Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
IMF Raises 2010 World Wide GDP Forecast; Flags European Risks
Jul 8 2010 // The International Monetary Fund upgraded its 2010 global growth forecast on Thursday, citing robust expansion in Asia and renewed U.S. private demand, but warned the euro area’s debt crisis posed a big risk to...
Brokers in London Market Survey ‘More Positive’ about Lloyd’s
Jul 8 2010 // “Brokers are now significantly more positive about conducting business at Lloyd’s than two years ago,” according to a survey of the Lloyd’s market from part of the Gracechurch London Market Study...
New York Workers’ Compensation Fund Premium, Accounts Down
Jul 7 2010 // For 2009, the New York State Insurance Fund reported workers’ compensation premium of $1.31 billion and disability benefits premium of $16.6 million. The competitive fund wrote 41 percent of the state’s...
Fraud Bureaus Report Sharp Rise in Fake Health Plans
Jul 7 2010 // Bob Harper thought he’d found a better health-insurance deal. The Oklahoma man bought coverage from an outfit called American Trade Association (ATA). The price seemed affordable, and he thought he’d save...
Michigan Auto Insurance Rates Rise
Jul 6 2010 // The median six-month auto insurance rate in Michigan has increased approximately 5.4 percent over the last six months to reach $688, according to online insurance provider InsWeb. InsWeb also reported some findings of...
Coastal Trends
Jul 5 2010 // As the hurricane season gains momentum, a new U.S. Census Bureau report, Coastline Population Trends in the United States: 1960 to 2008, helps put into perspective the number of Americans living along the coast who could...
Aon Reports Declines in July Reinsurance Renewal Rates
Jul 2 2010 // Aon Benfield has released its July first “Renewals Update” report, which indicates that “rates continue to decline in all major regions without significant catastrophe loss activity in the last 12...
Best Removes Glacier Re Ratings From Review; Assigns Negative Outlook
Jul 2 2010 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating of “a-” of Swiss-based Glacier Reinsurance AG (Glacier Re) (Switzerland), and has removed...
New Jersey Agent Allegedly Made Up Company, Kept Premiums
Jul 1 2010 // A New Jersey grand jury has indicted a Burlington County insurance agent for pocketing payments from three clients, according to Attorney General Paula T. Dow. Lee Schaffer, of Marlton, was charged with insurance fraud,...
European Insurance Risks Shifting, CEIOPS Sees No Overall Rise
Jun 30 2010 // Overall risks facing the European insurance sector may not have significantly increased in the first half of 2010 but they have changed in their nature, the European Union’s insurance watchdog said on...
S&P ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ on UK’s P/C Sector; Sees Rising Prices
Jun 30 2010 // In a recently published report Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said that it believes “underlying underwriting performance in the U.K. non-life insurance industry has come under increasing pressure from...
Special Reuters Report: Oil Spill a Gusher for Lawyers; Litigation May Take Years
Jun 30 2010 // BP payout should far exceed what Exxon spent on Valdez The company’s $20 billion fund may not be enough Accountability may take years if not decades to assess Many federal laws allow civil, criminal liability From a...
S&P Revises Outlook on Allied World to Positive; Affirms Current Ratings
Jun 25 2010 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook on Allied World Assurance Co. Holdings Ltd. (AWH) and its operating subsidiaries to positive from stable. S&P also affirmed all of its ratings on...
Arizona Wildfire Claims Up to $5 Million
Jun 25 2010 // The Schultz fire burning in Arizona near Flagstaff has incurred up to $5 million in claims to date, according to the latest National Interagency Coordination Center Incident Management Situation Report. To date, 14,800...
More U.S. Firms Buying Terrorism Insurance; Prices Decline: Marsh
Jun 24 2010 // U.S. terrorism insurance purchase rates continued to climb in 2009 as companies of all sizes and across all industries continued to buy terrorism coverage, according to a report by global broker Marsh. Sixty-one percent of...
Oklahoma State Revenue Up but So Is Unemployment Rate
Jun 23 2010 // The good news is that state revenue in Oklahoma is improving. The bad news is that the state’s unemployment rate is increasing. The state Board of Equalization has certified revenue that will be available to pay for...
Safety Concerns Rise As Golf Carts Take to the Streets
Jun 22 2010 // When Shannon Wiegert bought the new, bright red golf cart for scooting around car shows, he didn’t think to ask about safety features on the slow-moving vehicle. And when his little girl begged his older daughter for...
Calif. Temporary Disability Workers’ Comp Claim Costs Down 6.1%
Jun 22 2010 // Temporary disability outcomes in California’s $8 billion workers’ compensation system have continued to improve since the enactment of 2004 reform legislation, new research from the California Workers’...
Best Lowers Ratings on BP Captive Jupiter; Outlook Remains Negative
Jun 22 2010 // A.M. Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength rating (FSR) to ‘A’ (Excellent) from ‘A+’ (Superior) and issuer credit rating (ICR) to “a” from “aa-” of Guernsey-based...
Rush to Electronic Health Records Could Increase Liability Risk
Jun 22 2010 // Although the benefits of bringing information technology to health records can be substantial, electronic health records (EHR) systems also give rise to increased liability risks for health care providers due to possible...
