Latest Trends Headlines

All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Survey Says Insurance Cost Increases Slow

Jul 4 2005 // Kibble & Prentice announced the results of its annual employee benefits survey. With nearly 250 Washington state companies reporting, the results showed two surprising trends: The rate of increase of health plan costs...

CAS Attendees Hear of Positive Trends from Calif. Workers’ Comp Reforms

Jul 4 2005 // Insurers, and especially self-insurers, are seeing positive trends as a result of the workers’ compensation reforms in California, experts on the subject told attendees at the recent Casualty Actuarial Society Spring...

Survey Says Insurance Cost Increases Slow

Jul 4 2005 // Kibble & Prentice recently announced the results of its annual employee benefits survey. With nearly 250 Washington state companies reporting, the results showed two surprising trends: The rate of increase of health...

AUTO RESIDUAL MARKET RATES UP 3.8%:

Jul 4 2005 // An average 3.8 percent increase in rates for private passenger auto policies insured through the Virginia Automobile Insurance Plan is now in effect. The industry had requested an average 5.5 percent rate increase. The...

Erie Insurance Requests 2.4 Percent Rate Decrease in W.V.

Jul 1 2005 // The West Virginia Insurance Commission has received a new private passenger automobile rate filing from Erie Insurance Property and Casualty Company. Erie is requesting approval for a 2.4 percent rate decrease for its...

Best Affirms Ratings of Northbridge Affiliates; Revises Outlook to Positive

Jun 29 2005 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength ratings (FSR) of “A-” (Excellent) and has assigned issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a-” to the companies comprising Canada’s...

UF Study Shows Fla. Homes Built After 2002 Sustained Less Damage in Hurricane Winds

Jun 29 2005 // Homes built under the Florida Building Code that became effective in 2002 sustained less damage on average than those built between 1994 and 2001 under the Standard Building Code according to a University of Florida study...

Aspen Forecasts Specialty Lines 2005 Premium Growth

Jun 29 2005 // Bermuda-based Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited announced that it is updating its guidance relating to annual growth in its gross written premiums for 2005. The company now expects growth between 20 and 25 percent higher...

A.M. Best Assigns FSR to Markel Corp; Outlook Stable

Jun 29 2005 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of A (Excellent) and has assigned issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a” to the Markel North America Insurance Group (Markel) and its...

S&P Reports on Increased Cat Loss Potential, Modeling

Jun 28 2005 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has issued a new report – “Reinsurance Criteria: Larger Losses And Better Modeling Prompt Changes To Property Catastrophe Criteria-” that examines the upsurge...

Mich. Auto Rates Up 4% in 2004

Jun 28 2005 // The average cost of an auto insurance policy in Michigan increased 4 percent in 2004, according to a study by the Insurance Institute of Michigan. The average auto insurance premium in 2004 was $1,130, compared to $1,086...

Tillinghast to Launch Commercial Lines Survey w/ Webcast on July 6

Jun 24 2005 // The Tillinghast unit of consultants Towers Perrin has announced plans to launch its Commercial Lines Insurance Price Monitoring Survey (CLIPS). Tillinghast said it had “initiated the survey to meet the insurance...

Best Affirms Imagine Ratings; Assigns Negative Outlook

Jun 23 2005 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength rating of “A-” (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a-” of Barbados-based Imagine Insurance Company Limited. Best...

Report: U.S. Reinsurance Market Posts 105.5% Combined Ratio in 2004

Jun 23 2005 // Forty reinsurance companies reported net written premiums of $30.1 billion for 2004, showing a combined ratio of 105.5 percent in the Reinsurance Association of America’s “Reinsurance Underwriting Review: 2004...

Kibble & Prentice Survey Shows Insurance Cost Increases Slow

Jun 23 2005 // Seattle-based Kibble & Prentice announced the results of its annual employee benefits survey. With nearly 250 Washington state companies reporting, the results showed two surprising trends: the rate of increase of...

Fla. CFO Blasts Allstate for Increasing Its Rates Before Public Hearing

Jun 23 2005 // After an announcement by Allstate Insurance Company early June 23 Florida’s CFO Tom Gallagher issued a highly-critical press release blasting the company for its actions and has instructed Insurance Commissioner...

IINC Hosts Marketing Conference for Emerging Industries July 8

Jun 22 2005 // California’s cultural melting pot challenges professional marketers and communicators to tailor their efforts to communities that are constantly evolving. To address the many challenges of reaching these emerging...

Ohio Auto Thefts Down 2% for 2nd Straight Year

Jun 22 2005 // Auto thefts in Ohio appear to have declined more than 2 percent for the second consecutive year, according to estimates released by the Ohio Insurance Institute. Based on auto theft survey results of 17 major Ohio city...

Fla. CFO Gallagher Urges Commissioner: Reject Cincinnati’s 37.5 Percent Rate Increase Request

Jun 21 2005 // Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher has urged Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty to reject a 36.7 percent rate increase request by Cincinnati Indemnity Company/Insurance Company. “After directing...

Bank Insurance Brokerage Fee Income Up 7.5% in 2005 1Q

Jun 21 2005 // Bank insurance brokerage fee income was up 7.5 percent year-to-date through March 31, 2005, compared to the same period in 2004, according to Michael White’s Bank Insurance & Investment Fee Income Reports. Among...