Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
The Agency Producer Activity Gap and How to Close It: Survey
Dec 11 2013 // Agency producers are not spending enough of their time on the sales-related activities that they and their managers think they ideally should. Instead they are spending more time than they think they should on...
Study Forecasts Growth for Professional Indemnity Insurance in Europe
Dec 10 2013 // New research by market research consultancy London-based Finaccord forecasts that the market for professional indemnity insurance across ten European countries – namely, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy,...
Commercial Lines Price Gains Slowing Down: Towers Watson
Dec 10 2013 // Even though commercial insurance prices increased for the 11th straight quarter—rising by 5 percent in aggregate during third-quarter 2013—price gains are slowing down, according to Towers Watson. According to The...
NCCI Proposes Increase for Workers’ Comp Loss Costs in Rhode Island
Dec 9 2013 // The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) recently delivered a workers’ compensation loss cost filing to the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation. Based upon its review of the most recently...
QBE Shares Drop Most in 12 Years on Unexpected U.S. Loss Forecast
Dec 9 2013 // QBE Insurance Group Ltd., Australia’s second-largest insurer by market value, plunged the most in 12 years after forecasting an unexpected loss due to write-downs at its North American operations. The company...
Some Flood Insurance Rates to Rise in Kansas’ Douglas County
Dec 6 2013 // Some property owners in Douglas County, Kansas, could soon pay more for federal insurance. The federal government’s decision to phase out subsidized insurance in special flood hazard areas will increase costs for 168...
U.S. Insurance Broker Sector Outlook Positive for 2014: Fitch
Dec 6 2013 // Revenue and earnings growth for U.S. insurance brokers in 2014 is expected to improve modestly over 2013, according to a report by Fitch Ratings. Fitch issued a stable rating outlook and positive sector outlook for the...
Sea-Level Rise Too Fast for Current Forecast Tools, Study Says
Dec 4 2013 // By the time climate change reduces crop yields or frequently floods New York City subways, it will be too late to avert damage without better forecasting tools, a panel of scientists said in a report released...
N.J. Regulator Approves 3.6% Average Workers’ Comp Rate Increase in 2014
Dec 3 2013 // New Jersey’s Compensation Rating And Inspection Bureau recently announced the state insurance commissioner’s approval for the workers’ compensation average rate increase for next year. New Jersey Banking...
Sioux Falls Police Warn of Increase in Car Thefts
Dec 2 2013 // Sioux Falls, S.D., police are warning residents about an increase in the number of vehicle thefts in the last month. The Sioux Falls Argus Leader reports that most of the thefts occurred after residents had started their...
University of Maryland Project Aims to Improve Storm Predictions
Dec 2 2013 // Scientists at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Horn Point Laboratory have a new project in the works that aims to better predict the intensity of storm surges on the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay...
Seatbelt Use Ticks Up in Annual Utah Survey
Dec 2 2013 // Officials with the Utah Department of Public Safety say more people are wearing seatbelts this year than they were a year ago. The state’s annual seatbelt observational study found 82.4 percent of people riding in...
Swiss Re’s Insurance Outlook for 2014/15 Sees Emerging Market Growth
Dec 2 2013 // In an assessment of the prospects for insurance market in 2014/15, Swiss Re’s latest report concludes that “global economic growth will continue to strengthen in 2014, which will in turn “support on-going...
Program Market Growth: New Study Shows Business Up 10%
Dec 2 2013 // Program insurance premium revenues increased 10.8 percent in 2012, more than three times the rate of premium growth in the overall commercial insurance markets, according to results from a recent survey by the Target...
All Risks Launches Down Hole Tool for South Central Onshore Oil, Gas Industry
Nov 27 2013 // The South Central offices of All Risks, Ltd. have designed a “down hole specialty rental tool” insurance product for Lost In Hole (LIH). This coverage is available to oil & gas drillers and operators as...
European Central Bank Reports Rise in Financial Stability Risk
Nov 27 2013 // The European Central Bank said the risk to financial stability from global market turbulence has increased in the past six months, even as measures of systemic stress have declined. The market turmoil earlier this year...
Costs per Claim of Medical Care for Injured Workers in Indiana High, Rising
Nov 25 2013 // The costs per claim of medical care to treat injured workers in Indiana were higher than most states and growing rapidly, according to a recent study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). The report,...
Iran Nuclear Deal Easing Up on Shipping Insurance Could Help Oil Sales
Nov 25 2013 // Iran’s nuclear deal with the West is not intended to let more of its oil into the market, the White House said, but an easing of the ban on European shipping insurance may help smooth crude exports to its big Asian...
In Connecticut, Number of Insurance Sector Employees Fell Slightly in 2012: Report
Nov 21 2013 // A report this month from Connecticut’s Insurance & Financial Services (IFS) Cluster and PwC shows there was a slight decline in the number of insurance sector employees in Connecticut last year, primarily due to...
Best Affirms Munich Re and Subs ‘A+’ Ratings; Outlook Stable
Nov 21 2013 // A.M. Best Europe has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A+’ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa-” of Munich Reinsurance Co. and its subsidiaries. Best also affirmed all...
