Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Best Affirms Fairfax Financial and Subs Ratings; Outlook Stable
Mar 29 2013 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “bbb” and the unsecured debt and preferred equity ratings of Toronto-based Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, and has also affirmed the financial...
Study Shows Medical Claims Cost Increasing in Delaware
Mar 28 2013 // A new study says medical claims costs in Delaware will increase by almost 30 percent for individual policies under President Obama’s health care reform plan. The report released Tuesday by the Society of Actuaries...
A.M. Best: Outlook Negative for Columbia Mutual Insurance Co.
Mar 28 2013 // A.M. Best Co. has revised the outlook to negative from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of A- (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a-” of Columbia Mutual Insurance Co....
P/C Mergers Down in 2012 But Private Equity Still Favored Brokers: Conning
Mar 28 2013 // Amounting to just $4.7 billion in aggregate deal value, the 46 merger and acquisition transactions announced in the property/casualty insurance sector in 2012 were near record low levels, according to the latest annual...
North Carolina’s ‘Other’ Auto Insurance Market
Mar 27 2013 // I’ve already covered in these pages some of the things the editorial pages of North Carolina’s leading newspapers are getting wrong about S.B. 154, legislation to modernize the state’s system of setting...
A.M. Best: Outlook Negative for Ellington Mutual Insurance Co.
Mar 27 2013 // A.M. Best Co. has revised the outlook to negative from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating of B+ (Good) and issuer credit rating of bbb- of Ellington Mutual Insurance Co. (EMIC) of Hortonville, Wis. Best said...
Emerging Powers China, Brazil Move Closer to Non-Dollar Trade Pact
Mar 27 2013 // China and Brazil agreed on Tuesday to swap up to the equivalent of $30 billion in each other’s currencies if need be so that their fast-growing commercial ties will not suffer if a new banking crisis causes dollar...
Swiss Re Study for 2012 Losses: $77 Bn Insured; $186 Bn Economic
Mar 27 2013 // Swiss Re has released its latest sigma study, which found that economic losses from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters reached $186 billion in 2012. Insured losses amounted to $77 billion, making 2012 the third...
Outlook for National Fire and Indemnity Exchange Revised to Negative
Mar 26 2013 // A.M. Best Co. has revised the outlook to negative from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a-” of National Fire and Indemnity Exchange (NIE)...
North Carolina Approves 7% Home Insurance Rate Increase
Mar 25 2013 // North Carolina is allowing companies to raise homeowners’ insurance rates by a statewide average of seven percent a year starting in July. Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin agreed to the increase for less than the...
Number of Companies Buying Cyber Insurance Up by a Third in 2012: Marsh
Mar 25 2013 // More companies are turning to cyber insurance to protect their organizations from the financial consequences of a data breach or cyber attack, according to a report issued by Marsh. The number of Marsh US clients...
Agents Seek Mobile Apps for Customer Self-Service, Sales Help: Survey
Mar 21 2013 // Independent agents and brokers want their customers to be able to “self-serve” on mobile devices, and sales and quotes are key capabilities for agent-facing applications on tablets, according to preliminary...
Best Affirms Hallmark Financial and Subs Ratings; Outlook Stable
Mar 21 2013 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a-” of the members of Hallmark Insurance Group, headquartered in Fort Worth,...
Medical Care Costs for Injured Workers Rising in Indiana: Report
Mar 20 2013 // The costs of medical care for injured workers in Indiana have been growing rapidly at an annual rate of 8 percent, a faster growth rate than most states, according to a 16-state study by the Workers Compensation Research...
Insurance Claim-Padding OK with 24% of Americans: Survey
Mar 20 2013 // Twenty-four percent of Americans believe it is acceptable to increase an insurance claim by a small amount to make up for deductibles they are required to pay. That is lower than the 33 percent found in 2002, according to...
Munich Re Study Sees Asia Pacific Dominating Insurance Growth by 2020
Mar 20 2013 // “Asia-Pacific will be the dominant driver of world insurance growth by 2020,” according to a study published by Munich Re’s Economic Research Department. The report forecasts that premium income for the...
Survey: Rate Increases Ahead for Architects, Engineers Despite Stable Market
Mar 19 2013 // For the second consecutive year, the insurance market for architects and engineers professional liability insurance continued its firming trend as a number of leading insurance companies providing this specialized coverage...
Aon Unveils 2013 Interactive Political Risk Map; Focus on Emerging Markets
Mar 19 2013 // To complement its print version, Aon Risk Solutions, the global risk management business of Aon plc, has unveiled a new online and interactive political risk map with data going back more than 15 years. Aon explained the...
Report Makes Chilling Forecast On Northwest Quake
Mar 18 2013 // More than 10,000 people could die when – not if – a monster earthquake and tsunami occur just off the Pacific Northwest coast, researchers told Oregon legislators . Coastal towns would be inundated. Schools, buildings...
Fitch: P/C Insurer Profit Up in 2012; Reinsurers Recover
Mar 18 2013 // Property/casualty insurers’ operating profits improved in 2012, driven by reduced incurred losses from natural catastrophes and core loss ratio improvements from recent underwriting and pricing actions. Fitch...
