Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
New Survey Explores How Carriers Support Agency Growth Strategies
Jun 12 2013 // Carriers can be instrumental in helping agencies grow through referrals, expanded coverages, and clear business line or geographic expansion planning Despite the challenges facing the industry and the broader economy, two...
Best Affirms Gen Re Group’s ‘A++’ Ratings; Outlook Stable
Jun 12 2013 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A++’ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa+” of General Reinsurance Corporation, headquartered in Stamford, Conn., and...
Maine Highway Deaths Down From 2012
Jun 10 2013 // Highway safety officials say traffic deaths are down in Maine. The Maine Bureau of Highway Safety says 42 people have died on Maine roads so far this year. There were 53 deaths at this time last year. But officials caution...
Oklahoma Steps Up Fraud Fight in Disaster Zones
Jun 7 2013 // Oklahoma is stepping up its efforts to fight fraud in storm-devastated areas of the state with the assistance of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and the North Carolina Department of...
H.E.A.T.: Unconventional Auto-Related Crimes Increasing in Michigan
Jun 7 2013 // Auto thefts in Michigan are in a five-year decline, but other forms of vehicle-related crime are on the rise, according to Help Eliminate Auto Thefts (H.E.A.T.), a statewide insurance industry-funded theft prevention...
Deadly Oklahoma Tornado Widest on Record, Rare EF5
Jun 6 2013 // The deadly tornado that struck near Oklahoma City late last week had a record-breaking width of 2.6 miles and was the second top-of-the-scale EF5 twister to hit the area in less than two weeks, the National Weather Service...
Governments and Re/Insurers Should Work Together to Face Rising Disaster Costs
Jun 6 2013 // A presentation from the Geneva Association (GA), the international insurance think tank for strategically important insurance and risk management issues, calls for a long awaited dialogue between the industry and all...
Commercial Insurance Rates Were Up 5% Again in May: MarketScout
Jun 5 2013 // The average composite rate for commercial property/casualty insurance in the U.S. was up five percent for May 2013. This marks the third month in a row for a five percent increase, according to MarketScout’s...
Midwest, Plains Economy Still Growing Steadily: Survey
Jun 4 2013 // A monthly survey of business leaders suggests the economy in nine Midwest and Plains states will continue growing steadily over the next few months. The overall economic index for the region declined slightly to 56.2 in...
XL Launches Unit Dedicated to Reinsurance in Emerging Global Markets
Jun 4 2013 // XL Group announced that it is expanding its reinsurance operations with the creation of a “dedicated Reinsurance Global Emerging Markets unit to optimize development in these markets.” XL has named Philippe...
Property Crime Down, Violent Crime Up in 2012: FBI
Jun 3 2013 // The nation experienced a 1.2 percent increase in the number of violent crimes and a 0.8 percent decline in the number of property crimes in 2012 when compared with data from 2011, the FBI said. Violent crime increased in...
Best Affirms MAPFRE USA and Group Members Ratings; Outlook Negative
Jun 3 2013 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a” of the members of MAPFRE USA GROUP. The lead company in MAPFRE USA is The...
Order Up – The Restaurant Franchise Program Market
Jun 3 2013 // One industry segment ideal for the program market and somewhat immune to the effects of a battered economy is the fast-food, multi-unit restaurant franchise industry, the experts say. The larger a company grows, the slower...
More Severe Weather and Tornadoes Forecast For Oklahoma, Ozarks
May 31 2013 // More dangerous weather, spawning baseball-sized hail and tornadoes, was predicted for Oklahoma and parts of the Ozarks on Friday after more than a dozen reported twisters in Oklahoma and Arkansas on Thursday, U.S....
Best Revises Outlook on Travelers and Most Subs to Positive; Affirms Ratings
May 31 2013 // A.M. Best Co. has revised the outlook to positive from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A+’ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa” of the property/casualty...
A.M. Best Revises Ohio’s Buckeye Outlook to Negative
May 30 2013 // A.M. Best Co. has revised the outlook to negative from stable of Piqua, Ohio-based Buckeye State Mutual Insurance Co. and its insurance affiliates. The ratings firm also affirmed the financial strength rating of B+ (Good)...
Survey Says Texting While Driving Common Among N.J. Drivers
May 29 2013 // New Jersey auto insurance group Plymouth Rock Assurance has released a distracted driving study this week that found approximately 50 percent of passengers polled have asked a driver to stop texting while the car was in...
S&P Updates Allstate and Subs Ratings; Outlook Revised to Stable from Negative
May 29 2013 // Standard & Poor’s Rating Services announced that it has completed a review of Allstate Corp. and, under its revised insurance criteria, has affirmed the ‘A-‘ issuer credit rating on the holding...
After Years of Increases, Florida Property Insurance Rates May Be Stabilizing
May 29 2013 // It’s been nearly eight years since Hurricane Wilma raked the southern end of Florida and caused billions in damages, the last of eight hurricanes to hit the state in 2004 and 2005. Yet even as the state has been...
Lloyd’s Report Highlights Solar Storm Threat as Emerging Risk
May 23 2013 // “A large solar storm could leave tens of millions of people in North America without electrical power for several months, if not years, potentially costing trillions of dollars,” according to Lloyd’s...
