Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Merger, Acquisition Activity Heats Up
Dec 10 2010 // Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity between July and September was robust making the third quarter the most active with 61 deals versus 36 last year. Deal volume for the first nine months is up 28 percent from the...
Texas Unemployment Insurance Tax Rates to Rise for 2011
Dec 9 2010 // The standard minimum unemployment insurance (UI) tax rate paid by Texas employers in calendar year (CY) 2011 will be 0.78 percent, up from 0.72 percent in CY 2010, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) announced. The taxes...
Lawyer Malpractice Claims on the Rise
Dec 8 2010 // The economy has taken its toll on all businesses today and law firms are no exception. They have experienced downsizing, pressure to change specialties in order to compete for new business, and other cost cutting measures,...
S&P Affirms ING’s Ratings; Removed from CreditWatch; Outlook Negative
Dec 8 2010 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has affirmed its long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on various operating insurance subsidiaries of ING Groep N.V. (ING) and its...
Swiss Re’s Economic Forum Sees Continued Growth, Pressure and Risks
Dec 8 2010 // Swiss Re’s Economic Forum singled out three main factors that will continue to affect the re/insurance market in 2011. The Forum’s economists forecast “continued global economic expansion in 2011, led by...
IronBuilt Increases Capacity Limits for Construction Risks
Dec 8 2010 // IronBuilt, the specialty construction unit of Ironshore Inc., has increased its limits of up to $25 million in umbrella/excess, wrap-up and project specific liability capacity. IronBuilt offers construction risk protection...
Insurance Industry Outlook Improving, Slightly
Dec 6 2010 // The insurance industry is recovering from the economic crisis, but profits are nowhere near where they were prior to the crisis, and it will take California longer than other states to rebound, according to an industry...
Texas Supreme Court Declines to Review Workers’ Comp Stop-Loss Case
Dec 6 2010 // The Texas Supreme Court has put an end to a case involving the amount some hospitals marked up workers’ compensation-related bills under rules in effect until 2008, Texas Mutual Insurance Co. announced. In June 2010,...
Calif. Commissioner Rejects Increase in Workers’ Comp Cost Benchmark
Dec 5 2010 // California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner has rejected – for the third consecutive time – a workers’ comp rate filing submitted on behalf of insurers by the Workers’ Compensation Insurance...
Lawyer Malpractice Claims on the Rise
Dec 5 2010 // Economy, Fees Countersuits and ‘Door Law’ Changing E&O Climate The economy has taken its toll on all businesses today and law firms are no exception. They have experienced downsizing, pressure to change...
Guy Carpenter Survey: Program Administrators Say Business Stable But Less Profitable
Dec 5 2010 // The current insurance program market is mature and stable, with business estimated at $20 billion, but profitability may be declining, according to a new survey of program administrators (PA) and managing general agents...
Survey: Texting While Driving in Texas Getting Worse
Dec 2 2010 // Texans believe texting and talking on phones while driving is getting worse and that roads are less safe than they were five years ago, despite declines in accident deaths. A survey by the Texas Transportation Institute...
Best Revises Aviva and Subs Outlook to Positive; Affirms Ratings
Dec 1 2010 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has revised the outlook to positive from stable and affirmed the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a-” of the UK-Based non-operating holding company, Aviva plc....
European Storm Season Starts, But Forecasts are Difficult, Says Lloyd’s
Dec 1 2010 // The world really gets no respite from global weather events. Just as the hurricane season draws to a close, the European windstorm season, which usually lasts around four months, starts up. In its examination of the onset...
TARP Bailout Cost to Taxpayers Down to $25 Billion
Nov 30 2010 // The U.S. Troubled Asset Relief Program, which risked up to $700 billion of government funds to bail out troubled banks and automakers, will cost taxpayers a mere $25 billion, according to an estimate released Monday by the...
State Regulators Worried About Future of Health Insurance Brokers
Nov 29 2010 // State insurance regulators have established a task force to monitor the negative effects the new federal health reform law might have on health insurance agents and brokers. The National Association of Insurance...
S&P Revises Outlook on XL Group to Stable; Affirms Ratings
Nov 24 2010 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook on XL Group Ltd. and its subsidiaries to stable from negative. S&P also affirmed its ‘A’ counterparty credit and financial strength...
S&P Lowers Fireman’s Fund Ratings to ‘A+’ from ‘AA-‘; Outlook Stable
Nov 24 2010 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has lowered its counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on Novato, Calif.-based Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. and its affiliates (collectively referred to as...
Lloyd’s Chairman To Discuss Emerging Risks on Dec. 2
Nov 24 2010 // “Risk-taking lies at the heart of business operations, and it can also lead to problems if not handled properly,” said Anil Puri, dean of Mihaylo College of Business and Economics at Cal State Fullerton. Thus,...
North Korea Shells South in Fiercest Attack in Decades
Nov 23 2010 // North Korea on Tuesday fired dozens of artillery shells at a South Korean island, killing two soldiers and setting houses ablaze, in one of the heaviest attacks on its neighbor since the Korean War ended in 1953. The...
