Latest Property Casualty Headlines

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

Wausau Signature Agency Names Nederloe Zone Marketing Director

Sep 19 2008 // Jean Nederloe was named Marketing Director for the North Zone operations of Wisconsin-based Wausau Signature Agency (WSA). Nederloe is based in WSA’s Milwaukee office and will work in conjunction with marketing...

Best Comments on Potential Impact of Hurricane Ike on P/C Industry

Sep 17 2008 // A.M. Best’s preliminary assessment of the potential financial impact from Hurricane Ike concludes that, even though its passage was a “sizeable catastrophic event, the overall financial impact to both the...

AIG Woes Offer Double Benefit for Insurance Rivals

Sep 17 2008 // Insurance rivals stand to reap the benefits from the woes of American International Group, snapping up assets AIG is forced to sell while gaining greater pricing power as AIG pulls in its claws. Zurich Financial Services...

July Enforcement Actions in Texas Result in $500K in Fines

Sep 10 2008 // Enforcement actions taken by Texas Commissioner of Insurance Mike Geeslin in July 2008 include nine license revocations, four license denials and fines and restitution totaling $539,814. Copies of Geeslin’s orders...

Simmon to Lead Michigan’s Agents

Sep 1 2008 // Says Independence, Flexibility Still Key in Serving Policyholders Dale Simmon of the Simmon Insurance Agency in Lansing was recently named president of the Michigan Association of Insurance Agents (MAIA). The Michigan...

People

Sep 1 2008 // Community Financial Insurance Center, Monroe, La., hired Jeanette F. Credo as senior vice president for its new Financial Institutions Division for the states of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. Credo will establish and...

Surplus Lines Results Remain Strong, Despite Heightened Competition

Sep 1 2008 // Brokerage M&As Expected to Continue for the Near Term; Time’s Almost Up for Congress to Pass Reform Bill Surplus lines insurers continued to outperform the property/casualty industry in underwriting and...

Fitch: P/C Profits Decline Sharply in First-Half 2008

Aug 28 2008 // The U.S. property/casualty insurance industry reported mixed results in the first six months of 2008, according to a new Fitch report. Profitability declined due to poor investment performance and deteriorating...

Best Affirms Gen Re’s A++ Rating

Aug 27 2008 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A++’ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa+” of General Re Group and its members. The ratings apply to General...

Surplus Lines Results Remain Strong, Despite Heightened Competition

Aug 26 2008 // Surplus lines insurers continued to outperform the property/casualty industry in underwriting and operating performance in 2007, despite the softening market and more aggressive competition. Heightened competition along...

Japan: Risk and Rewards

Aug 21 2008 // In Japan, agencies write 93 percent of P/C insurance. The Japanese property and casualty insurance market is ripe for opportunities, but there also are significant risks in the country, according to Keiji Fukasawa of...

Cindy Downs

Aug 21 2008 // Dallas-based wholesale insurance broker and managing general agent Towerstone Inc. has added four new members to its team. Cindy Downs was added as a senior underwriter in the firm’s MGA unit. Downs formerly was a...

People

Aug 21 2008 // W.R. Berkley Corp. named William M. Rohde Jr. president of Acadia Insurance Co., succeeding Bill Thornton, who now is chairman of Berkley Regional Specialty Insurance Co. Walter E. Stradley remains president of Berkley...

Declarations

Aug 21 2008 // Declarations Bundled Buying “Buyers who use insurance agents are also more likely to purchase bundled auto and homeowner insurance policies. … Despite this trend, insurance providers are steadily enhancing...

Conning Research: Insurers’ Financials Strong Despite Price Deterioration

Aug 21 2008 // The financial condition of the property/casualty industry is strong, and should be able to withstand the current price deterioration, according to a new industry study. “The outlook for the next three years –...

Conning Research: Insurers’ Financials Strong Despite Price Deterioration

Aug 21 2008 // The financial condition of the property/casualty industry is strong, and should be able to withstand the current price deterioration, according to a new industry study. “The outlook for the next three years –...

S&P Advises Floods Could Lead to Ratings Actions on Midwest-Focused Insurers

Aug 21 2008 // An aerial photo shows a flooded area of downtown looking North over Cedar Rapids, Iowa, June 13, 2008. Interstate I-380 can be seen on the left while Mays Island, with Cedar Rapids City Hall, is seen on the right with its...

U.S. Insurers’ Exposure to Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Manageable

Aug 18 2008 // The U.S. insurance industry’s exposure to securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) that aid liquidity in the mortgage market, is substantial for a handful of...

S&P: U.S. Commercial Lines Outlook Revised To Negative From Stable

Aug 14 2008 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services revised its outlook on the U.S. commercial lines property/casualty insurance sector to negative from stable. Standard & Poor’s credit analyst John Iten explained...

Max Capital Q2 Net Income Drops 20% to $74 Million

Aug 6 2008 // The Bermuda-based Max Capital Group Ltd. reported net income for the three months ended June 30, 2008, of $74.2 million, or $1.26 per fully diluted share, compared to net income of $94.1 million, or $1.45 per fully diluted...