Latest Trends Headlines

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

Starr Eyes Cuba Travel Insurance Market For Growth

Feb 26 2015 // Maurice “Hank” Greenberg’s Starr International Co. is pursuing growth in Cuba as the U.S. eases decades-old restrictions on visiting the country. Starr’s travel assistance unit could provide...

RSA’s Restores 2014 Profit and Dividend; CFO Plans to Step Down

Feb 26 2015 // RSA Insurance Group plc reported its first full-year profit since Stephen Hester took charge, restoring dividends after a string of asset sales and cost-cutting measures. Pretax profit was 275 million pounds [$425.9...

As Health Data Goes Electronic, Medical ID Theft Increases

Feb 26 2015 // Medical identity theft jumped 22 percent last year as more U.S. health data becomes electronic and easier for cyber criminals to steal from doctors’ offices, hospitals and insurers. Incidents of medical identity...

Emerging Markets Private Health Premiums to Double: Swiss Re Report

Feb 25 2015 // In a new sigma report, the first for 2015 Swiss Re concludes that “demand and expectations for better healthcare services are rising in the emerging markets,” and that as a result it expects “premiums for...

AXA Posts 12% Increase in 2014 Profit Led by Life & Savings Division

Feb 25 2015 // AXA SA, France’s largest insurer, reported a 12 percent jump in full-year profit, buoyed by its life and savings division. The shares rose. Net income climbed to 5.02 billion euros ($5.7 billion) from 4.48 billion...

SIAA Grew Premium to $5.7B, Signed 410 New Member Agencies in 2014

Feb 24 2015 // SIAA (Strategic Insurance Agency Alliance) said it grew premium by $901 million in 2014 to $5.7 billion, with 80 percent of its growth coming from existing member agencies. Premium growth with SIAA’s strategic...

Ullico Increases Fiduciary Liability Limits to $25 Million

Feb 23 2015 // Ullico Inc.’s property and casualty insurance subsidiary, Ullico Casualty Group, Inc., may offer up to $25 million in multiemployer fiduciary liability insurance in its program with Alterra America Insurance Co., a...

N.C. Workplace Deaths Up 90% in 2014

Feb 23 2015 // Work-related fatalities in North Carolina increased by 90 percent in 2014 over 2013. There were 44 workplace fatalities, compared to 23 in 2013, the state Labor Department said. The most work-related deaths – 18 – were...

Despite Fewer Claims, Louisiana State Employees’ Workers’ Comp Costs Rise

Feb 23 2015 // The number of workers’ compensation claims filed by Louisiana state employees dropped by nearly one-third over the last eight years, but claims costs for state agencies continued to surge higher, according to a state...

Fraud Adds Up to 17% to Auto Insurance Injury Claims: IRC

Feb 23 2015 // A new study estimates that fraud and claim “build-up” add between $5.6 billion and $7.7 billion in excess payments to auto injury claims paid in the United States. The excess payments represented between 13...

2015 Outlook for P/C: Profitable Despite Lower Rates, Says Wells Fargo

Feb 20 2015 // The commercial property/casualty insurance market should remain stable and profitable in 2015, according to the Wells Fargo Insurance 2015 Insurance Market Outlook. Abundant market capacity and an improving economy have...

Florida’s Citizens’ Recovery Unit Increased Policyholder Refunds in 2014

Feb 20 2015 // Citizens Property Insurance Corp. reports it returned nearly $310,000 in refunds to affected policyholders in 2014 as part of its efforts to recover claims payments of $4.9 million by pursuing reimbursement from product...

Fatal Work Injuries in N.Y. Metro Area Declined in 2013: BLS

Feb 18 2015 // Work-related fatal injuries in the New York metropolitan area (the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. Metropolitan Statistical Area) totaled 152 in 2013, according to preliminary data from the U.S....

Reinsurers’ Shopping Spree Won’t Slow Down Falling Rates – S&P Report

Feb 18 2015 // In a recent report Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said it anticipated further mergers and acquisitions in the global reinsurance industry. The report – “Reinsurers’ Shopping Spree...

Hit and Run Car Accidents in Florida up 23% in 2014

Feb 18 2015 // Florida law enforcement officials say hit and run crashes are increasing at an alarming rate. That’s why they’re launching a new campaign to let drivers know that leaving the scene of an accident can result in...

Lancashire Seen as Target as Lloyd’s Consolidation Trend Continues

Feb 17 2015 // Lloyd’s of London insurers Lancashire Holdings plc and Novae Group plc may be the next in line for takeover offers after Brit plc became the second U.K. firm within weeks to be acquired. Lancashire, which gained...

Outlook Revised to Stable for Illinois Casualty Co.

Feb 13 2015 // A.M. Best has revised the outlook to stable from negative for the financial strength rating (FSR) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of Illinois Casualty Co. (Illinois Casualty) in Rock Island, Ill., while affirming the FSR of...

Nevada Workers’ Compensation Loss Costs See Slight Decrease in 2015

Feb 12 2015 // Many Nevada employers will see a slight decrease in the premiums they pay for workers’ compensation insurance this year. Insurance Commissioner Scott J. Kipper approved a filing from the National Council on...

A.M. Best: Outlook Stable for Oklahoma Farm Bureau Mutual

Feb 11 2015 // A.M. Best has revised the outlook to stable from negative and affirmed the financial strength rating of B- (Fair) and the issuer credit ratings of “bb-” of the members of Oklahoma Farm Bureau Group: Oklahoma...

Despite Fewer Claims, Louisiana State Employees’ Workers’ Comp Costs Rise

Feb 11 2015 // The number of workers’ compensation claims filed by Louisiana state employees dropped by nearly one-third over the last eight years, but claims costs for state agencies continued to surge higher, according to an...