Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Most Commercial Insurance Premiums Up in April: IVANS Index
May 3 2017 // Most standard commercial lines products saw an uptick in premiums at renewal in April, with workers’ compensation being the main exception, according to the IVANS Index. Business owners and commercial property...
Mexico Auto Thefts Surge in Ominous Trend for Insurers
May 3 2017 // Auto-theft rates in Mexico are rising at the fastest pace ever, and authorities are getting worse at tracking down the stolen cars. In March, the number of auto thefts rose 21 percent from the same month a year earlier,...
Allianz Q1 Net Income Down 15.3% to $2B – in Line with 2017 Profit Goal
May 3 2017 // German insurer Allianz is optimistic about its prospects despite a very tough business environment, the German insurer said on Wednesday as it posted a slightly better than expected first-quarter profit. “We are...
Michigan Workplace Fatalities in 2016 Highest in a Decade
May 1 2017 // A state agency says 43 people were killed on the job in Michigan last year, and that’s the state’s highest number of workplace fatalities in a decade. The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration...
California Wants Insurers to Double up on Rate Filings
May 1 2017 // Health insurers seeking regulatory approval for 2018 individual insurance plans can file two sets of premium rates as a way to deal with market uncertainty created by Republicans’ promise to repeal and replace...
Legal Marijuana Stores Linked to Increased Property Crime
May 1 2017 // Legal marijuana shops are linked to higher levels of property crime in nearby areas, according to a nearly three-year study in Denver. Researchers found that crime isn’t higher in the area immediately surrounding...
Meteorologists Offer Conflicting Predictions on 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season
May 1 2017 // Most meteorologists forecast the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season will be less active than a year ago, with the number of named storms and hurricanes near average. A few meteorologists, however, expect this season to be more...
How Future Tech Could Change Risk and Loss: Allianz Report
May 1 2017 // Technology is expected to be a major driver of liability claims in the years ahead – cutting frequency and increasing new threats such as cyber, product liability and recall risk, according to a report published by...
Report Shows California Workers’ Comp Written Premium up in 2016
May 1 2017 // California’s Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau has completed its report on statewide workers’ comp insurer loss and premium experience through Dec. 31, 2016. The major findings of the WCIRB...
MetLife CEO Says Businesses Must Give Up Tax Breaks for Lower Tax Rate
Apr 28 2017 // MetLife Inc. Chief Executive Officer Steve Kandarian said industries must be willing to forfeit some of their advantages in the tax code in order for the U.S. to seize a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to...
Hackers’ Ransom Demands Rise as Victims Keep Paying: Symantec
Apr 27 2017 // Hackers are demanding increasingly hefty ransoms to free computers paralyzed with viruses, as cyber criminals seek to maximize profits from large numbers of victims willing to pay up, according to cyber security firm...
Political Risk Tops List of Worries for Insurers Across Globe: GS Survey
Apr 27 2017 // Political risk is the biggest concern this year for insurers globally, following several shock outcomes in 2016, a survey of insurers managing $10 trillion in assets showed on Thursday. Political events have overtaken...
Crashes at North Carolina Rail Crossings Down 42% in 2016
Apr 26 2017 // A North Carolina rail safety group says collisions at highway crossings dropped by 42 percent in 2016. The report from North Carolina Operation Lifesaver says there were 39 collisions last year, compared with 67 in...
ILS Market Continues Growth Trend in Q1 2017: Willis Towers Watson
Apr 26 2017 // Non-life insurance-linked securities (ILS) capital grew again in Q1 2017, continuing the trend from 2016, according to the latest ILS Market Update from Willis Towers Watson Securities, the investment banking business of...
Global Protectionism Risks Economic Growth: Zurich, Atlantic Council
Apr 26 2017 // A rise in global protectionism stemming from a backlash against free trade and globalization could have significant impact on economic growth, poverty levels and the potential for military conflict, according to a new...
Realities of Today’s Commercial Insurance Market: Willis Towers Watson
Apr 26 2017 // Fluid capital and ample capacity has kept the commercial insurance sector stable overall and also a buyers’ market. That reality holds despite potential regulatory and monetary policies pending in Washington, D.C....
Demand Rises for Political Risk Cover as Buyers Think the Unthinkable
Apr 25 2017 // Rocked by a shakeup in the Western political order, companies are buying more insurance to protect themselves against the threat of rising protectionism and upheaval to their operations in emerging markets. Insurers say...
AIG Study Shows How, Why M&A Insurance Claims Frequency Is Rising
Apr 24 2017 // The frequency of insurance claims surrounding mergers and acquisitions (M&As) is rising as large deals prove risky and the average payout on the most severe category of claims tops $20 million, according to an American...
Wyoming Flood Preparations Follow Flood Predictions
Apr 21 2017 // Fremont County, Wyo. residents and disaster response officials are making preparations for spring flooding. Predictions are that the county could see its biggest runoff from the mountain snowpack in decades. National...
Global Insurance Industry Set to Grow by 4.5% in 2017-2018: Munich Re
Apr 21 2017 // The global insurance industry is set to grow more strongly at 4.5 percent per annum on average (3.0 percent in real terms, or adjusted for inflation) during 2017 and 2018, according to Munich Re. While premium income is...