Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Midwest Economy Continued to Improve in January: Survey
Feb 2 2017 // Results from a monthly survey of business supply managers released Feb. 1 suggest economic conditions continue to improve in nine Midwest and Plains states, and that confidence in the regional economy is at its highest...
Last Chance to Participate in the 2017 Agency Salary Survey
Feb 1 2017 // This is your last chance to participate in Insurance Journal’s annual Agency Salary Survey. The survey closes Friday, Feb. 3. We invite all retail agency owners, principals, producers, CSRs — the entire agency —...
A.M. Best Upwardly Revises Outlooks for Employers and Subsidiaries in Nevada
Jan 31 2017 // A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to stable from negative and affirmed, the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings of “a-” of Employers Insurance Group Employers...
Michigan Cracking Down on Illegal Insurance Sales
Jan 27 2017 // The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) announced it is cracking down on fraudulent insurance sales. DIFS recently issued Cease and Desist Orders against a five entities for violating the...
Ohio Pharmacy Board: Painkiller Prescriptions Down 20% Since 2012
Jan 27 2017 // The state says the number of painkiller prescriptions continues to fall as Ohio battles a deadly addictions epidemic. Data released by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy show 631 million painkiller pills were dispensed to patients...
Agency Salary Survey: Find Out More on Today’s Compensation Trends
Jan 26 2017 // Insurance Journal is running its annual Agency Salary Survey and we want to hear from you. All retail agency owners, principals, producers, CSRs — the entire agency — is invited to participate in this exclusive...
A.M. Best: Outlook Positive for Wolverine Mutual Insurance
Jan 26 2017 // A.M. Best has revised the outlook to positive from stable for the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term ICR of “bbb” of...
Wells Fargo Market Outlook Has Favorable News for Cyber Security
Jan 26 2017 // San Francisco, Calif.-based Wells Fargo Insurance released its 2017 Insurance Market Outlook and Employee Benefits Outlook reports showing this year’s property/casualty insurance market will again be favorable to...
Cat Bond Issuance in 2017 Could Approach Record Levels: Aon Report
Jan 25 2017 // Total catastrophe bond issuance for calendar year 2016 reached US$5.8 billion – a decrease from US$6.9 billion in 2015 – principally due to ongoing competitive re/insurance market conditions, according to an Aon...
Tennessee Insurance Dept. Wraps Up 2016 With Disciplinary Actions Against 5 Agents
Jan 24 2017 // The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) has taken disciplinary actions including fines totaling more than $77,000, license revocation and other punishments against five Tennessee insurance licensees for...
Texas Stamping Office: Upward Trend Continues for Surplus Lines
Jan 24 2017 // Overall, 2016 ended on a positive note for the U.S. excess and surplus lines insurance industry, according to the Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas (SLTX). Nationally, nearly $26 billion in surplus lines insurance...
Alabama Saw 25% Increase in Fatal Wrecks in 2016
Jan 24 2017 // Researchers say the number of fatal traffic crashes in Alabama increased by nearly 25 percent last year. Citing a recent University of Alabama study, The Tuscaloosa News reports that 1,058 people died in crashes statewide...
Majority of Consumers Say They Would Welcome Robotic Agents in the Future
Jan 23 2017 // However, Buyers Want Blended Human-Digital Experience for Complex Issues Seven in 10 consumers around the world would welcome robo-advisory services — computer-generated advice and services that are independent of a...
U.S. Floods, Other Major Climate Events Rack Up $46 Billion in Cost, 138 Lives in 2016
Jan 23 2017 // During 2016, the United States experienced 15 weather and climate disasters with insured and uninsured losses exceeding $1 billion each across the United States. Overall, these events resulted in the deaths of 138 people...
Top 25 Insurers: P/C Direct Premium Written Up 3.9 Percent
Jan 23 2017 // Direct premium written (DPW) for property/casualty insurance companies continues to increase, albeit gradually. At year-end 2015, approximately $585 billion of DPW was reported, a record-high for the industry. For 2015,...
How to Grow Your Insurance Agency in 2017
Jan 23 2017 // Growing a successful agency isn’t always easy in today’s world. While you likely created a business plan when you first launched your insurance agency, you might not have looked at it recently. As the insurance...
California Workers’ Comp Sees Sharp Increase in ALAE Costs, Report Shows
Jan 23 2017 // Allocated loss adjustment expense costs have increased sharply over the last several years despite implementation of many of the components of a workers’ compensation reform law intended to reduce total loss...
North Carolina Rate Bureau Withdraws Dwelling Rate Increase of 19.6% over Data Error
Jan 20 2017 // The North Carolina Rate Bureau is alerting all member companies that it has withdrawn its request for a 19.6 percent rate increase on dwelling policies due to a data error on its Dwelling Policy Program revisions announced...
Soft Market Is Main Factor Limiting Growth of UK MGAs: Survey
Jan 20 2017 // Soft market conditions have replaced regulation and compliance as the main factor affecting growth for UK managing general agents (MGA) in 2017, said a survey of members of the London-based Managing General Agents’...
Ratings Outlook for GuideOne Insurance Revised to Negative: A.M. Best
Jan 19 2017 // A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to negative from stable and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of “a” of the members of the...
