Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Hurricane Forecasts’ Consensus Is for Near-or-Below Normal Season
Jun 2 2014 // In its 2014 Atlantic hurricane season outlook, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center has forecast a near-normal or below-normal season. NOAA said the main driver of this year’s outlook is the anticipated development...
North Carolina Wants Shorter Sea Level Forecast
Jun 2 2014 // A North Carolina commission is asking scientists to only make a 30-year prediction of how fast the ocean will rise off the state’s coast. The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission caused an uproar in 2010 when its...
Changing Weather Patterns Mean an Uncertain Future and Increased Risks
May 30 2014 // In his discussion of the effects of climate change at the European insurance Forum in Dublin, Prof. Richard Tol of the Economics Dept. of the University of Sussex, pointed out that even “after 40 years all climate...
ABI Calls for Action as Fraudulent Accident Claims Rise by 18%
May 30 2014 // The Association of British Insurers latest study concludes that “the value of fraudulent insurance claims uncovered by insurers rose to a record £1.3 billion [$2.177 billion] in 2013, up 18 percent on the previous...
Various Factors Contributing to Stability in Property/Casualty Insurance Market
May 29 2014 // The federal terrorism risk insurance backstop, in place in one form or another since 2002, will likely be reauthorized by Congress, and in the absence of a major catastrophe — man-made or otherwise — the current...
Insurers See Claims Rising in Pennsylvania Following Last Week’s Hail Storm
May 29 2014 // Some insurers say they are seeing an increased volume of claims in Pennsylvania following last Thursday’s freak hail storm that caused widespread damage in communities in the eastern part of the state. State Farm...
Sunshine State Insurance Co.’s Future Unclear After UPC Deal Falls Through
May 29 2014 // The future for Florida’s Sunshine State Insurance Co. (SSIC) is unclear now that a deal by another insurer to rescue it has fallen through. United Insurance Holdings Corp. (UPC Insurance Co.) yesterday announced it...
North Carolina Start-Up’s Software Tracks Fraud in Packaging, Documents
May 29 2014 // By snapping a picture with his mobile phone, Hersh Tapadia demonstrated how an app developed by the Durham-based anti-counterfeiting technology company CertiRx Corp. could find fraudulent changes on a prescription drug...
XL’s Rosengarten on How Mega Trends Exacerbate Risks; It’s a Scary World
May 27 2014 // Jacob Rosengarten, Chief Enterprise Risk Officer for XL Group, in a keynote speech at the European Insurance Forum in Dublin, examined how greater connectivity and technology are intensifying global risks and contributing...
Best Upgrades Travelers and Most Subs Ratings; Outlooks Stable
May 27 2014 // A.M. Best has upgraded the financial strength rating (FSR) to ‘A++’ (Superior) from ‘A+’ (Superior) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) to “aa+” from “aa” of the...
Report: N.Y. Private Sector Occupational Injuries Cost Economy $10.9B in 2010-12
May 22 2014 // Private sector occupational injuries in New York cost the state economy $10.9 billion between 2010 and 2012, according to a report released this month from the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen. The report, titled...
Data Show Rising Workers’ Comp Medical Costs in New Hampshire
May 22 2014 // In the world of workers’ compensation, the fees charged by the health care community are significantly more expensive on average in New Hampshire than in other states, according to the New Hampshire insurance...
Dramatic Increase in Oklahoma Wildfires Causing Concern
May 22 2014 // Data from the Oklahoma Forestry Services shows that wildfires in Oklahoma so far this month have burned more than sixty times the average recent acreage. The Oklahoman reports that since May 2005, the state has averaged...
NOAA Forecasts Near-or-Below Normal Atlantic Hurricane Season
May 22 2014 // In its 2014 Atlantic hurricane season outlook issued today, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is forecasting a near-normal or below-normal season. NOAA said the main driver of this year’s outlook is the...
Protecting Brand Names from Cyber Threats – a Growth Sector
May 22 2014 // Cyber security and cyber threats are growing, both in numbers and in costs. They will certainly continue to increase as they follow the increases in Internet use and the rapid changes in how electronic information is...
America’s Businesses Vexed by Medical, Legal, Tech Risks: Survey
May 21 2014 // Regardless of size, American businesses say medical cost inflation, legal liabilities and technology risks are among their top concerns, according to an annual Business Risk Index from Travelers. The survey polled more...
Opinion: 1 Year Later, Moore Is Study in Resilience
May 20 2014 // One year ago today, a deadly EF5 tornado ripped through Moore, Okla., making it the third most violent storm in less than 15 years to pummel the small city, which was struck by an EF5 tornado in 1999, and an EF4 in...
‘Mega Trends’; Optimism at the EIF 2014 Conference; DIMA CEO Interview
May 19 2014 // Ireland has been through some difficult economic times, but this year’s European Insurance Forum, held at the Four Seasons Hotel on May 15 and 16, highlighted the progress that’s been made, and the bright...
R.I. Approves WC Advisory Loss Costs Increase of 2.5% for Industrial Classes
May 19 2014 // Rhode Island’s Department of Business Regulation, Insurance Division, on May 15 approved a +2.5 percent overall increase in advisory loss costs for workers’ compensation for industrial classes and an overall...
NCAA Athletes Drop Image-Use Damages Claim, Pursue Future Earnings
May 19 2014 // Ex-National Collegiate Athletic Association players suing to gain a share of the $800 million of annual broadcast revenue reaped by the organization said they won’t seek damages for past use of their images, instead...
