Latest Excess Surplus Headlines

All the headlines from our Excess Surplus Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Trenwick to Halt Underwriting U.S. Specialty Program Insurance

Oct 30 2002 // Bermuda-based Trenwick Group Ltd. announced that it would cease underwriting its U.S. specialty program insurance business effective immediately. Operating under the name Canterbury Financial Group Inc. and through its...

Lloyd’s Leads the Way to Profitable Industry

Oct 29 2002 // “Too many of us believe that the insurance market is dictated to by the insurance cycle.” Those were the words of Julian James, director of Worldwide Markets at Lloyd’s of London. James spoke before a...

A.M. BEST E&S REVIEW REPORTS 35 PERCENT INCREASE IN DIRECT PREMIUM VOLUME

Oct 28 2002 // The U.S. excess and surplus lines market reported a 35 percent increase in direct premium volume in 2001, according to the “Annual Review of the Excess & Surplus Lines Industry-September 2002,” released by...

NAPSLO PRESENTS ASLI ACADEMIC AWARDS

Oct 28 2002 // The National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices (NAPSLO) recognized the top four graduates of the Associate in Surplus Lines Insurance (ASLI) program at its annual convention in Boston, Mass. Andrew Frazier,...

A.M. Best Affirms Ratings, Removes State Farm’s Calif., Texas Subsidiaries From Under Review

Oct 28 2002 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength ratings of B+ (Very Good) for two separately rated subsidiaries of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm General Insurance Company (both of...

Lloyd’s Syndicate Rating at ‘A-‘

Oct 28 2002 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the Best’s syndicate rating of “A-” of Lloyd’s syndicate 1243, which is managed by Euclidian Underwriting Limited, U.K. The outlook is stable. The rating reflects the...

Survival in the Homeowners Market Takes Preparation

Oct 28 2002 // Be prepared.” Personal lines agents would do well to take that time-tested Scout motto to heart during these troubled times in the Texas homeowners market. Already inundated with calls from folks who are having a...

Survival in the Homeowners Market Takes Preparation

Oct 28 2002 // Be prepared.” Personal lines agents would do well to take that time-tested Scout motto to heart during these troubled times in the Texas homeowners market. Already inundated with calls from folks who are having a...

Zurich, Lloyd’s to Pay $13 Million Settlement in Calif. Freeway Accident

Oct 24 2002 // 39-year-old Philip Dohrman will receive a $13 million settlement stemming from a legal dispute with trucking company Allied Systems Ltd. and a tire servicing firm, according to the Associated Press. Dohrman, of Huntington...

New Mexico Judge Upholds Lloyd’s Claims Against “Names”

Oct 15 2002 // Judge Lorenzo Garcia of the U.S. District Court in Albuquerque New Mexico has upheld the ruling of a U.K. court in favor of Lloyd’s claims for a total of $2.8 million from six American investors, or...

NAPSLO Presents ASLI Academic Awards

Oct 10 2002 // The National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices (NAPSLO) recognized the top four graduates of the Associate in Surplus Lines Insurance (ASLI) program at its annual convention in Boston, Mass. Andrew Frazier,...

AXIS Specialty Completes Acquisition of Connecticut Specialty

Oct 8 2002 // Bermuda’s AXIS Specialty Limited announced that it has completed the acquisition of Connecticut Specialty Insurance Company, which will be renamed AXIS Specialty Insurance Company (ASI). The Connecticut-based surplus...

A.M. Best E&S Review Reports 35 Percent Increase in Direct Premium Volume

Oct 8 2002 // The U.S. excess and surplus lines market reported a 35 percent increase in direct premium volume in 2001, according to the “Annual Review of the Excess & Surplus Lines Industry-September 2002,” released by...

A.M. Best Affirms Ratings, Removes State Farm’s Calif., Texas Subsidiaries From Under Review

Oct 8 2002 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength ratings of B+ (Very Good) for two separately rated subsidiaries of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm General Insurance Company (both of...

EU Report Indicates U.K. Gov’t. May Not Have Properly Audited Lloyd’s

Oct 4 2002 // A preliminary draft of a report prepared for the European Commission apparently indicates that U.K. regulators failed to adhere to European Community regulations in auditing and oversight of Lloyd’s of...

Endurance Announces Two Sr. Executive Appointments

Oct 4 2002 // Bermuda’s Endurance Specialty Insurance Ltd. announced the promotion of David V. Cabral to Executive VP for Excess Casualty and Professional Liability and that Ronald H. Koch has been named a Senior VP for Casualty...

Moody’s Estimates Lloyd’s Losses at £5 Billion for 2000/2001

Oct 1 2002 // Moody’s Investors Service’s latest forecasts for the Lloyd’s Market indicate it will lose around £5 billion ($7.8 billion) for the 2000 and 2001 years of account. According to the report, the loss...

Lloyd’s Outlook Stable

Sep 30 2002 // A.M. Best Co. affirmed the financial strength rating of “A-” of the Lloyd’s market with a stable outlook. Lloyd’s has a financial size category of XV. Lloyd’s excellent business profile,...

The State of the Surplus Lines Market with Michael J. Hall

Sep 30 2002 // Insurance Journal publisher Mark Wells recently spoke with Michael J. Hall, chairman of M.J. Hall & Company Inc. and president of Golden Bear Insurance Company, both headquartered out of Stockton, Calif. Hall shared...

Corporate Members Approve a Major Course Change for Lloyd’s

Sep 30 2002 // Friday the 13th of September will henceforth be known at Lloyd’s as the day that members approved a plan that will radically alter the way the London market is conducted. Ignoring any bad luck associated with the...