Conning Research & Consulting News

Are MGAs Winning the Insurance Talent War?

With more than 1,000 managing general agents writing roughly $70 billion in direct premiums last year, researchers at Conning believe one growth driver is the fact that the MGA model attracts talent. Conning listed the talent edge as one of …

Here’s a Shocker: Insurance Industry Reserves Still Adequate

Although analysts at Conning didn’t actually use the word “shocked” in their latest report on the property/casualty industry’s loss reserve position, the title of the report—and the image on the front page—made it clear that the analysts didn’t see the …

How Consolidation Has Changed Crop Insurance Sector: Conning

Crop insurance was once a sector full of smaller players, but a mergers-and-acquisitions (M&A)-driven push for efficiency and scale has left it dominated by fewer and larger carriers, and analysts at Conning predict a continuation of the trend. “We expect …

Taiwan’s Cathay Financial Completes Acquisition of Conning

Cathay Financial Holding Co. Ltd., based in Taiwan, said it has completed the previously-announced acquisition of Conning Holdings Corp. through its subsidiary, Cathay Life Insurance Co, Ltd. Conning, based in Hartford, Conn., is an investment manager focused on the insurance …

Small Business Insurance Market Primed for Consolidation

If heavy competition breeds consolidation, then the property/casualty small business insurance market is ripe for it in the coming years. Both large and small insurers devote lots of attention to the space, but no single company carries more than a …

Taiwan’s Cathay Life Acquires Asset Manager, Research Firm Conning

Cathay Life Insurance Co. of Taiwan has acquired insurance industry investment and asset manager and research firm Conning Holdings Corp. of Hartford, Conn. and all of its subsidiaries. Under the terms of the agreement, Cathay Life will purchase Conning for …

P/C Insurance Industry Loss Reserves Stable: Conning

The property/casualty industry’s loss reserve position is slightly improved as of year-end 2013, according to Conning. “Overall, the industry continues to appear to have sufficient reserves, with a modest degree of safety, under assumptions that claims settlement patterns will continue …

Conning to Acquire Brookfield’s Insurance Asset Management Business

Hartford-based insurance asset management firm Conning, Inc. said it has agreed to acquire certain assets of Brookfield Investment Management Inc.’s core fixed income insurance. The investment team currently managing these assets will join Conning in a newly formed Manhattan investment …

P/C Stock Valuations Unlikely to Improve Much in Near Term: Conning

While property/casualty insurance stock valuation levels are finally exceeding book values after four years of below-book levels, a near-term return to higher historical valuation levels is unlikely, according to a new analysis by Conning. “Yes, underwriting fundamentals have improved, supporting …

Pricing Hikes, Improved Underwriting Bode Well for P/C Industry: Conning

With 2012 preliminary results showing improvement in profitability in the sector, the property/casualty insurance industry should see continued strong net premium growth and a substantially improved combined ratio for 2013, analysts at investment manager Conning said in a new forecast. …