Latest Trends Headlines

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

Lowest Insured Losses since 2009: Impact Forecasting Climate and Cat Report

Jan 13 2015 // Impact Forecasting, Aon Benfield’s catastrophe model development team, has released its Annual Global Climate and Catastrophe Report, which evaluates the impact of the natural disaster events that occurred worldwide...

Boating, Traffic Fatalities Down in Missouri in 2014

Jan 12 2015 // Authorities say fewer people died on Missouri’s roads and waterways last year. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says preliminary statistics count 753 traffic fatalities in 2014, compared with 757 fatalities in 2013...

2014 was Record Year for Idaho Farmers, Ranchers: Report

Jan 12 2015 // A new University of Idaho report says 2014 was another record year for Idaho farmers and ranchers. Researchers say sales of milk, livestock and crops reached nearly $10 billion, the fourth year in a row that cash receipts...

Weather Service: Fewest Tornadoes on Record in Oklahoma in 2014

Jan 12 2015 // Just 16 tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma in 2014, which the National Weather Service says is the fewest on record. Oklahoma state climatologist Gary McManus says a combination of factors led to the relative lack of...

Ohio, Nebraska See Vehicle Crashes, Fatalities Increase in 2014

Jan 12 2015 // Ohio saw more traffic deaths and Nebraska had an increase in vehicle crashes in 2014, according to authorities in both states. Preliminary data indicate the number of Ohio traffic deaths for the past year might end up...

Top Trends in Employment Practices Liability Claims

Jan 12 2015 // Unpaid internships, illegal background checks, pregnancy and health-related employment discrimination continue to be the top trending employment practices litigation cases, according to industry experts. Claims costs are...

Construction Coverage: Emerging Trends for 2015

Jan 12 2015 // Bolstered by a resurgent economy and renewed optimism, the construction industry is showing signs of significant growth. Payrolls are increasing, more projects are coming online and the scope of work is increasing. Ample...

Top 10 Casualty Insurance Trends for 2015

Jan 12 2015 // While casualty insurance rates are stable and new capacity continues to enter the market, certain classes of business continue to be difficult to place, according to Marsh’s U.S. Casualty Practice. Following are 10...

Private Auto Premiums See Largest Q3 Growth in 10 Years: SNL

Jan 12 2015 // Private auto insurance industry direct premiums written rose 5.13 percent in the third quarter of 2014, the largest third-quarter year-over-year growth in the past 10 years, according to an analysis by SNL Financial. The...

Independent Agents See Carriers’ Online Sales As Major Threat: Accenture Survey

Jan 11 2015 // Independent insurance agents’ strengths in customer service and risk management could be challenged by changing consumer behaviors, new technologies and the evolving competitive landscape, according to a new report...

Google Poised to Enter U.S. Auto Insurance Market: Report

Jan 9 2015 // Giant search engine Google, which already offers auto insurance online in the United Kingdom, could soon be selling auto insurance online in the U.S. Google Compare Auto Insurance Services Inc., its online auto insurance...

Vermont Traffic Fatalities Down 38% in 2014

Jan 8 2015 // Preliminary reports show that Vermont traffic fatalities declined 38 percent in 2014 to the lowest number since World War II. The Vermont Highway Safety Alliance says 43 people died on the state’s roadways last year,...

Ballinger on Growth, Professionalism in Texas Surplus Lines Market

Jan 8 2015 // Phil Ballinger retired at the end of December 2014 as executive director of the Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas (SLSOT), a post he’s held for more than two decades. During his tenure at SLSOT, the organization...

Traffic Deaths in Nevada Up In 2014, But Down From Peak

Jan 8 2015 // The number of people who died in crashes in Nevada went up in 2014 compared with the year before, but it’s still down significantly from its peak in 2006, according to state data released this week. The Nevada...

Mystery Crashes Spawn Deadliest Year for Air Travel in Nearly a Decade

Jan 8 2015 // Three crashes which have yet to be fully explained, involving the most modern airliners in the safest phase of flight, made last year the deadliest for air travel in almost a decade. The loss of two Malaysian Air Boeing...

Aon Benfield 2015 Reinsurance Outlook Notes ‘Financial Security’ Strength

Jan 5 2015 // The roller coaster ride engendered by the entry of large amounts of alternative capital into the reinsurance market – originally seen as a threat – has turned out to be a major factor in strengthening the capital...

South Carolina Reports Rise in Highway Deaths in 2014

Jan 5 2015 // Officials said more people died on South Carolina roads in 2014 than in 2013. The Highway Patrol reported at least 807 deaths on state roads in 2014. That is up from 762 deaths in 2013, but less than the previous two...

Ohio Traffic Deaths Increased in 2014

Jan 4 2015 // Preliminary data indicate the number of Ohio traffic deaths for the past year probably won’t be another record low and might go back above 1,000. The State Highway Patrol reports 973 fatalities for the year, with at...

Weather Service: Fewest Tornadoes on Record in Oklahoma in 2014

Jan 4 2015 // Just 16 tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma in 2014, which the National Weather Service says is the fewest on record. Oklahoma state climatologist Gary McManus says a combination of factors led to the relative lack of...

Drunk Driving Arrests Down 10% in North Dakota in 2014

Jan 2 2015 // North Dakota authorities say drunken driving arrests in the state were down nearly 10 percent in 2014. Highway Patrol Sgt. Tom Iverson told KXMB-TV about 1,700 driving under the influence arrests were made statewide last...