Reinsurance News

Fitch Ratings news

News featuring rating agency Fitch Ratings, including the latest reports, rating actions and analysis from the company, as well as news on Fitch’s analysis of the reinsurance sector.

China’s insurance sector surpasses expectations says new regulatory body

2nd June 2023

The performance of China’s insurance sector was better than expected in the first three months, the new regulatory body tasked with supervising the country’s financial sector announced in its first work meeting in the middle of May. One of its first duties since its inauguration on May 18, the National Administration ... Read the full article

Europe’s big four see “better-than-expected” financial performance in Q1: Fitch

25th May 2023

Three out of the four major European reinsurers reported better technical results in Q1 of 2023 despite a high natural catastrophe charge, suggest analysts at Fitch Ratings. Fitch explains that better pricing and portfolio adjustments made up part of the improvement, however, discounting effects under IFRS 17 also led to a ... Read the full article

Fitch views RenRe’s acquisition of Validus as favourable

24th May 2023

RenaissanceRe has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire American International Group, Inc.'s (AIG) treaty reinsurance platform, which ratings agency Fitch sees as favourable for the Bermuda-based reinsurer. The acquisition includes Validus Reinsurance Ltd. and its consolidated subsidiaries, AlphaCat Managers Ltd. and the renewal rights for Talbot's assumed treaty reinsurance ... Read the full article

Mass lapse remains a threat to European life insurers: Fitch

5th May 2023

Analysts at Fitch Ratings have warned that mass lapse risk remains a threat to European life insurers, although they argue that liquidity profiles are still sufficiently strong to withstand a moderate to significant rise in lapses even in the two most exposed markets, France and Italy. Lapse risk typically applies to ... Read the full article

Swiss P&C insurers expected to maintain strong profitability in 2023/24: Fitch

26th April 2023

A new report from Fitch Ratings has highlighted how Swiss property & casualty (P&C) insurers will maintain their strong profitability throughout 2023 and 2024, due to disciplined pricing strategies that mitigate the effects of higher claims inflation. According to analysts, the non-life market - which includes health - average combined ratio ... Read the full article

Large Nordic insurers maintain strong credit profiles despite economic headwinds: Fitch

18th April 2023

According to a new report from Fitch Ratings, large Nordic insurers managed to maintain strong credit profiles throughout 2022, which was heavily supported by the resilient economic and operating environment within the Nordic region. Analysts stated that Nordic economies - defined as Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden in the report - ... Read the full article

Allianz, Axa and Zurich ‘successfully managed’ inflation, interest rate risk: Fitch

13th April 2023

Fitch Ratings said the three main European insurance groups – Allianz, AXA and Zurich - "successfully managed" the effects of the macroeconomic environment like high inflation and interest rates. "Allianz, AXA and Zurich successfully managed 2022’s macroeconomic challenges thanks to their very strong company profiles, rigorous risk management and sophisticated asset- ... Read the full article

UK life insurance fundamentals for 2022 resilient despite volatile markets: Fitch

12th April 2023

Fitch Ratings' new report on UK life insurers’ fundamentals for 2022 indicates the market has remained strong, despite financial market volatility and elevated inflation. “Insurers’ new business volumes and underlying operating performance were resilient, while the rising interest rates benefitted companies’ Solvency II (S2) ratios,” commented Fedor Smolyakov, Director of ... Read the full article

Fitch views RGA’s market position ‘favourably’

11th April 2023

Fitch Ratings views the Reinsurance Group of America’s (RGA) entrenched market position and long track record in the global reinsurance market "favourably". This news follows Fitch's outlook revision for RGA to positive from stable. Fitch said that this outlook revision reflects RGA’s business profile improvement as the largest provider of ... Read the full article

Fitch turns positive on Reinsurance Group of America

6th April 2023

Fitch Ratings has revised Reinsurance Group of America’s outlook to positive from stable and has also affirmed its senior debt ratings at 'BBB'. The agency also announced that it has affirmed RGA Reinsurance Company's (RGA Reinsurance) IFS rating at 'A' (Strong). Fitch says that this outlook revision reflects RGA’s business profile improvement ... Read the full article

European reinsurers’ life business units profitability improved in 2022: Fitch

5th April 2023

The life reinsurance business units of the four major European reinsurers have presented a strong return to profitability in 2022 as pandemic-related claims declined and the overall claims experience was positive, according to Fitch Ratings. Even though pandemic-related claims still burdened 1Q22 results, on average, Covid-19-related claims declined to 3.3% in ... Read the full article

French earnings diverge between life & non-life: Fitch

4th April 2023

Analysts at Fitch Ratings have estimated that the operating profits of French insurers increased by around 3% in 2022, despite broadly flat premium income, although the life and non-life segments showed diverging trends in their results. Fitch observed strong growth in life operating earnings that reflects higher technical margins, due to ... Read the full article

Struggle continued for U.S. personal auto & Florida specialists in 2022: Fitch

30th March 2023

Despite substantial premium growth for North American P&C insurers overall in 2022, the struggle continued for personal auto business and Florida homeowners insurers, suggest analysts at Fitch Ratings. According to the rating agency's review of the results for 40 North American re/insurers, the aggregate group combined ratio increased by 1.4 percentage ... Read the full article

Insurers’ assured RT1’s won’t be treated as Credit Suisse’s AT1 notes: Fitch

28th March 2023

Analysts at Fitch Ratings have assured EU and UK insurers that Credit Suisse’s Additional Tier 1 (AT1) notes full write down by Swiss authorities - without imposing full losses on the bank’s equity - does not imply that the countries’ authorities will treat their Restricted Tier 1 (RT1) instruments the ... Read the full article

Europe’s big four hit by weaker underwriting & investment losses: Fitch

27th March 2023

Hannover Re, Munich Re, SCOR and Swiss Re all reported lower earnings for 2022 as high inflation, rising interest rates and climate-related costs led to lower underwriting and investment results, suggests a new report from Fitch Ratings. The rating agency notes that in 2022, attempts to raise prices proved to be ... Read the full article