Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Young Agents Survey: Why Agents Stand By Their Career Choice
Mar 15 2010 // Most enter the insurance business by accident but for young independent insurance agents, the decision to stick with insurance as a permanent career is a matter of choice. A healthy 84 percent of young insurance agents say...
Who’s Worth What in the Independent Agency System? Join IJ’s Survey
Mar 12 2010 // Once again, Insurance Journal is polling insurance agents and brokers nationwide in its annual search to find out who’s worth what in the independent agency system. The 2010 Agency Salary Survey results will be...
Survey: Michigan Firms Plan to Hike Wages Over Next 6 Months
Mar 12 2010 // While a growing number of Michigan’s small- to mid-size businesses are not satisfied with the economy, a recent survey indicates that more businesses plan to increase wages over the next six months. In the...
Hiscox Underwriting Chief on 2010 Outlook
Mar 11 2010 // London-based specialty insurer Hiscox, which launched a significantly expanded U.S. presence in 2006, saw gross profits reach record levels ($481 million) in 2009. In this exclusive interview with Insurance Journal, Hiscox...
Federal Study of Fatal 2007 South Carolina Sofa Store Fire Not Ready
Mar 11 2010 // A complex federal study of a fire that killed nine South Carolina firefighters, already delayed by months, is still months from completion, authorities said. The National Institute of Standards and Technology in...
Fitch Holds Conference on China’s Life, Non-Life Insurance Sectors
Mar 11 2010 // Fitch Ratings hosted a teleconference today, March 11 on the performance of China’s life and non-life insurance sectors. A replay of the conference is expected to be posted soon on the rating agency’s web site...
Report: Reno Has Good Chance of Big Quake by 2060
Mar 10 2010 // The chance of a significant earthquake rocking the Reno-Sparks, Nev., area over the next half century is on the rise, with a 67 percent likelihood a magnitude 6.0 will strike within 31 miles by 2060, a new report...
Marsh & McLennan Puts Kroll Consulting Up for Sale for $1.3 Billion
Mar 9 2010 // Marsh & McLennan Cos Inc., the No 2. global insurance broker, has put up its security consulting business Kroll up for sale for $1.3 billion and received offers from several major private equity firms in the first...
Uncertainty Pervades the Terrorism Insurance Market
Mar 8 2010 // Threats Rise and TRIA Funding Comes Under Attack The threat of terrorism in the United States is rising, but the future of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) is in question. At a time when top U.S. officials warn of...
Uncertainty Pervades the Terrorism Insurance Market
Mar 7 2010 // As Threats Rise, TRIA Funding Comes Under Attack The threat of domestic terrorism is rising, but the future of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) is in question. At a time when top U.S. officials warn of an imminent...
Uncertainty Pervades the Terrorism Insurance Market
Mar 7 2010 // Threats On Rise and TRIA Funding Faces Possible Cutback; Standalone Market Could Gain The threat of terrorism in the U.S. is rising but the future of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) is in question. At a time when...
Tractor-Trailer Cargo Thefts on the Rise in Pennsylvania
Mar 4 2010 // Authorities say thieves are increasingly targeting tractor-trailers in Pennsylvania to steal their loads of electronics, food or drink, later abandoning the trailers at the side of the road. Sometimes the culprits steal...
New Vehicle Registrations in Wisconsin Down 46% Since 2000
Mar 4 2010 // New vehicle registrations in Wisconsin are nearly half of what they were in 2000. Registrations dropped 46 percent — a hit that’s felt well beyond the state’s auto dealerships. Thousands of jobs have...
Foodborne Illnesses Cost U.S. $152 Billion a Year: Study
Mar 4 2010 // Foodborne illnesses cost the United States $152 billion in health-related expenses each year, according to a study released by consumer and public health groups on Wednesday. Food safety advocates are hoping that the study...
Private Sector Surveys Point to U.S. Jobs Recovery
Mar 4 2010 // Three forward-looking surveys of U.S. hiring intentions point to a tentative jobs recovery in coming months. The surveys by U.S. staffing and payroll companies suggest businesses are cautiously rebuilding staff, especially...
Vermont Firms to See Decline in Workers’ Comp Costs
Mar 3 2010 // Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas says the state’s business owners are going to be paying less for workers’ compensation insurance. The new rates that will take effect April 1 will mark the fourth consecutive year in...
Amerisafe Net Income Rises Despite Premium Decreases in Q4 2009
Mar 3 2010 // DeRidder, La.-based workers’ compensation insurer Amerisafe Inc. reported net income of $6.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2009, an increase of 15 percent over the $5.7 million recorded in the fourth quarter of...
Massachusetts Worker’s Compensation Premium Rates Could Rise
Mar 2 2010 // Massachusetts workers’ compensation insurance rates would rise an average of 4.5 percent under a new rate proposal submitted by the Workers’ Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau. The bureau is the licensed...
No-Fault Auto Insurance Popularity Declines Due to High Medical Costs
Mar 2 2010 // No-fault automobile insurance, once seen as a way to limit court costs and lower premiums, has declined in popularity among both insurers and consumers because it largely has failed to accomplish either goal, according to...
Nebraska-Based Survey Suggests Midwest Economy Is Improving
Mar 2 2010 // The February Business Conditions Index for the Mid-America region, a leading economic indicator from a survey of supply managers in a nine-state area, rose for a third straight month pointing to improving economic growth...
