Latest Market Headlines

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

Mississippi Insurance Commissioner George Dale Serving Eighth Term

Dec 5 2005 // In public and in an interview with Insurance Journal, Misissippi Insurance Commis-sioner George Dale comes across as a laid-back Mississippi farm-boy, but the commissioner, who has been reelected for eight terms, has...

Promoting the Industry to Students

Dec 5 2005 // At several recent conferences speakers emphasized low employment rates are having a detrimental effect on their efforts to find qualified employees to work in the insurance industry. Efforts to find new employees are a...

Agency Consolidation Dynamics are Ripe for the Picking

Dec 4 2005 // The consolidation of insurance agencies has played a prominent role within the industry over the last 30 years. Now more than ever, however, such activity increasingly influences the average size of distributors, the scope...

Mississippi Insurance Commissioner George Dale Serving Eighth Term; Hurricane Katrina Wasn’t Much, Compared to the After

Dec 4 2005 // In public and in an interview with Insurance Journal, Misissippi Insurance Commis-sioner George Dale comes across as a laid-back Mississippi farm-boy, but the commissioner, who has been reelected for eight terms, has...

Conning Research: Convergence Products Redefine P/C Insurance/Reinsurance

Nov 29 2005 // “Convergence products” will play a critical part in the competitive landscape of the property-casualty industry in coming years despite being a relatively small segment, according to a new study by Conning...

BALL STATE TARGETS MORE INSURANCE JOBS:

Nov 21 2005 // Indiana’s plan to market itself as an insurance hub is getting help from the faculty at the Center for Actuarial Science, Insurance and Risk Management at Ball State University in Muncie. Steve Avila, the...

Competition Increases in Commercial Auto, But Not Too Much–Yet

Nov 21 2005 // By most accounts the commercial auto insurance market nationally is stable to softening. Rates may be going down a little in some areas, staying the same or at least not going up very much in others. However, some pockets...

Perception or Reality?

Nov 21 2005 // An interesting news release recently slipped into my e-mail box; it concerned the public’s perception of the insurance industry in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The market research company, Ipsos Public Affairs, was...

Push or Pull?

Nov 21 2005 // Is the image of the insurance industry forever tainted in the public’s eyes? Ipsos Public Affairs, a market research company, recently conducted an online survey of the public’s perception of the insurance...

MONTANA AUDITOR ADDS TWO COMPANIES IN CAPTIVE INSURANCE MARKET

Nov 21 2005 // Montana State Auditor John Morrison approved two new Montana companies that can provide insurance in the captive insurance market. The State Insurance Depart-ment has licensed MHA Worker’s Compen-sation Reciprocal...

ILLINOIS

Nov 20 2005 // Lawmakers Pass Kids’ Health Plan: The Illinois House passed H.B. 806, Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s “All Kids” health insurance program on a 79-28 vote, following Senate approval on a 32-23 vote. The...

Editor’s Note: Perception or Reality?

Nov 20 2005 // An interesting news release recently slipped into my e-mail box; it concerned the public’s perception of the insurance industry in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The market research company, Ipsos Public Affairs, was...

News Briefs

Nov 20 2005 // FloridaFAIA Likes Due-Diligence Decision The Florida Association of Insu-rance Agents has filed an amicus (friend of the court) brief with the First District Court of Appeals in a case involving an insurance agent who...

News Briefs

Nov 20 2005 // California Governor’s Measures Defeated in Special Election California’s special election battle, the costliest campaign in the state’s history, roared to a close in November, much to the chagrin of Gov....

Editor’s Note: Is the image insurance industry forever tainted in the public’s eyes?

Nov 20 2005 // Ipsos Public Affairs, a market research company, recently conducted an online survey of the public’s perception of the insurance industry in the wake of hurricane Katrina. While the 1,000 adults who responded hardly...

Competition Increases in Commercial Auto, But Not Too Much-Yet

Nov 20 2005 // By most accounts the commercial auto insurance market nationally is stable to softening. Rates may be going down a little in some areas, staying the same or at least not going up very much in others. However, some pockets...

James Discusses Challenges Facing Lloyd’s at Xchanging Conference

Nov 18 2005 // In a speech on Nov. 17, given at a conference sponsored by insurance service provider Xchanging, Julian James, Lloyd’s Director of world-wide markets, stressed that the London market faced continuing challenges in...

Best Affirms Toa Re (Japan) Ratings; Downgrades U.S. Sub ICR

Nov 17 2005 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of “A+” (Superior) and the “aa-” issuer credit rating (ICR) of Japan’s Toa Reinsurance Company, Limited (Toa...

U.S. Needs National Catastrophe Insurance Program, Insurance Commissioners Say

Nov 16 2005 // Insurance Commissioners from California, Florida, Illinois and New York began laying the groundwork Tuesday for what they hope will turn into a national catastrophe insurance program that would cover all Americans. Hosting...

S&P Report Indicates French Insurance Market Remains Stable

Nov 15 2005 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has issued a report – “Insurance Industry Risk Analysis: France (Republic of),” which indicates that the rating agency is “maintaining its stable...