Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Ban on Workers’ Medical Care Cuts Down Florida Comp Costs
Aug 20 2012 // Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in Insurance Journal’s Satire Issue, August 20, 2012. The content in this issue is not real and is not to be taken seriously. It’s supposed to be humorous....
Price Tag For Fighting Utah Wildfires Up To $50M
Aug 16 2012 // State officials say it’s cost $50 million to fight wildfires in Utah this season, and that number is expected to keep climbing. Department of Natural Resources chief Michael Styler told lawmakers Tuesday that more...
Best Upgrades QBE Optima’s Ratings to ‘A-‘; Outlook Stable
Aug 16 2012 // A.M. Best Co. has upgraded the financial strength rating to ‘A-‘ (Excellent) from ‘B++’ (Good) and issuer credit rating to “a-” from “bbb” of QBE Optima Insurance Company,...
Future Impact of Self-Driving Cars Would Be Big: Study
Aug 15 2012 // Consulting firm KPMG and the Center for Automotive Research in Michigan released a report this month about how close the industry is to rolling out self-driving cars. They see the first such vehicles hitting showrooms in...
Driving Toward a Future Without Humans Behind the Wheel
Aug 15 2012 // It’s been more than half a century since some of the first concept cars boasting self-driving features were presented to the world and they’re still not on the roads. But many auto executives say the industry...
Audit: Texas Traffic Fatalities Down Since 2006
Aug 14 2012 // A state audit indicates traffic fatalities in Texas have declined nearly 15 percent since 2006. Texas Department of Transportation officials say increased seatbelt usage and “Click It or Ticket” traffic...
Florida Regulators Question Castle Key Rate Increases
Aug 14 2012 // Florida regulators are questioning the increases sought by two property insurers that could raise rates on some homeowners by more than 40 percent, even as they reduce their number of policies. Castle Key Insurance Co., is...
June, July Ohio Storm Losses Rise to More than $400M
Aug 13 2012 // Insured losses from a round of summer storms in late June and early July have risen to more than $400 million, a state-based insurance information group reported. Property casualty insurers are reporting losses of at least...
NAIC CEO Vaughan to Step Down in 2013
Aug 13 2012 // Dr. Therese M. (Terri) Vaughan announced she will step down as chief executive officer of the organization of state insurance regulators, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), during the first quarter...
Washington Explores Insurance, Other Protection for Futures Customers
Aug 10 2012 // U.S. regulators and futures industry players said on Thursday that there is no perfect solution to safeguard customer money in the wake of two major brokerage scandals, but added that policymakers should move quickly on...
ING Sees Quick Sales in Asian Insurance Break-up
Aug 9 2012 // Dutch banking and insurance group ING now expects a quick sale of parts of its $7 billion Asian insurance business as it seeks to repay state aid and meet European requirements for its 2008 state bail-out, its chief...
Survey: Small Business Optimism Drops, But Remains In Positive Territory
Aug 8 2012 // The Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index fell six points to positive 17 in a survey conducted in July that reflects on the third quarter, but one economist who worked on the poll is taking the positive view that...
Insurance Industry Poised to Add Jobs Over Next Year: Survey
Aug 8 2012 // Insurance industry hiring appears to be steady with 54.5 percent of companies saying they intend to increase staff and 77.4 percent expect to grow revenue. If the industry follows through on its plans, there will be a one...
Copper Theft on Rise in Alabama
Aug 6 2012 // Copper thefts are becoming a growing problem for Alabama farmers. Southeast Alabama farmer Trey Martin said someone stole the copper wiring from his irrigation system. The copper wire was worth $50, but the damages to the...
A Decade Later: Is Sarbanes-Oxley Working?
Aug 6 2012 // When Peregrine Financial collapsed in July, a nagging question resurfaced. As in the implosion of Lehman Brothers, the fall of Bernard Madoff and other cases in recent years, many asked: Where were the accountants? That...
Mercury Reports Net Loss From Increased Severity
Aug 6 2012 // Mercury General Corp. on July 30 reported a net loss for the second quarter driven partly by an increase in severity trends, sending the Los Angeles, Calif.-based insurer’s shares down nearly 6 percent on that...
Report: Calif. Head and Spine Injuries Cost $500M in 10 years
Aug 6 2012 // Head and spinal injuries cost California’s workers’ compensation insurers more than $500 million over 10 years, according to the California Workers’ Compensation Institute’s “Injury Score...
Few Employers in New England Plan to Drop Health Insurance: Survey
Aug 3 2012 // A new survey says few employers plan to drop health insurance following the Supreme Court ruling upholding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act — but most do plan to take steps to control costs. According...
Mass. Healthcare Cost Containment Measure Aims to Save Up to $200B
Aug 2 2012 // Massachusetts lawmakers have given final approval to a bill designed to save up to $200 billion in health care costs over the next 15 years. Legislative leaders say the bill will help guarantee the future of the...
