Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Best Affirms Aspen Specialty, Aspen American Ratings; Outlook Stable
Oct 13 2011 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a” of Aspen Specialty Insurance Company (ASIC), headquartered in Bismarck, North Dakota...
Best Affirms QBE and Subs Ratings; Outlook Stable
Oct 12 2011 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength ratings (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a+” of UK-based QBE Insurance (Europe)...
What Do YOU Want in Agency E&O? Take the Survey Now
Oct 11 2011 // Don’t miss your chance to find out what’s been going on with insurance agents’ errors and omissions (E&O) insurance. Insurance Journal’s annual survey solicits the experiences and opinions of...
Best Affirms OneBeacon Group’s Ratings; Outlook Stable
Oct 11 2011 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a” of the operating companies comprising Minnesota-based OneBeacon Insurance...
Best Downgrades Kingsway and Affiliates Ratings; Assigns Negative Outlook
Oct 7 2011 // A.M. Best Co. has downgraded the issuer credit ratings (ICR) to “c” from “ccc” and senior debt ratings to “c” from “ccc” of Kingsway Financial Services Inc (KFSI) and...
S&P Affirms Liberty Mutual, Affiliates Ratings; Revises Outlook to Positive
Oct 7 2011 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook on Liberty Mutual Group (LGMI, and the members of the Liberty Mutual Intercompany Pool, the Peerless Intercompany Pool, and other rated insurance...
S&P Ups Harleysville’s Outlook; Affirms Ratings on Nationwide Deal
Oct 7 2011 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has affirmed its ‘A-‘ counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on Harleysville Mutual Ins. Co. and its affiliates, as well as the counterparty credit...
Commodity Pricing Volatility Increases Under-insurance Risks Says Marsh
Oct 7 2011 // Marsh has issued a report, which highlights the rising gap between insurance coverage amounts and the actual costs that may be incurred in rebuilding and repairing after a loss due to rising commodity...
Survey: A Few More Years Before Med Liability Market Hardens
Oct 6 2011 // According to a new annual rate survey by Medical Liability Monitor, base-rate premiums for medical professional liability insurance (MPLI) continued their downward trend for a sixth consecutive year. The current soft...
Auto Insurers’ Loss Ratios Rise in Q2: SNL Insurance
Oct 6 2011 // Tornadoes and thunderstorms in the South and Midwest made the 2011 second quarter tumultuous for U.S. property writers. The industry loss ratio, before consideration of reinsurance, climbed to 70.6 percent, marking the...
Florida Lawmakers Contemplate the Future of Citizens
Oct 6 2011 // With four months to go before Florida’s legislative session, lawmakers are already considering the future of the state’s largest homeowners’ insurer. However, there are few easy answers in sight. Citizens...
Work-Related Fatalities Decreased in Texas in 2010
Oct 3 2011 // Texas recorded a preliminary total of 456 work-related fatalities in 2010, a 5 percent decrease compared to the revised 2009 total of 482 fatalities, the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’...
Best Affirms American Southern, Parent and Subs Ratings; Outlooks Stable
Oct 3 2011 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a” of American Southern Group and its members. These ratings apply to American...
Coastal Alabama Rates Going Down
Oct 3 2011 // Alabama homeowners insured by the state’s property insurer of last resort are paying less after the insurer implemented its first rate decrease in three years. The Alabama Insurance Underwriting Association last...
Agriculture Losses from Texas Wildfires Adding Up
Sep 30 2011 // In addition to the $5.2 billion in agricultural losses as a result of the drought in Texas this year, an additional $150 million in losses can be attributed to wildfires, according to state agriculture experts. Dr. Andy...
Nationwide, Harleysville CEOs Reassure Agents: Merger All About Growth
Sep 30 2011 // The merger of insurer Nationwide Mutual with regional carrier Harleysville Mutual is all about growth, not only for the companies but also for their independent agents, according to the CEOs of the two...
Chubb Reports Q3 Disaster Losses Up to $475 Million
Sep 29 2011 // Property insurer Chubb Corp. Wednesday warned it would report up to $475 million in pretax catastrophe losses in the third quarter, most of it coming from late August’s Hurricane Irene. Chubb said $300 million to...
US Quake Project Aimed to ID Future Hotspots
Sep 27 2011 // Scientists have embarked on an ambitious experiment to better anticipate earthquakes by identifying the likeliest places where magnitude-4.9 quakes or stronger will occur in seismically active California over a five-year...
Best Upgrades Greenlight Re’s Ratings to ‘A’; Outlook Stable
Sep 27 2011 // A.M. Best Co. has upgraded the financial strength rating (FSR) to ‘A’ (Excellent) from ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) to ‘a’ from ‘a-‘ of Cayman...
Washington Workers’ Comp Overhaul Keeps Business Costs Down
Sep 23 2011 // A major overhaul of the workers’ compensation system in Washington is already helping keep costs down for businesses, state officials said Tuesday while disclosing a major rate increase isn’t needed to keep...
