AM Best's
Europe Insurance Market & Methodology Briefing – London

EMEA Market Overview
Update on Credit Rating Activity and Outlooks

• Overview of Financial Strength Ratings and Credit Trends
• Closer-Look: How positive or negative outlooks translate into rating upgrades and downgrades
• How credit ratings have changed through geopolitical crises
• What risks are on the insurance market’s radar?

Thematic Session: Economic and Geopolitical Outlook 

• Global perspective on current macro-economic developments
• Structural shifts shaping the macro-economy (GDP, Inflation, Interest Rates etc.)
• Interconnectedness of risks and drivers of uncertainty, including supply chains, tariffs, indirect exposures
• What else is on the horizon?

Ann Modica
Director, Credit Rating Criteria Research & Analytics, AM Best

Guest Keynote Presentation

Networking Coffee Break

Thematic Session: Navigating the Landscape: What is on the Radar?

• Obstacles for the insurance sector
• What’s on the mind of CEOs
• Insurance market performance in light of increased event risk (financial crisis, war, pandemic)
• Drivers of growth and profitability
• Re-emergence of inflation and interest rate trends

Panel Discussion: Dynamics of Insurance Markets as Cross-Border Conflict Rises 

• Challenges facing the industry as geopolitical disruptions occur
• Rising costs and insurability; sanctions, supply chain disruptions, AI
• Market disruption and dislocation
• Emerging risks and opportunities

• David Benyon, Editor & Host of The Political Risk Podcast
  

• Valeria Ermakova, Associate Director, Credit Rating Criteria Research & Analytics, AM Best
• Neil Beresford, Partner, Clyde & Co LLP
• TBC

Thematic Session: Impact of Geopolitical Uncertainty on Underwriting

• Understanding how elevated geopolitics risks have affected key lines of business, such as, marine, aviation, trade credit, business interruption and energy
• Historical experience
• Importance of policy wordings, exclusions and event clauses
• Prospective considerations

Jessica Botelho-Young
Director, Analytics - London, AM Best

Thematic Session: Consequential Impact on Emerging and Mature Markets

• Case studies from emerging markets – what happens when sovereigns default?

Thematic Session: Methodology Considerations in the Wake of Geopolitical Fall-Outs 

• Country Risk- How has the geopolitical landscape affected AM Best’s country risk assessments
• Stress Testing- Importance of (reverse) stress testing in an uncertain and volatile environment
• Risk Management- Role of risk management for financial resilience

Eli Sanchez 
Director, Analytics – Amsterdam, AM Best

Tim Prince 
Director, Analytics – London, AM Best

Kanika Thukral 
Associate Director, Analytics – London, AM Best