Latest Trends Headlines

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

Swiss Re Study: Outlook Promising for U.S. Credit Insurers

Oct 31 2000 // So found a recent Swiss Re sigma study “Trade Credit Insurance.” The study also found the products that will likely boost revenue include: credit lines for commercial internet purchases, information services...

Future of Calif. Earthquake Authority Remains Hot Topic of Debate

Oct 31 2000 // Treasurer Phil Angelides has indicated recently that he has some concerns about the stability of the California Earthquake Authority. He made his fears public Oct. 26, sending out a letter to lawmakers calling for a...

Commissioner Approves California W/C Rate Increase

Oct 30 2000 // On Oct. 20, Insurance Commissioner Harry Low took a much-needed first step to improve the dire state of California’s workers’ comp market. Low approved the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of...

Calif. Commissioner Approves 10 Percent Workers’ Comp Rate Increase

Oct 24 2000 // On Oct. 20, Insurance Commissioner Harry Low took his first step to improve the dire state of California’s workers’ comp market. Low approved the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of...

Allstate Profit Rises on Higher Premiums

Oct 23 2000 // Allstate Corp.’s third-quarter operating earnings rose 34 percent as increased premiums offset higher loss costs. The nation’s second-largest insurer said operating earnings, excluding a restructuring charge...

Commercial Auto Rates Up; Sector Ripe for Rapid Change

Oct 23 2000 // Someone up above has been listening. How else can one explain the hardening market that has been the subject of thousands of prayers. Both agents and E&S vendors, then, should be doubly excited about the commercial...

Survey Reveals Insurers Top Fraud Concerns

Oct 20 2000 // According to a recent survey compiled by the National Association of Independent Insurers (NAII), medical fraud rings, staged auto accidents, arson, and workers’ comp scams top the list of fraud concerns for the...

CGNU Posts 21 Percent Increase in U.K. Life Sales

Oct 19 2000 // CGNU surprised analysts on Wednesday when it reported a 21 percent increase in its U.K. life sales totaling £5.5 billion ($8 billion) over the past 9 months, despite a general slowdown in long-term investments in the U.K....

‘Architect’ Designed His Future

Oct 16 2000 // LeAndre Drake Davis of San Jose was convicted Sept. 8 on 26 federal charges related to three fraud schemes he operated in the wake of the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The 37-year-old man was the president of Shadowbrook...

Arthur J. Gallagher Net Earnings Up 18 Percent for 2000

Oct 13 2000 // Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced on Thursday its financial results for the third quarter and nine months that ended Sept. 30. Total revenues were $526,944,000, compared to $471,629,000 last year, an increase of 12...

Survey Reveals Stronger Agency System

Oct 9 2000 // Silicon Valley operatives like to gloat about a shrinking independent agency system. Today there are 42,000 independent agencies in the U.S., down from 46,000 in 1992. Nearly three out of 10 independent agencies have been...

Fitch Affirms SAFECO Ratings, Changes Outlook to Negative

Oct 4 2000 // Fitch has affirmed all ratings of SAFECO Corporation and its insurance subsidiaries. At the same time, the rating outlook has moved from Stable to Negative. The primary factor for the change in rating outlook is the...

After the Gold Rush: Insurance Dot-Coms Shift increasingly Toward the Agent

Oct 2 2000 // In the “stake-your-claim” environment of Internet insurance, any attempt to define trends and categorize business models can be an exercise in frustration. However, in some ways the dot-com gold rush is slowing...

Independent currents:Survey Says: Agency Systems are Stronger

Oct 2 2000 // Silicon Valley operatives like to gloat about a shrinking independent agency system. Today there are 42,000 independent agencies in the U.S., down from 46,000 in 1992. Nearly three out of 10 independent agencies have been...

Calif. Sits on Epicenter of National Quake Survey

Oct 2 2000 // According to the first national survey of earthquake risks, 75 percent of all losses are expected to occur in California. But quakes are not a problem for just the Golden State, as the study shows that other areas of the...

Independent currents Survey Says: Agency Systems are Stronger

Oct 2 2000 // Silicon Valley operatives like to gloat about a shrinking independent agency system. Today there are 42,000 independent agencies in the U.S., down from 46,000 in 1992. Nearly three out of 10 independent agencies have been...

InsWeb Raises Revenue Outlook for Second Half of 2000

Sep 29 2000 // Updating its previously announced revenue expectations for the second half of fiscal 2000, Redwood City, Calif.-based InsWeb raised its previous outlook of $8 million to now exceed $9 million. Hussein Enan, InsWeb CEO,...

S&P Revises Outlook on Reliance (Europe) to Negative

Sep 22 2000 // Following yesterday’s announcement that Candover Investment Plc was pulling out of talks to acquire Reliance National Insurance Co. (Europe) Ltd., a subsidiary of U.S. insurer Reliance Group, Standard &...

Munich Re Posts 15 Percent Rise in 1st Half Premium

Sep 22 2000 // Munich Re’s 1st half results seem to indicate that maybe reinsurance rates are finally firming. The world’s largest reinsurer posted a 15 percent increase in gross premium revenues for the period to €15.2...

California Sits on Epicenter of National Quake Damage Survey

Sep 21 2000 // According to the first national survey of earthquake risks, 75 percent of all losses are expected to occur in California–but quakes are not just a problem for the Golden State, as the study shows that other areas of...