Top 10 European Reinsurers by Net Premium Written

Swiss Re is the world's #2 reinsurer, reporting CHF 44B in net premiums earned and a P&C combined ratio of 93.9% in 2024. Founded in Zurich in 1863, it employs 14,000 across 25 offices and holds an AM Best A+ Superior rating. Its sigma research publications are the definitive global reference for insured loss statistics. Swiss Re's Life & Health Re segment contributed $1.3B in net income in 2024, reflecting growing demand for mortality and morbidity risk transfer from life insurers.

Swiss Re

Hannover Re is the world's #3 reinsurer, writing €30B in gross written premium in 2024 with a record group net income of €2.1B. Founded in 1966 in Hanover and 50.2% owned by Talanx AG, it is notable for its Life & Health Re division contributing 45% of GWP — a higher proportion than any other top-5 reinsurer. Its Solvency II ratio reached 275% in 2024, and its ROE of 19.3% exceeded its target of 15%. Hannover Re insures longevity, morbidity, and biometric risks for 200+ life insurers globally.

Hannover Re

SCOR SE is France's largest and the world's 4th-largest reinsurer, writing €18B in gross written premium in 2024 with a Solvency II ratio of 203%. Founded in Paris in 1970, it employs 3,700 across 37 offices and holds an AM Best A+ (Excellent) rating. SCOR's life reinsurance franchise covers 600M+ insured lives globally, ranking it #2 globally in L&H Re. Its 2025 Forward strategy targets €1B in annual net income by reducing P&C catastrophe volatility through portfolio repositioning.

SCOR SE

General Re (Gen Re) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway operating as one of the world's leading life/health reinsurers, with European operations headquartered in Cologne since its 1994 merger with Aachener Rueck. Gen Re writes $10B+ in global reinsurance premiums and benefits from Berkshire's AAA financial strength. Its P&C operations focus on casualty treaty and specialty reinsurance for European carriers, with disciplined underwriting producing a 10-year average combined ratio of 91%.

General Re (Gen Re)

PartnerRe was acquired by French mutual insurer COVEA for $9B in 2022, creating Europe's 5th-largest reinsurance group. Writing $8B+ in net premium in 2024, PartnerRe specialises in catastrophe, specialty, and L&H reinsurance across 150+ countries. Its Solvency II ratio stood at 210% post-acquisition. Bermuda-domiciled with European operations in Dublin and Paris, it leverages COVEA's €20B balance sheet to offer competitive multi-year treaty structures at the January renewals.

PartnerRe

Everest Re Group reported $14B in gross written premium for 2024, with European reinsurance operations headquartered in Dublin. It holds an AM Best A+ rating and a Solvency II ratio of 194% for European operations. Everest's reinsurance segment generated $4.5B in GWP in 2024 with a 90.1% combined ratio. The group expanded its European presence significantly through the 2023 Lloyd's of London market re-entry and Dublin-based ILS structuring operations.

Everest Re Group

RenaissanceRe is the world's leading catastrophe reinsurer by ROE consistency, writing $9.3B in gross written premium in 2024 after its $2.9B acquisition of Tokio Marine's US and European reinsurance operations. Its Bermuda and European (Dublin) operations use proprietary RMS-based cat models to price peak-zone hurricane, earthquake, and European windstorm exposures. RenRe posted a 37% ROE in 2024, reflecting disciplined catastrophe underwriting and favourable January 1 renewals.

RenaissanceRe

Arch Capital Group is a Bermuda-based specialty insurer and reinsurer with significant European operations in London and Dublin, writing $20B+ in gross written premium in 2024. Its reinsurance segment contributed $6B in GWP with an 83% combined ratio. Arch holds an AM Best A+ rating and is renowned for its cycle-aware underwriting — scaling capacity up in hard markets and retrenching in soft markets. Its European mortgage reinsurance portfolio covers €50B+ in European residential mortgage exposure.

Arch Capital Group

Mapfre Re is the reinsurance arm of Spanish insurance giant Mapfre, writing €4B in gross written premium in 2024 from its Madrid headquarters. It operates across 130+ countries and is the leading reinsurer in Latin America and Iberia by market share. Mapfre Re's Solvency II ratio stood at 204% in 2024, and its combined ratio was 97.8%. Its facultative reinsurance team is the #1 provider of agriculture reinsurance in Latin America, covering drought and pest risks for 5M+ hectares of farmland.

