Latest Trends Headlines

All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.

S&P Assesses Insurance Industry and Country Risk Shaping Insurance Markets

May 23 2013 // A report by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services notes that “for the two main insurance sectors, life and property/casualty (P/C), overall industry and country risks are, on average, much lower in developed...

Best Affirms Montpelier Re and Holding Co. Ratings; Outlook Stable

May 22 2013 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a” of Montpelier Reinsurance Ltd. As well as the ICR of “bbb” and debt...

S&P Affirms AXIS Capital and Subs Ratings; Outlook Stable

May 22 2013 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has affirmed its ‘A-‘ counterparty credit and senior debt ratings on AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd., as well as the ‘A+’ counterparty credit and financial...

Willis ILS Report: Q1 2013 Sees $1.6 Billion in New Cat Bond Issuance

May 22 2013 // The first quarter of 2013 saw $1.6 billion of new issuance in non-life capacity marketed through five catastrophe bond transactions, including three transactions marketed in the first quarter and closed at the beginning of...

Medical Malpractice Payouts Not Driving Up Health Costs: Study

May 20 2013 // Efforts to lower health care costs in the United States have focused at times on demands to reform the medical malpractice system, with some researchers asserting that large, headline-grabbing and “frivolous”...

CEA’s First CIO Reflects C-Suite Trend

May 20 2013 // Technology veteran Todd Coombes’ approach to his new job as the first chief information officer for the California Earthquake Authority is to keep an enterprising yet cautious eye on the risks and rewards that...

Emerging Markets to Lead in Insurance Growth: Munich Re

May 17 2013 // Emerging markets will see the highest growth in premiums for insurance companies this year and next, while Europe lags, according to the world’s biggest reinsurer, Munich Re. In a study published on Thursday, Munich...

A.M. Best Revises Outlook to Negative for Grange Mutual Fire Insurance Co.

May 16 2013 // A.M. Best Co. said it has revised the outlook to “negative” from “stable” and affirmed the financial strength rating of B+ (Good) and issuer credit rating of “bbb-” of Grange Mutual Fire...

On a Leash: Dog Bite Insurance Claim Trends

May 15 2013 // Dog bites accounted for more than one-third of all homeowners insurance liability claim dollars paid out in 2012, costing more than $489 million, according to the industry’s Insurance Information Institute (III) and...

Homeowners Confused About Insurance Coverage: Survey

May 14 2013 // Many homeowners do not understand what exposures are covered under their home insurance policy, according to a new consumer survey. More than two in five Americans (41 percent) believe that a standard homeowner’s...

Report: 127 Killed on the Job in Virginia in 2011, 20 More Than Previous Year

May 14 2013 // A new labor union report says 127 workers were killed on the job in 2011 in Virginia, 20 more than the previous year. According to the report by the AFL-CIO, there were 4,693 workplace deaths nationwide in 2011, down by...

Labor Union Report: 43 Killed on the Job in West Virginia in 2011

May 13 2013 // A new labor union report says 43 workers were killed on the job in 2011 in West Virginia, down from 95 the previous year that included a mine blast that killed 29. According to the report by the AFL-CIO, there were 4,693...

USDA: Southeast Wyoming Emerging From Drought

May 13 2013 // The latest report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows southeast Wyoming may be emerging from 11 months of drought. The USDA’s weekly Drought Monitor out last week shows the Cheyenne area has been downgraded...

Officials Say Costs from North Dakota Flooding Adding Up

May 13 2013 // Although spring flooding in North Dakota wasn’t as bad advertised in some areas, officials who are totaling the damages say the costs are piling up. The question is whether the final figure will impress the federal...

Crop Insurance Expansion Pushes Cost Increase in Latest U.S. Farm Bills

May 13 2013 // The federally subsidized crop insurance program, the costliest part of the U.S. farm safety net, would spin off at least three new types of coverage and could cost 10 percent more under draft farm bills pending in the U.S....

Hurricane Center Working to Improve Storm Surge Forecasts After Wet 2012

May 9 2013 // Last year’s hurricane season drove home some big lessons, according to the nation’s chief hurricane forecaster: Storm surge and flooding are dangerous and difficult to predict, and sometimes it’s even...

Medical Malpractice Payouts Not Driving Up Health Costs: Study

May 8 2013 // Efforts to lower health care costs in the United States have focused at times on demands to reform the medical malpractice system, with some researchers asserting that large, headline-grabbing and “frivolous”...

Rockwood Decreases Agent E&O Rates in Massachusetts, California, Texas

May 7 2013 // Rockwood Programs has implemented underwriting guideline changes to its P&C Agents E&O program. The modifications will result in a rate decrease in the states of California, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Texas. The...

Commercial Rates Up 5% in April; Berkshire Move Could Affect Market: MarketScout

May 7 2013 // Property, casualty and professional liability insurance rates were up five percent in April, according to MarketScout’s most recent composite index. That matches the increase for March. Commercial property and...

Most Carriers Provide Training on Selling Online: Survey

May 6 2013 // A two-thirds majority of independent insurance agents say their carriers are providing them with training and consulting on how to use their agency websites to increase sales, a new survey reveals. The annual survey of...