Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
U.S. to Mandate Rearview Cameras on Vehicles by 2018
Mar 31 2014 // The U.S. government said on Monday it will require new cars and light trucks sold in the United States to have rearview cameras by May 2018, a regulation intended to prevent drivers from backing into pedestrians. The...
Proposal Envisions Artificial Islands Near N.Y. to Blunt Future Storm Surges
Mar 31 2014 // A string of artificial islands off the coast of New Jersey and New York could blunt the impact of storm surges that proved so deadly during Superstorm Sandy, according to a new proposal. It’s a big proposal —...
In Maryland, 12K Residents Face Steady Rise in Flood Premiums
Mar 31 2014 // Changes in the federal flood insurance program are likely to mean higher premiums for thousands Maryland residents, and not just those living in Ocean City or along the Chesapeake Bay. Residents of smaller inland towns...
In Vermont, 2,400 Residents Likely to See Their Flood Premiums Rise
Mar 28 2014 // Much of downtown Montpelier, Vermont, is perched along the banks of the North Branch of the Winooski River, a waterway that has poured into buildings, forcing many homeowners to purchase flood insurance. Now 242 Montpelier...
Pennsylvania River Towns Facing Rising Flood Insurance Rates
Mar 27 2014 // Jeff King had put his house in Wilkes-Barre, Penn., up for sale for $90,000 last year, put off by the city’s struggles with crime and the desire for a better school district for his four children, when he got a...
Watford Re Readies for Business; Best Assigns Ratings, Stable Outlook
Mar 27 2014 // Bermuda-based Watford Holdings Ltd. and its wholly-owned subsidiary Watford Re Ltd. (collectively, “Watford” or the “Company”), a newly-formed Bermuda-based multi-line reinsurer, announced have...
In Virginia, Over 20K People May See Flood Insurance Rate Hikes of Up to 25%
Mar 26 2014 // More than 20,000 Virginia homeowners and businesses could see their rates for flood insurance rise up to 25 percent as part of an attempt to put the troubled National Flood Insurance Program back on sound financial...
308 Disaster Events; $140 Billion Economic Losses in 2013: Swiss Re Report
Mar 26 2014 // Swiss Re’s latest sigma report highlights the 308 disaster events in 2013, of which 150 were natural catastrophes and 158 man-made. Almost 26 000 people lost their lives or went missing in the disasters. The biggest...
In New Jersey, Rising Flood Insurance Costs Not Just a Shore Worry
Mar 25 2014 // If flooding were a real concern for Taylor Rambo in Burlington City, N.J., he says he wouldn’t have built a bar in his basement. Yet he pays about $2,700 each year for flood insurance that he is required to have as...
Officials Say Metal Thefts Declining on Indiana Highways
Mar 25 2014 // Indiana highway officials say they’ve seen a decrease in the theft of wiring from roadside lights since putting out a warning about the brazen metal thieves in December. The stealing of copper wiring by thieves...
Injured Worker Cost Per Claim Rises in Texas
Mar 25 2014 // Payments per claim for the medical care of injured workers in Texas grew nearly 8 percent in 2011, largely the effect of price increases from earlier reforms, according to a 16-state study by the Workers Compensation...
Ironshore Increases Capacity to $25 Million for Energy Risks
Mar 25 2014 // Ironshore Energy Property has increased capacity to $25 million for energy risks throughout its global platform. This increase in capacity is available across all classes within the energy sector, including refineries,...
Best Affirms Markel and Affiliates Ratings; Outlooks Stable
Mar 25 2014 // A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a+” of the members of the Markel North America Insurance Group, as well as the FSR...
Future Tsunamis Planned for by Handful of California Harbors
Mar 24 2014 // Five California harbors are preparing for future tsunamis under a new state project that arms them with maps that identify potential problem areas. Officials with the California Geological Survey said Friday the...
Report: Majority of Wisconsin Businesses Plan on Investments in 2014
Mar 24 2014 // A recently released BMO Harris Bank study found that the majority of business owners/executives in Wisconsin plan on investing in their business in 2014. Upgrading or purchasing new equipment, along with adding to their...
Survey: Who’s Worth What in the Independent Agency System?
Mar 21 2014 // For the second year in row, salaries and total compensation rose in independent insurance agencies across the nation. That’s according to Insurance Journal’s annual Agency Salary Survey 2014. This year all...
Best Revises Outlook on Chubb and Subs ICR Ratings to Positive; Affirms FSR
Mar 21 2014 // A.M. Best has revised the outlook of the issuer credit ratings (ICR) to positive from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A++’ (Superior) and the ICRs of “aa+”of the...
Best Affirms Arch Capital and Subs ‘A+’ Ratings; Outlook Stable
Mar 21 2014 // A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A+’ (Superior) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa-” of Bermuda-based Arch Reinsurance Ltd. and its strategic affiliates. Best...
Scientists Report Solar Blasts Narrowly Missed Earth in 2012
Mar 20 2014 // Fierce solar blasts that could have badly damaged electrical grids and disabled satellites in space narrowly missed Earth in 2012, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday. The bursts would have wreaked havoc on the...
MAPFRE Details Future Plans – U.S. Expansion, Increased Operating Revenue
Mar 17 2014 // Spanish insurance group MAPFRE’s Chairman and CEO, Antonio Huertas, referred to the strategic objectives for the next three years, as he announced the highlights at its Annual General Meeting. The group forecast...
