Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Obama Administration White Paper Outlines Views on Insurance Sector
Jun 17 2009 // The U.S. Treasury department today issued a white paper entitled, Financial Regulatory Reform: A New Foundation. The following is an excerpt from the report on insurance: Enhance Oversight of the Insurance Sector Our...
Some Alabama Pool Rates to Rise July 1
Jun 15 2009 // Rates for some coastal property owners insured through the residual market insurance organization known as the Alabama Beach Pool are going up July 1. The overall average hike will be 5.5 percent, according to the Alabama...
Marsh Survey Finds Financial European Risk Management Budgets Stagnant
Jun 11 2009 // A survey, conducted by Marsh and the independent research group Ipsos, has concluded that almost all European financial institutions have reviewed their approach to risk since the onset of the global financial crisis,...
Details of Democrats’ Health Care Reform Plan Emerging
Jun 10 2009 // Leading Senate Democrats unveiled Tuesday a plan to reshape U.S. healthcare that calls for sweeping insurance market reforms and prohibits insurers from denying coverage or charging more due to medical history. The measure...
Best Affirms Everest Re’s ‘A+’ Ratings; Stable Outlook
Jun 10 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A+’ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa-” of the Bermuda-based Everest Re Group, Ltd.’s reinsurance and...
Marsh Warns of ‘Perfect Storm’ in UK Construction PI Insurance Market
Jun 9 2009 // According to Marsh’s London Office, “the UK architectural, engineering and construction sector is facing a ‘perfect storm’ which could leave many firms facing increasing risks at a time when the...
Oregon Tracks Workers’ Comp Payment Trends
Jun 5 2009 // Oregon’s Department of Consumer and Business Services has published a report examining trends in medical costs during 2000-2007. According to the report, for the period studied, total workers’ compensation...
Aon’s 2009 Marine Insurance Outlook
Jun 4 2009 // According to Aon’s 2009 Marine Insurance Outlook, “ship owners are facing challenging negotiations at 2009/10 renewals as marine insurers seek rates increases on all classes of business.” However...
S&P Affirms Hannover Re’s Ratings, But Revises Outlook to Negative
Jun 3 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook on German reinsurer Hannover Rueckversicherung AG and its subsidiaries (collectively Hannover Re) to negative from stable. S&P also affirmed the...
Report: Bank Insurance Brokerage Income Falls Slightly in 2008
Jun 3 2009 // Bank holding companies’ (BHC) insurance brokerage income overall experienced a 3.6 percent drop in 2008, the first decline in total BHC brokerage income since 2001, according to a new industry report. “BHCs...
Ohio Workers’ Comp Board OKs Safety Rules, Rate Decrease
Jun 2 2009 // The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) Board of Directors has approved rule changes associated with the safety standards in the Ohio Administrative Code for several industries. Ohio law allows BWC to adopt...
Quality and Protectionism in the Insurance Market
Jun 1 2009 // Why Market Blocking Is Not Best for the Consumer or the Industry The insurance business needs to lose a vestige of the insurance marketplace of the last century. Let’s become more friendly to competition and the free...
Premium Growth: Top 25 Premium Gainers in 2008 Versus 2007
Jun 1 2009 // What is the impetus for growth? Why do some insurers emphasize growth and others do not? In his Sept. 25, 1961, address to the United Nations, President John F. Kennedy described conformity as “the enemy of...
Summary of Forecasts for 2009 Atlantic Hurricane Season
May 29 2009 // Private weather forecaster Planalytics predicted Wednesday that the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season will produce 10 tropical storms, of which six will become hurricanes. The company said one or two of the storms were likely...
New Report Cites Climate Change as Cause for 315,000 Deaths a Year
May 29 2009 // Climate change kills about 315,000 people a year through hunger, sickness and weather disasters, and the annual death toll is expected to rise to half a million by 2030, a report said on Friday. The study, commissioned by...
California Workers’ Comp Insurer Files for 15% Premium Increase
May 29 2009 // California’s State Compensation Insurance Fund has filed a mid-year rate plan that reflects a 15 percent increase in collectible premium. The revised rates will apply to new and renewal workers’ compensation...
Some Alabama Beach Pool Insurance Rates Going Up July 1
May 29 2009 // Rates for some coastal property owners insured through the residual market insurance organization known as the Alabama Beach Pool are going up July 1. The overall average hike will be 5.5 percent, according to the Alabama...
Best Revises Selective and Subs Outlook to Negative; Affirms Ratings
May 28 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has revised its rating outlook to negative from stable, but has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A+’ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa-” of Selective...
Marsh Survey Concludes UK Insurance Rates ‘Continue to Fall’
May 28 2009 // According to findings from Marsh, “Insurance rates in the UK continued to fall, but at a slower rate, across all major lines of business in the first quarter of 2009.” The figures are based on business placed...
Pretty Normal Hawaii Hurricane Season Forecast
May 27 2009 // The Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Hawaii is forecasting three to five tropical cyclones forming in the central Pacific during the 2009 hurricane season, which begins June 1. An average season has four or...
