Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Agency E&O Outlook: Competition, Hard Market, Healthcare Effects and More
Nov 27 2012 // Firmer insurance prices and an upward trend in agency revenues are signs of good times for most independent agencies. These same trends, however, are reflected in today’s insurance market for agency errors and...
New Land, but also Costs, as Nordic Nations Rise from the Sea
Nov 27 2012 // A Stone Age camp that used to be by the shore is now 200 km (125 miles) from the Baltic Sea. Sheep graze on what was the seabed in the 15th century, and Sweden’s port of Lulea risks getting too shallow for ships. In...
New Jersey Shore Towns to Get New Flood Maps by 2013
Nov 26 2012 // Some residents of New Jersey’s coastal towns may soon be required to purchase flood insurance, and not just because of the recent devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy. By next year, the Federal Emergency Management...
Commentary: Rebuilding After Sandy, Building for the Future
Nov 26 2012 // Facing the largest natural disaster since Hurricane Katrina, America’s property/casualty insurers have already begun paying tens of thousands of claims to the victims of ‘Super Storm’ Sandy, honoring...
AIR Worldwide Survey Team Describes Sandy Losses in N.J., N.Y.
Nov 21 2012 // AIR Worldwide recently concluded damage survey of areas impacted by Superstorm Sandy, which made landfall on Oct. 29, five miles southwest of Atlantic City, New Jersey. On November 11, 2012, AIR teams were deployed to...
Florida OKs Allstate’s Castle Key Rate Increases
Nov 21 2012 // Florida regulators have approved a statewide average rate increase of 14.9 percent for Allstate ‘s Florida unit, Castle Key Insurance Co. The change will apply to Castle Key’s existing homeowners, renters and...
AIG, Others to Take up Half of China PICC’s $3.6 Billion Hong Kong IPO
Nov 21 2012 // Chinese state-owned insurer PICC Group has secured pledges from American International Group (AIG) and other investors to buy about half of its up to $3.6 billion IPO, set to be the biggest in Hong Kong in two years. The...
Maine Approves Decrease in WC Loss Costs; $3.5M in Savings Expected
Nov 19 2012 // Maine Insurance Superintendent Eric Cioppa announced last week that the state’s Bureau of Insurance has received, reviewed and approved the National Council on Compensation Insurance’s 2013 loss cost filing...
World Economic Climate Continues to Decline: ICC/Ifo Survey
Nov 19 2012 // The health of the world’s economy continues to deteriorate as insufficient demand, unemployment and the on-going debt crisis in Europe undermine recovery efforts, according to the latest findings from the ICC-Ifo...
Best Affirms Torus Group Ratings; Outlook Stable
Nov 19 2012 // A.M. Best Europe – Ratings Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a-” of Torus Insurance (Bermuda) Limited, Torus...
Best Revises ICR Outlook to Negative for QBE North America Group; Affirms Ratings
Nov 16 2012 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a+” of the pooled and reinsured members of QBE North America Insurance Group...
Best Affirms Allied World and Subs Ratings; FSR Outlook Stable; ICR Positive
Nov 16 2012 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a” of Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd and its operating affiliates. The...
Best Revises ICR Outlook to Negative for QBE Group and Subs; Affirms Ratings
Nov 16 2012 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a+” of UK-based QBE Insurance (Europe)...
Best Affirms Aspen UK, Bermuda and Subs Ratings; Outlook Stable
Nov 16 2012 // A.M. Best Europe – Ratings Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a” of Aspen Insurance UK Limited (AIUK) and Aspen...
Post-Sandy Survey: Only Minor Damages to Buildings From Direct Wind
Nov 14 2012 // Damage from storm surge and flooding caused by Superstorm Sandy is widespread and extensive — but there is only minor damage to buildings from direct wind, according a field survey report this week from Willis...
A.M. Best: Outlook Positive for Oklahoma’s National American Insurance Co.
Nov 14 2012 // A.M. Best Co. has revised the outlook to positive from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating of B++ (Good) and issuer credit rating of “bbb+” of National American Insurance Co. (NAICO) in Chandler,...
Best Affirms Markel Corp. and U.S. Subs Ratings; Outlook Stable
Nov 14 2012 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a+” of the members of the Markel North America Insurance Group. Best also...
Best Affirms Markel International, Lloyd’s Syndicate Ratings; Outlook Stable
Nov 14 2012 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings of “a+” of UK-based Markel International Insurance Company...
Q&A With Attorneys on Emerging Business Insurance Topics
Nov 13 2012 // As companies large and small grapple with losses in Sandy’s aftermath, a number of critical — and costly — business questions have emerged. Darlene Alt and Robert DiUbaldo, two experienced insurance...
Louisiana Citizens Considering Commercial Property Rate Increase
Nov 7 2012 // Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp.’s board is expected to approve increasing its commercial coverage rates by an average of 45.1 percent statewide this week. Almost all of Citizens’ roughly 5,700...
