Credit rating agency Standard & Poor's announced Friday that it placed under surveillance with negative implications ratings of 15 European insurance companies, including Allianz, AXA and Aviva, the debt crisis in the euro area, informs a press release.
On the list there are also companies like RSA Insurance Ireland, Generali, Mapfre Millenniumbcp-Ageas Group, Triglav Group and Unipol Group.



'We decided to place the ratings of certain European insurers under surveillance with negative implications. Depending on the outcome of the review ratings member euro area long-term ratings of these insurers could be lowered by one or two steps, and rating in the short term for some insurers could be lowered by one step, "said S & P in a statement.



Standard and Poor's decision to place some of the largest insurance companies in the world under surveillance is the latest in a series of measures taken by credit rating agencies in recent months. Two weeks ago, Standard & Poor's has downgraded some of the largest banks in the world. Also last week Standard and Poor's threatened to downgrade the ratings a notch 'AAA' assigned to Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, Luxembourg and Austria.