Ο αριθμός των εργαζομένων μερικής απασχόλησης στη Γερμανία (με μειωμένο ωράριο ή με λιγότερες ημέρες λόγω πανδημίας) αυξήθηκε τον Νοέμβριο, σύμφωνα με το οικονομικό ινστιτούτο Ifo, υποδηλώνοντας ότι το μερικό lockdown για την αναχαίτιση του δεύτερου κύματος του κορωνοϊού έπληξε την αγορά εργασίας στη μεγαλύτερη οικονομία της Ευρώπης.

Ειδικότερα, ο αριθμός των εργαζομένων μερικής απασχόλησης αυξήθηκε σε περίπου 2 εκατομμύρια τον Νοέμβριο, από περίπου 1,8 εκατομμύρια τον Οκτώβριο, ανέφερε η Ifo την Τετάρτη.

Hub International Ltd., the Chicago-based insurance broker, announced it has acquired the assets of Prince Albert Insurance Ltd.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Located in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Prince Albert Insurance Ltd. is a full-service, independent insurance brokerage that provides personal, commercial, farm and specialty products insurance, which will complement and strengthen Hub’s existing capabilities.

Ron Wesolowski, vice president and director at Prince Albert Insurance Ltd., will join HUB International Manitoba Ltd. and report to Keith Jordan, president & CEO of the region.

AM Best has assigned a Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and a Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” to Conduit Reinsurance Limited (Conduit Re) (Bermuda). The outlook assigned to these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect Conduit Re’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best categorises as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

The very strong balance sheet assessment is underpinned by AM Best’s expectation that Conduit Re will maintain the strongest level of risk-adjusted capitalisation, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), over its five-year start-up phase, taking into account AM Best’s additional capital requirements for new company formations. Funding of USD 1.1 billion was raised successfully through an initial public offering of its holding company, Conduit Holdings Limited, and has been downstreamed into Conduit Re as capital.

Conduit Re’s adequate operating performance assessment is based on its well-defined business plans, and takes into account its competitive environment and heightened execution risk during the start-up phase.

AM Best views Conduit Re’s business profile as limited, given its lack of competitive position and established distribution network in a competitive reinsurance marketplace. However, the experience of senior management and underwriters in the targeted classes of business increases the likelihood of market acceptance and successful execution of the company’s business plans. Conduit Re has a clearly defined ERM framework in advance of writing business, which includes plans to control key risks.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Best’s Credit Ratings and AM Best press releases, please view Guide for Media - Proper Use of Best’s Credit Ratings and AM Best Rating Action Press Releases.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in New York, London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City.

Lemonade, the New York City-based insurance company powered by artificial intelligence and behavioral economics, has launched in France.

The launch marks the third EU country Lemonade has entered, following the Netherlands’ launch earlier this year, and Germany in June 2019.

Residents of France can now get renters insurance instantly, anytime, and from any device – as well as file claims and get paid in seconds through the Lemonade.

Unlike the traditional insurance model, Lemonade keeps a flat fee for its operations, and gives unused remaining money to nonprofits, as part of its annual Giveback program.

The company launched its homeowners and renters insurance in New York in late 2016, and has been one of the fastest growing insurance companies ever since. The company went public on July 2,2020 and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker LMND.

“Home insurance is often legally required in France, which makes it a compelling opportunity for Lemonade’s next European country launch,” said Daniel Schreiber, Lemonade CEO and co-founder. “While the French insurance market is one of the most developed globally, we believe that Lemonade’s unique mix of value, values, and technology will stand out to the French consumer, offering the ability to get fast, personalized, and mission-driven insurance, with a few taps.”

Similar to the German and Dutch products, the French product has the added benefit of being based on the company’s Policy 2.0, a new kind of insurance policy made for the 21st century, said Lemonade in a statement.

Policy 2.0 is a short, easy-to-understand, and transparent document designed for ordinary people (and not only for lawyers) – a consumer-friendly departure from the dense and dated policies that dominate the market.

Lemonade’s renters policy, which can be stopped and started at any time through the app, will start at just 4 euros (US$4.84) a month, and includes features that provide more extensive coverage than the typical industry standard policy, the company affirmed.

For example, Lemonade’s policy will offer an optional coverage to cover against theft both in and outside of your home, worldwide – so if a customer’s locked bike is stolen from the street, the customer could claim the bike’s full replacement value in minutes from the comfort of the Lemonade app.

Lemonade is licensed and supervised in Europe by the Dutch Central Bank (DNB), and has its European headquarters in Amsterdam.