Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
S&P Conference Survey Predicts More Mergers; Confidence in Pres. Bush; Increased Price Competition
Jun 17 2004 // A Standard & Poor’s survey found that two-thirds of insurance executives and analysts believe the recent mergers of St. Pauls/ Travelers and John Hancock/ Manulife indicate heightened industry consolidation...
Best Downgrades GE Global Insurance Debt Ratings; Revises Outlook to Negative
Jun 16 2004 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has downgraded the debt ratings of various senior unsecured notes of GE Global Insurance Holdings Corporation to “bbb+” from “a-” and has revised the outlook to...
Best Affirms Employers Re, Westport ‘A’ Ratings; Lowers Medical Protective; Revises Outlook to Stable
Jun 16 2004 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength ratings of “A” (Excellent) of Employers Re Corp Group and Westport Insurance Corporation of Jefferson City, Mo. The bulletin noted that the...
S&P Reports on P/C Commercial Lines Insurers; Raises Outlook to Stable
Jun 11 2004 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has revised its outlook on the U.S. commercial-lines insurance industry to stable from negative “based on the delicate balance now in play between the...
S&P Affirms Allianz Canada ‘BBB’ Ratings; Raises Outlook to Stable
Jun 10 2004 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has revised its outlook on Allianz Insurance Co. of Canada and Trafalgar Insurance Co. of Canada (collectively referred to as Allianz Canada) to stable from...
Survey: Lack of Terror Coverage Would Hurt Commercial Mortgage Market
Jun 8 2004 // A new survey indicates that only 20 percent of commercial real estate portfolios would retain terrorism coverage if the requirement that insurers make it available is lifted, down from 83.5 percent. The survey by mortgage...
PIAA, NPDB DATA SHOW MED-MAL COSTS STILL RISING:
Jun 7 2004 // Data compiled from the physician owned and/or operated medical liability insurers that make up the Physician Insurers Association of America (PIAA) and the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) indicate that medical...
Wyoming Med-Mal Rates on the Rise
Jun 7 2004 // Medical malpractice insurance rates are on the rise in Wyoming, and lawmakers anticipate being called into a special legislative session this summer to address the issue. The Doctors Co., which insures about 30 percent of...
Proposal to Replace Mass. Safe Driver Plan Unveiled; New Merit Rating System Sought by 2006
Jun 4 2004 // As anticipated in an earlier report by Insurance Journal, an arm of the Massachusetts insurance department has come up with a plan to replace the state’s current safe driver insurance plan with a new one by 2006 and...
Insurance Commissioner Approves Rate Decrease for Auto Club Policyholders
Jun 4 2004 // Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi approved the Automoblie Club of Southern California’s filing to reduce its insurance affiliate’s policy premiums by five percent. The filing, officially made by the...
S&P Ups Outlook, Affirms Allianz Australia Ratings
Jun 3 2004 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has revised the rating outlook on Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd. (Allianz Australia) and its associated company, Allianz New Zealand Ltd., to positive from...
Survey Selects Hannover Re as Best Overall Reinsurer in North America
Jun 3 2004 // Germany’s Hannover Re announced the results of a survey, conducted by the U.S.-based Flaspöhler Research Group, that singled out the world’s fourth largest reinsurer as the best overall in the North American...
Report: 1995 Saturn SL Tops Most Stolen Vehicle List
Jun 2 2004 // One of every 200 registered 1995 Saturn SLs were stolen last year, making it 2003’s most stolen vehicle, according to a report from Chicago auto claims software provider CCC Information Services Inc. The 1998 Acura...
Report: Midyear Outlook Stable for U.S. Health Insurers
Jun 1 2004 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services published an article stating that the remainder of 2004 will likely see continued earnings strength for U.S. health insurers, but numerous competitive, political, regulatory,...
Michigan Senate Takes Up Bill to Keep Insurers From Steering Claims
Jun 1 2004 // Auto insurers could not restrict policyholders from using the repair shop of their choice under legislation to be considered by the Michigan state Senate. Critics say some insurers currently send or direct claim holders to...
Survey: Majority of U.S. Institutional Investors Support Further Corporate Governance Reforms
Jun 1 2004 // Despite the recent debate over the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) governance proposals, a survey of U.S. institutional investors indicates that a vast majority backs the proposed reforms. Nearly 80...
Best Upgrades RLI to ‘A+’; Outlook Stable
May 28 2004 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has upgraded the financial strength rating of Peoria, Ill.-based property/casualty insurer RLI Group to “A+” (superior) from “A” (excellent) of RLI Group...
California Commissioner Recommends 20.9 Percent Decrease in Workers’ Comp Rates
May 28 2004 // California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi has recommended that California workers’ compensation insurers lower their rates by 20.9 percent for policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2004....
Chubb Survey: One in Four Private Companies Sued by Employees, Former Employees
May 25 2004 // One in four privately held companies has been sued by an employee or former employee in the past few years, according to a survey sponsored by the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies (www.chubb.com). Executives at as many...
Xerox Survey Reports Productivity as Top Business Priority for ACORD LOMA Attendees
May 25 2004 // In a survey of property, casualty, life and annuities professionals, 39 percent of respondents indicated that increasing productivity is their first priority in improving business processes, while 33 percent cited the need...