Mapfre Re

Swiss Re is the world's #2 reinsurer, reporting CHF 44B in net premiums earned and a P&C combined ratio of 93.9% in 2024. Founded in Zurich in 1863, it employs 14,000 across 25 offices and holds an AM Best A+ Superior rating. Its sigma research publications are the definitive global reference for insured loss statistics. Swiss Re's Life & Health Re segment contributed $1.3B in net income in 2024, reflecting growing demand for mortality and morbidity risk transfer from life insurers.

Swiss Re

Hannover Re is the world's #3 reinsurer, writing €30B in gross written premium in 2024 with a record group net income of €2.1B. Founded in 1966 in Hanover and 50.2% owned by Talanx AG, it is notable for its Life & Health Re division contributing 45% of GWP — a higher proportion than any other top-5 reinsurer. Its Solvency II ratio reached 275% in 2024, and its ROE of 19.3% exceeded its target of 15%. Hannover Re insures longevity, morbidity, and biometric risks for 200+ life insurers globally.

Hannover Re

SCOR SE is France's largest and the world's 4th-largest reinsurer, writing €18B in gross written premium in 2024 with a Solvency II ratio of 203%. Founded in Paris in 1970, it employs 3,700 across 37 offices and holds an AM Best A+ (Excellent) rating. SCOR's life reinsurance franchise covers 600M+ insured lives globally, ranking it #2 globally in L&H Re. Its 2025 Forward strategy targets €1B in annual net income by reducing P&C catastrophe volatility through portfolio repositioning.

SCOR SE

General Re (Gen Re) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway operating as one of the world's leading life/health reinsurers, with European operations headquartered in Cologne since its 1994 merger with Aachener Rueck. Gen Re writes $10B+ in global reinsurance premiums and benefits from Berkshire's AAA financial strength. Its P&C operations focus on casualty treaty and specialty reinsurance for European carriers, with disciplined underwriting producing a 10-year average combined ratio of 91%.

General Re (Gen Re)

PartnerRe was acquired by French mutual insurer COVEA for $9B in 2022, creating Europe's 5th-largest reinsurance group. Writing $8B+ in net premium in 2024, PartnerRe specialises in catastrophe, specialty, and L&H reinsurance across 150+ countries. Its Solvency II ratio stood at 210% post-acquisition. Bermuda-domiciled with European operations in Dublin and Paris, it leverages COVEA's €20B balance sheet to offer competitive multi-year treaty structures at the January renewals.

PartnerRe

Everest Re Group reported $14B in gross written premium for 2024, with European reinsurance operations headquartered in Dublin. It holds an AM Best A+ rating and a Solvency II ratio of 194% for European operations. Everest's reinsurance segment generated $4.5B in GWP in 2024 with a 90.1% combined ratio. The group expanded its European presence significantly through the 2023 Lloyd's of London market re-entry and Dublin-based ILS structuring operations.

Everest Re Group

RenaissanceRe is the world's leading catastrophe reinsurer by ROE consistency, writing $9.3B in gross written premium in 2024 after its $2.9B acquisition of Tokio Marine's US and European reinsurance operations. Its Bermuda and European (Dublin) operations use proprietary RMS-based cat models to price peak-zone hurricane, earthquake, and European windstorm exposures. RenRe posted a 37% ROE in 2024, reflecting disciplined catastrophe underwriting and favourable January 1 renewals.

RenaissanceRe

Arch Capital Group is a Bermuda-based specialty insurer and reinsurer with significant European operations in London and Dublin, writing $20B+ in gross written premium in 2024. Its reinsurance segment contributed $6B in GWP with an 83% combined ratio. Arch holds an AM Best A+ rating and is renowned for its cycle-aware underwriting — scaling capacity up in hard markets and retrenching in soft markets. Its European mortgage reinsurance portfolio covers €50B+ in European residential mortgage exposure.

Arch Capital Group

Mapfre Re is the reinsurance arm of Spanish insurance giant Mapfre, writing €4B in gross written premium in 2024 from its Madrid headquarters. It operates across 130+ countries and is the leading reinsurer in Latin America and Iberia by market share. Mapfre Re's Solvency II ratio stood at 204% in 2024, and its combined ratio was 97.8%. Its facultative reinsurance team is the #1 provider of agriculture reinsurance in Latin America, covering drought and pest risks for 5M+ hectares of farmland.

Mapfre Re