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.
Reinsurance M&A to continue, driven by alternative capital access: Fitch
4th October 2018
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the reinsurance industry is expected to continue, driven in part by a desire for companies to gain better access to alternative capital platforms, according to Fitch Ratings. Consolidation provides a range of potential benefits for reinsurers, including revenue diversification, economies of scales, improved return on ... Read the full article
U.S. life insurers experience improved profitability in 2018: Fitch
27th September 2018
Approximately two-thirds of publicly traded life insurers in the U.S. rated by Fitch improved profitability in the first-half of 2018, and while higher interest rates will mitigate spread compression, the rating agency warns that this will remain a headwind in the second half of the year. For the U.S. life insurers ... Read the full article
Pricing will remain flat at 1/1 renewals: Fitch Ratings
25th September 2018
Although reinsurance pricing improved to some extent over 2018, abundant levels of underwriting capacity continue to absorb any increase in reinsurance demand, meaning rates are not expected to improve significantly at 1 January 2019 renewals, according to Fitch Ratings. Rates improvements were greatest at the January renewals in 2018, but subsequent ... Read the full article
NFIP will absorb majority of Florence losses, says Fitch
20th September 2018
Traditional reinsurers and insurance-linked securities (ILS) markets are expected to experience only modest levels of losses from Hurricane Florence, with the majority likely to be absorbed by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), according to Fitch Ratings. Florence weakened to a Category 1 hurricane as it approached the U.S coast last ... Read the full article
U.S. commercial auto remains problematic: Fitch
17th September 2018
In a report by Fitch Ratings that examined recent commercial auto performance and market share movement for the largest U.S. commercial auto writers, only four of the top 15 companies reported overall underwriting profitability in the last five years. However, most of the largest underwriters displayed moderate improvement in results, with 10 ... Read the full article
U.S Excess & Surplus lines recovery boosts P&C insurers: Fitch
14th September 2018
U.S Property & Casualty (P&C) insurers with significant operations in Excess and Surplus (E&S) lines are set to receive a boost as the U.S E&S market continues its modest recovery, according to a recent report by Fitch Ratings. The E&S business is typically more volatile than standard admitted insurance markets and ... Read the full article
Fitch revises global reinsurance sector outlook to stable
4th September 2018
Global ratings agency Fitch has revised its outlook for the global reinsurance sector from negative to stable in response to a new market normal, underlined by more modest returns on capital but less volatility than before. Fitch Ratings says that in recent years there has been a secular shift that has ... Read the full article
Workers’ comp profits strong, weaker pricing ahead: Fitch Ratings
3rd September 2018
The U.S workers' compensation insurance market reported strong underwriting performance for the third consecutive year in 2017, with an industry statutory combined ratio of approximately 92%, according to Fitch Ratings. However, Fitch warns that a steady decline in premium rates from increased competition will ultimately lead to weaker underwriting results. Fitch believes ... Read the full article
U.S P&C re/insurers given H1 boost following 2017 catastrophes, Fitch Ratings
29th August 2018
A decrease in natural catastrophe losses relative to 2017 helped drive positive mid-year results for U.S property and casualty (P&C) re/insurers, according to a report by Fitch Ratings. Operating performance moderately improved for P&C re/insurers during H1 2018 thanks to improved core loss ratios, lower catastrophe-related losses and lower taxes along ... Read the full article
Top European reinsurers report strong underwriting performance at H1: Fitch
24th August 2018
The top four European reinsurers all reported a solid underwriting performance over the first half of 2018, with limited large losses, moderate rate improvements, and strong premium growth, according to a recent report by Fitch Ratings. Fitch largely attributed the strong underwriting performance of the group, which included Munich Re, Swiss ... Read the full article
Asian reinsurers remain profitable over 2017 despite market softening: Fitch
7th August 2018
Asian reinsurers in catastrophe-prone countries remained profitable over 2017 despite continued market softening thanks to effective risk management, favourable loss-reserve development, and limited catastrophe events, according to a new report by Fitch Ratings. Fitch found that big reinsurers in China, Japan and Korea recorded favourable profitability with return on equity (ROE) ... Read the full article
Reinsurance demand to grow in Asia, although untapped markets remain: Fitch
3rd August 2018
Reinsurance demand is expected to grow significantly in Asia due to accounting reforms, large infrastructure projects, and technology, while considerable opportunities and challenges remain in closing the region’s vast protection gap, according to a new report by Fitch Ratings. Fitch noted that the implementation of IFRS 17 - new international accounting ... Read the full article
Technology creating new area of competition for Asian reinsurers: Fitch Ratings
2nd August 2018
Reinsurers in Asia have recently embraced technology to improve their services to insurance clients and end-customers, says Fitch Ratings. The faster processing of reinsurance transactions means an improved service for insurance clients who are able to speed up processes for their policyholders. These increasingly sophisticated tools allow for automated data analysis ... Read the full article
Projected asbestos industry losses up $10bn, reserves remain deficient: Fitch
18th July 2018
A Fitch Ratings report examining U.S. property and casualty re/insurers' asbestos liability exposures has led the agency to raise its projection for ultimate all-time industry incurred losses to $100 billion, up from $90 billion last year. Additionally, the U.S. industry's asbestos reserve deficiency is in the range of $8 billion - ... Read the full article
Fitch suggests large reinsurers can better withstand market challenges
10th July 2018
Fitch Ratings recently affirmed its stable outlook and ‘AA-‘ Insurer Financial Rating (IFR) for European reinsurance giants Swiss Re and SCOR, reasoning that the scale of the companies allows them to better withstand current market challenges. The rating agency recognised that both companies currently had very strong business profiles within the ... Read the full article
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