Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Homeowners Struggle with Rising Insurance Costs
Jun 17 2013 // When Stan Virden moved into his 2,400-square-foot house overlooking a rock-lined canal in 1996, he paid less than $1,000 a year for homeowners insurance. Now, as he seeks to move to Atlanta to be near family, Virden says...
Commercial Insurance Rates Up 5% Again in May: MarketScout
Jun 17 2013 // The average composite rate for commercial property/casualty insurance in the U.S. was up 5 percent for May 2013. This marks the third month in a row for a 5 percent increase, according to MarketScout’s analysis. By...
Solar Storm Threats Pose Emerging Risk for Industry: Lloyd’s
Jun 17 2013 // A large solar storm could leave tens of millions of people in North America without electrical power for several months, if not years, potentially costing trillions of dollars. That’s according to Lloyd’s...
Property Crime Down, Violent Crime Up in 2012: FBI
Jun 17 2013 // The nation experienced a 1.2 percent increase in the number of violent crimes and a 0.8 percent decline in the number of property crimes in 2012 when compared with data from 2011, the FBI said. Violent crime increased in...
Survey: Texting While Driving Common Among N.J. Drivers
Jun 17 2013 // New Jersey auto insurance group Plymouth Rock Assurance released a distracted driving study that found nearly 50 percent of those polled said they have in the past asked a driver to stop texting while the car was in...
Most Insurance Agencies Say Technology Helped Fiscal Growth: Survey
Jun 14 2013 // The majority of insurance agencies (77 percent) directly attribute their fiscal growth during 2012-2013 to the use of technology, according to a new industry survey. The survey, conducted by Vertafore at this year’s...
Alabama Officials Question Roadblock Surveys
Jun 13 2013 // Alabama’s governor and attorney general are reviewing weekend roadblocks in St. Clair and Bibb counties where motorists were asked for breath, blood and saliva samples. Gov. Robert Bentley said Tuesday he has asked...
Best Affirms RenaissanceRe; Top Layer Re Ratings; Outlooks Stable
Jun 13 2013 // RenRe and Affiliates A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A+’ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa-” of Renaissance Reinsurance Ltd. (RenRe) and...
Ohio Regulators: Health Insurance Costs to Increase Under Exchange
Jun 12 2013 // The Ohio Department of Insurance said insurers’ health insurance plans for the federal insurance exchange for Ohio show that expenses for consumers will significantly increase. Based on a report released by the...
New Survey Explores How Carriers Support Agency Growth Strategies
Jun 12 2013 // Carriers can be instrumental in helping agencies grow through referrals, expanded coverages, and clear business line or geographic expansion planning Despite the challenges facing the industry and the broader economy, two...
Best Affirms Gen Re Group’s ‘A++’ Ratings; Outlook Stable
Jun 12 2013 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A++’ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa+” of General Reinsurance Corporation, headquartered in Stamford, Conn., and...
Maine Highway Deaths Down From 2012
Jun 10 2013 // Highway safety officials say traffic deaths are down in Maine. The Maine Bureau of Highway Safety says 42 people have died on Maine roads so far this year. There were 53 deaths at this time last year. But officials caution...
Oklahoma Steps Up Fraud Fight in Disaster Zones
Jun 7 2013 // Oklahoma is stepping up its efforts to fight fraud in storm-devastated areas of the state with the assistance of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and the North Carolina Department of...
H.E.A.T.: Unconventional Auto-Related Crimes Increasing in Michigan
Jun 7 2013 // Auto thefts in Michigan are in a five-year decline, but other forms of vehicle-related crime are on the rise, according to Help Eliminate Auto Thefts (H.E.A.T.), a statewide insurance industry-funded theft prevention...
Deadly Oklahoma Tornado Widest on Record, Rare EF5
Jun 6 2013 // The deadly tornado that struck near Oklahoma City late last week had a record-breaking width of 2.6 miles and was the second top-of-the-scale EF5 twister to hit the area in less than two weeks, the National Weather Service...
Governments and Re/Insurers Should Work Together to Face Rising Disaster Costs
Jun 6 2013 // A presentation from the Geneva Association (GA), the international insurance think tank for strategically important insurance and risk management issues, calls for a long awaited dialogue between the industry and all...
Commercial Insurance Rates Were Up 5% Again in May: MarketScout
Jun 5 2013 // The average composite rate for commercial property/casualty insurance in the U.S. was up five percent for May 2013. This marks the third month in a row for a five percent increase, according to MarketScout’s...
Midwest, Plains Economy Still Growing Steadily: Survey
Jun 4 2013 // A monthly survey of business leaders suggests the economy in nine Midwest and Plains states will continue growing steadily over the next few months. The overall economic index for the region declined slightly to 56.2 in...
XL Launches Unit Dedicated to Reinsurance in Emerging Global Markets
Jun 4 2013 // XL Group announced that it is expanding its reinsurance operations with the creation of a “dedicated Reinsurance Global Emerging Markets unit to optimize development in these markets.” XL has named Philippe...
Property Crime Down, Violent Crime Up in 2012: FBI
Jun 3 2013 // The nation experienced a 1.2 percent increase in the number of violent crimes and a 0.8 percent decline in the number of property crimes in 2012 when compared with data from 2011, the FBI said. Violent crime increased in...
