Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
S&P Lowers Chartis’ Ratings to ‘A’; Outlook Changed to Stable
Mar 1 2011 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has lowered its counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on American International Group Inc.’s (AIG) Chartis operating subsidiaries to ‘A’ from...
Demand for Agricultural Insurance Expected to Grow
Feb 25 2011 // The agricultural insurance market is facing rising demand along with pressures to adapt to changes in farming and to become more efficient in delivering products. Increasing world demand for food is driving up commodity...
Architects, Engineers Liability Rates to Go Up: Report
Feb 25 2011 // Rates for architects and engineers professional liability insurance, which have been stable, are expected to go up this year, a new study reports. A number of leading insurance companies offering this coverage expect to...
California’s Median Auto Insurance Rate Decreases 3%
Feb 24 2011 // The median six-month auto insurance rate in California has decreased approximately 3.1 percent over the past 12 months to reach $809 according to InsWeb. Over the same 12-month period, the national median auto insurance...
Insurers Report 24% Rise in Suspicious Claims Since 2008
Feb 23 2011 // There has been a 24 percent rise in what insurance companies consider suspicious claims since 2008. In 2008, a total of 74,146 so-called questionable claims, or QCs, were referred to the National Insurance Crime Bureau...
Litigation, Investigation Fears Driving Up D&O Insurance Limits
Feb 22 2011 // Directors and officers (D&O) liability insurance is gaining traction as more companies are increasing their D&O liability limits and a growing number with international operations are also purchasing D&O...
Demand for Agricultural Insurance Coverages Expected to Grow
Feb 21 2011 // Increasing world demand for food is driving up commodity prices for corn, soybeans, wheat and other food staples. At the same time, the U.S. farming economy is strong, the federal crop insurance program is being changed,...
Medical Losses, Top Line Growth Top Challenges for Workers’ Comp
Feb 21 2011 // The workers’ compensation industry in the years ahead will exist much as it has for decades in many respects. Policyholders will purchase coverage from either an agent or a company, with a portion of the market...
Demographics, Health Reform, Economy, Data to Help Define Future
Feb 21 2011 // The number of workers over age 55 is quickly growing. Carriers need to understand the physical abilities, limitations, and unique exposures of aging workers to be able to properly assess work safety and wellness programs...
Swiss Re 2010 Net Income up on Buffet Loan Repayment, but Miss Forecasts
Feb 17 2011 // Swiss Re struck a note of confidence on its pricing power and hiked its dividend, saying capital had recovered since it turned to U.S. billionaire Warren Buffett for help in the financial crisis. The world’s...
Australia Weather Bureau Forecasts Reduced Risk from La Nina
Feb 16 2011 // The La Nina weather pattern, which recently brought record floods and cyclones to Australia, is weakening, but there is a small risk that it could reform within the southern autumn season, Australia’s weather bureau...
United Fire Sees Higher Net Income but Premium Decrease in 2010
Feb 15 2011 // United Fire & Casualty Co., headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, reported an increase in net income for the fourth quarter and full year 2010, but net premiums earned decreased by 1.9 percent for the year and by 0.7...
S&P Reports Outlook for Int’l. Marine P&I Clubs is Stable
Feb 14 2011 // “The outlook for the international marine protection & indemnity (P&I) industry is looking stable, with all clubs in 2010 reporting a post-tax surplus for the first time since 1998,” said a bulletin...
As Merger Lawsuits Increase, So Do Legal Fees
Feb 14 2011 // Lawyers are pushing for a $4.5 million fee for their work for investors challenging a corporate merger. The recovery for shareholders? Probably zero. The requested fee in a lawsuit challenging Unilever NV’s $3.7...
New York Agents Happier with Insurers This Year, Survey Says
Feb 11 2011 // A new survey by a trade group for New York agents finds insurance producers give their carriers good marks for honesty and fair treatment — but find insurance companies don’t pay them enough. The Independent...
Allstate Profit Falls as Auto, Catastrophe Claims Rise
Feb 10 2011 // Allstate Insurance net income fell 43 percent in the fourth quarter as rising claims from auto insurance customers and catastrophes took their toll. Allstate’s fourth quarter 2010 net profit was $296 million compared...
Best Affirms Odyssey Re and Subs ‘A’ Ratings; Outlook Stable
Feb 10 2011 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a” of Odyssey Reinsurance Group, based in Wilmington, Del., and its members....
Swiss Re Urges Australia to Use Cat Bonds as Disaster Risk Rises
Feb 10 2011 // Global reinsurance giant Swiss Re said Australia’s natural disaster risk was increasing and urged its governments to cover the rising damages bill using insurance instruments like catastrophe bonds as opposed to...
S&P Revises Outlook on UK’s Aviva: Ratings Affirmed
Feb 10 2011 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook on Aviva PLC, the holding company of the U.K.-based global multiline insurance group Aviva, and the majority of its operating entities, to stable from...
PartnerRe Hit by Cat Losses, Reports Decreases in Q4, FY Net Income
Feb 8 2011 // Bermuda-based PartnerRe Ltd. reported net income of $57.0 million, or $0.65 per share on a fully diluted basis for the fourth quarter of 2010, which includes net after-tax realized and unrealized losses on investments of...
