Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Prices Up Again in Q2 But Market Hardening May Be Moderating: Council
Aug 5 2013 // Commercial property/casualty pricing continued to gently creep upwards in the second quarter, however signs of some moderating of increases also surfaced. The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ quarterly...
AIG Reports 17% Increase in Profit; Issues First Dividend Since 2008
Aug 2 2013 // American International Group Inc. announced its first capital return since its 2008 bailout, through a dividend and share buyback, sending its shares up 6 percent after the bell. The insurer, which was almost wiped out by...
Hanover Q2 Profit Rises to $53M; Strong Pricing Environment Cited
Aug 1 2013 // The Hanover Insurance Group Inc. reported net income of $53.4 million for the 2013 second quarter, an increase of 157 percent compared to $20.8 million net income during the same period a year ago. The net income for the...
Allstate’s Investments Up, Disaster Costs Down in Q2
Aug 1 2013 // Allstate Corp., the largest publicly traded U.S. auto and home insurer, said second-quarter profit climbed on investment gains and reduced costs tied to natural disasters. Net income climbed 2.6 percent to $434 million, or...
Cat Bond Issuance Hits 6-Year High: Aon Benfield ILS Report
Aug 1 2013 // Aon Benfield Securities, the investment banking division of global reinsurance intermediary and capital advisor Aon Benfield, has issued it latest report – The Insurance-Linked Securities Second Quarter 2013 Update...
Rates Up Moderately in U.S. in Q2 But Down Elsewhere: Marsh
Jul 31 2013 // Insurance rates in most major regions including Latin America, Asia-Pacific, the UK and continental Europe declined modestly in the second quarter of 2013, while rates in the U.S. rose moderately, according to insurance...
Catlin Launches Next Seaview Survey for Caribbean, Bermuda Coral Reefs
Jul 31 2013 // Catlin Group Limited announced the launch of its next “Seaview Survey,” which it described as a “significant expansion of its study of coral reefs with a new campaign in the Caribbean and Bermuda.”...
Insurers, Customers Were Kept Safe from 2008 Financial Crisis: GAO Report
Jul 30 2013 // At a time when efforts are underway to require additional supervision of some large insurers, a new government report concludes that the insurance industry’s own practices and the policies of state and federal...
AIG to Close Down Savings Bank Unit Due to Dodd-Frank Limits
Jul 30 2013 // American International Group Inc. will return funds to customers of its banking unit and shut their accounts as the Dodd-Frank Act places limits on insurers with deposit-taking units. AIG Federal Savings Bank “will...
Survey: Healthcare Reform Driving Demand for Provider Excess Insurance
Jul 30 2013 // Evolving reimbursement models for healthcare providers are fueling a surge in demand for provider excess insurance with industry experts forecasting a jump in premiums of 15-30 percent in 2013, according to a ReSource...
Allied World Reports $1.9 Million Q2 Net Loss; Operating Income Increases
Jul 29 2013 // Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG reported a net loss of $1.9 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2013 compared to net income of $96.4 million, or $2.59 per diluted share, for the...
Chubb Q2 Profit Jumps 43% to $579M; Renewal Rates Up in All Business Units
Jul 26 2013 // The Chubb Corp. reported its 2013 second quarter net income of $579 million, a 43.3 percent increase from $404 million net income posted a year ago. The company said it benefited from higher rates and stronger underlying...
Best Affirms Everest Re Group and Affiliates Ratings; Outlook Stable
Jul 26 2013 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A+’ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa-” of Bermuda-based Everest Reinsurance and its reinsurance and insurance...
Best Affirms Catlin Group and Subs Ratings; Outlook Stable
Jul 26 2013 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a” of Catlin Insurance Company Limited (CICL),...
New Capital Pushing Cat Reinsurance Prices Down 5-15%: Ace’s Greenberg
Jul 25 2013 // Ace Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Evan Greenberg said the influx of Wall Street capital into the reinsurance industry is pressuring rates and that he is prepared to cut sales of backstop coverage. Prices for catastrophe...
Prices Up Again in Q2 But Market Hardening May Be Moderating: The Council
Jul 24 2013 // Commercial property/casualty pricing continued to gently creep upwards in the second quarter, however signs of some moderating of increases also surfaced. The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ quarterly...
Insurance Journal Co-Sponsors MarshBerry Market & Financial Survey
Jul 24 2013 // How are agencies targeting new business today? What do agencies want most from carriers? And just how much are agencies growing in current market conditions? These are some of the questions that a new industry survey plans...
IA&B Survey: Agencies Report Slight Decrease in Commercial Carrier Satisfaction
Jul 23 2013 // Insurance Agents & Brokers (IA&B) — a partnership of three agents’ associations serving Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware — said its latest survey shows its members’ overall satisfaction...
W.R. Berkley Q2 Profit Up 6%; Rates Up 6.5%; CEO Comments on Berkshire
Jul 23 2013 // W.R. Berkley Corp. reported $116 million net income for its 2013 second quarter, up more than 6 percent from $109 million net income posted one year ago. The net income for the first six months of 2013 came in at $233...
Overcoming the Fear of Insuring Emerging Risks
Jul 22 2013 // For an industry that depends on lots of data to develop products and price them according to risk, the insurance industry finds covering new and emerging risks to be no easy task. Carriers try to address new risks,...
