Vice President and Matthew Day, Senior Vice President Contact Standard & Poor's (S&P) proposed insurance rating criteria framework includes significant changes that may adversely impact financial strength ratings of (re)insurers. The new framework is expected to be published and become effective in early 2013. Guy Carpenter has examined the ... Continue Reading »
Lloyd’s: Syndicate Ratings/Assessments
Matthew Day, Senior Vice President Contact The Market ratings remain the principal measure of financial strength to be applied to operations underwriting at Lloyd's, but several rating agencies separately provide syndicate-specific analysis. These analyses can support the reinsurance-buying decision-making process, but it is dangerous to rely on them without understanding the ... Continue Reading »
Lloyd’s: Market Ratings
Matthew Day, Senior Vice President Contact The financial strength ratings assigned to Lloyd's by S&P, A.M. Best and Fitch have been relatively stable in the 15 years since the first rating was assigned. During this period, the (re)insurance industry and Lloyd's itself have undergone dramatic change as they responded to the major challenges of the September 11, 2001, ... Continue Reading »
Standard & Poor’s Proposed Insurance Rating Criteria Update
On July 9, 2012, Standard & Poor's (S&P) issued a Request for Comment on proposed changes to its criteria for rating insurance companies globally. Although S&P expects the overall impact on global ratings to be modest, the proposed changes are significant and may adversely affect individual rated (re)insurers. The new criteria are expected to be published in late ... Continue Reading »
Update: U.S. Credit Downgrade Implications
Standard & Poor's has downgraded the U.S. sovereign debt rating to AA+ from AAA. Implications for (re)insurers worldwide are mixed. Although there are broad economic implications, markets appear to have anticipated at least some of these, which could forestall rash or catastrophic outcomes. The long-term effects, however, could be profound. ... Continue Reading »
Ratings outlook stable
Rating activity by Standard & Poor's and A.M. Best remained low in 2009 as reinsurers rebounded from 2008 losses and pulled in strong results. Two of the four downgrades of leading global reinsurance groups during the year, Swiss Re and Transatlantic Re, were directly related to the prior year's difficulties. The other two downgrades were reportedly driven by acquisition ... Continue Reading »
