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Fitch Ratings has today affirmed German insurer WWK Lebensversicherung a. G.'s (WWK Leben) and 100% subsidiary WWK Allgemeine Versicherung AG's (WWK Allg.) Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) ratings at 'A+'. The Outlooks are Stable. (more)

Fitch Ratings has downgraded American International Group, Inc.'s (NYSE: AIG) Issuer Default Rating (IDR) and senior debt ratings to 'AA-' from 'AA'. (more)

Fitch Ratings has today affirmed its ratings on Swiss Reinsurance Company and its subsidiaries (collectively Swiss Re). The Rating Outlook is Stable. It has also assigned ratings to subsidiaries, Swiss Reinsurance America Corp. and Swiss Re Life & Health America, Inc. (more)

Fitch Ratings has said today that although Insurance Linked Securitisation (ILS) is by no means new, this asset class is receiving increased attention from issuers. Potential insurance issuers and structurers have shown renewed interest in transferring insurance risks to the market.

The likes of cat bonds, auto insurance and longevity or mortality linked bonds are favourably received by insurance companies currently looking at Solvency II. They will indeed need to adapt to new capital requirements and manage their capital adequately. While the larger insurance companies have been anticipating Solvency II, the smaller entities are less prepared for these changes. Thus, ILS is generally seen as an interesting opportunity because it would allow firms to better manage capital efficiency. It also remains a good alternative for risk management purposes. Additionally, it also addresses concerns surrounding diversification of reinsurance sources.

ILS will also be an opportunity for other parties in search of new business in the current structured finance context. Fitch understands that a number of arrangers are intent on developing expertise in this asset class. In fact, because the investor base for these products is different to that oftraditional structured finance products, the agency understands that these transactions have a higher probability of being placed in the market.

Fitch's dedicated ILS group has recently published its new criteria on cat bonds (available on www.fitchratings.com) and will publish its auto insurance criteria in the coming months.

For topical commentary on the European structured finance market, along with global capital markets coverage, please see www.fitchratings.com/capitalmarkets.

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Fitch Ratings has today affirmed Standard Life Assurance Limited's (SLAL) Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) rating at 'A' and Long-term Issuer Default rating (IDR) at 'A-' (A minus). (more)

Fitch's updated assessment reflects its current views on Ambac's ratings and capital adequacy position following today's announcement that the company plans to raise at least $1 billion in common stock and $500 million in equity units. (more)

Fitch Ratings-London/New York-28 February 2008: Much has been written regarding the potential breakup of one or more of the financial guarantors and the effect this could have on several different dimensions. (more)

Fitch Ratings says in a special report published today that the Italian life market is particularly vulnerable to the negative impact of macroeconomic forces, as a limited proportion of households' resources are allocated to life policies. (more)

US personal auto insurers have enjoyed a strong run of operating success and underwriting profitability over the past four years. (more)

Fitch Ratings announced today that in light of consensus movement towards a view of increased loss projections for U.S. subprime residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS) that is now held by various market participants and observers, including Fitch, that the agency will be updating certain modeling assumptions in its ongoing analysis of the financial guaranty industry. (more)

Fitch Ratings says in a special report published today that the ability to manage and adequately forecast underwriting performance has become one of the key goals for insurance companies in Russia in an environment of strong growth. (more)

Fitch Ratings-Chicago-24 Jan 2008: Fitch Ratings downgrades XL Capital Ltd (XL) and its property/casualty (re)insurance subsidiaries, including the Issuer Default Rating (IDR) for XL to 'A' from 'A+', and the Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) rating of lead (re)insurance companies XL Insurance (Bermuda) Ltd and XL Re Ltd. to 'A+' from 'AA-'. (See the full list below.) The Rating Outlook is Stable. (more)

As Fitch announced on Dec. 12, 2007, when it placed SCA on Rating Watch Negative, the company has a modeled capital shortfall of more than $2 billion at the 'AAA' rating threshold. (more)

Fitch Group, a subsidiary of Fimalac S.A, and the parent company of Fitch Ratings and Algorithmics, has created a new division, Fitch Solutions, that will consolidate all non-rating products and services, product development, credit training, and the firm's product sales force into a single entity. (more)

Fitch's ratings for Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC) reflect the company's favorable competitive position as one of the world's largest financial services firms, with major operations in insurance brokerage, consulting and risk consulting, and technology. (more)

Fitch Ratings has received questions from market participants as to what would be the rating of a security if a monoline insurer fully wrapping it is downgraded below the underlying rating of the transaction. (more)

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Fitch Ratings has said today that it is maintaining a stable outlook on the UK non-life insurance sector as insurers remain on the path of underwriting discipline in the face of more challenging market conditions. (more)

Fitch Ratings has today downgraded the German life insurance company IDEAL Lebensversicherung a.G.'s (IDEAL) Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) rating from 'A' to 'A-' (A minus). The Outlook is Stable. At the same time, the agency has again assigned IDEAL the Financial Strength Seal, which is only awarded to financially strong insurers. (more)

Fitch Ratings has today affirmed Legal & General Assurance Society's (LGAS) Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) rating at 'AA+'. (more)

Fitch Ratings has said today that European insurers are strongly-capitalised and well-positioned to cope with the regulatory challenges posed by Solvency II, according to results published today from Prism, the agency's global economic capital model. (more)

Fitch Ratings has today affirmed the German insurer PB Lebensversicherung AG's (PB Leben) Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) rating at 'A'. The Outlook is Stable. (more)

Fitch Ratings has affirmed Swiss Reinsurance Company's (Swiss Re) Long-term Issuer Default rating (IDR) and insurer financial strength (IFS) rating at 'AA-' (AA minus). (more)

he cyclical nature of the title insurance industry is on full display as the highs of 2002-2005 are being followed by the lows of 2007 and 2008. (more)

Fitch Ratings has today assigned German insurer Condor Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG (CA), Condor Lebensversicherungs-AG (CL) and Optima Versicherungs-AG (Optima Vers.) (more)