Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Best Affirms Mondial Assistance, Jefferson ‘A’ Ratings; Outlook Stable
Nov 23 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a+” of Swiss-based Mondial Assistance International AG (MAI) and its U.S....
M&A Wrap-Up: Insurance Brokerage Mergers Took a Third Quarter Vacation
Nov 23 2009 // Deal making wasn’t at the top of the list of summer activities this season, but deal vacation was. Third quarter merger and acquisition (M&A) activity continued declining to just 30 announced transactions...
Survey: Health Insurance Costs 22% More in Wisconsin
Nov 20 2009 // A new survey finds Wisconsinites pay more for health insurance than the rest of the country and the cost is rising at a faster rate. The consulting firm Mercer finds employers and their workers in Wisconsin paid an average...
Marsh Report Forecasts ‘Softening’ in Energy Market in 2010
Nov 20 2009 // A new intelligence report from Marsh concludes that “energy firms are set to enjoy a softening insurance market in 2010, as a result of increasing competitiveness among insurers and capacity being at its highest...
Marine Insurance Market Faces ‘Choppy Seas’ Willis Report Concludes
Nov 18 2009 // The Marine insurance market continues to face “choppy seas in the wake of the global economic crisis, with a sharp decline in international trade crippling certain sectors of the shipping community, piracy spreading...
New York Insurers Say No-Fault Claims Are Driving Up Costs
Nov 15 2009 // No-fault payments for medical claims by auto accident victims in New York have seen a dramatic increase over the last several years, one industry group says, and the state and insurers must redouble efforts to root out...
Study: Auto Claims Customer Satisfaction Up
Nov 15 2009 // In general, auto insurance customers are more satisfied with the claims process in 2009, compared with 2008, according to a nationwide study conducted by J.D. Power and Associates. And for the second year in a row the...
Auto Claim Customer Satisfaction Up; Agents a Positive Influence
Nov 15 2009 // In general, auto insurance customers are more satisfied with the claims process in 2009, compared with 2008, according to a nationwide study conducted by J.D. Power and Associates. The 2009 Auto Claims Satisfaction Study...
Decades in the Making, NAIC Outlines Natural Catastrophe Plan
Nov 15 2009 // White Paper Approved at Fall Meeting with Near-Unanimous Vote The private insurance industry alone ‘cannot be expected to provide comprehensive catastrophe coverage without adequate financial backstops for the most...
Hospital Liability Claims Increasing After Years of Decline
Nov 15 2009 // After a decade marked by decreases in Hospital Professional Liability claims, the frequency of claims is on the rise and is expected to continue increasing at a one percent annual rate, according to a study released by Aon...
Greenland Ice Melting at Faster Rate, Increasing Sea Level Rise
Nov 13 2009 // A new study, published in the journal Science, concludes that the massive Greenland ice sheets are losing mass more rapidly than previous studies had indicated. The ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica contain the bulk...
High-Tech Flood Forecasts to Aid Midwest’s Red River Valley
Nov 13 2009 // High-tech mapping technology used to help Fargo-Moorhead, N.D., residents fight a record-setting flood last spring will be made available to the entire Red River Valley. The high-resolution elevation data, known as Light...
Best Revises Transatlantic Outlook to Stable; Affirms ‘A’ Ratings
Nov 12 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has revised its rating outlook on Transatlantic Holdings, Inc. And its subsidiaries o stable from negative for. Best also affirmed Transatlantic’s financial strength ratings of ‘A’...
California’s SCIF Announces Five Percent Rate Increase
Nov 11 2009 // California’s State Compensation Insurance Fund today announced it has filed a 5 percent rate increase in collectible premium. The revised rate will apply to new and renewal workers’ compensation policies...
Rate of Workplace Nonfatal Injuries, Illnesses Down in Texas for 2008
Nov 10 2009 // Private industry workplaces in Texas reported a total of 234,559 nonfatal injuries and illnesses during 2008. The incidence rate of 3.1 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers marks the sixth consecutive year that the...
New York Insurers Say No-Fault Claims are Driving Up Costs
Nov 6 2009 // No-fault payments for medical claims by auto accident victims in New York have seen a dramatic increase over the last several years, one industry group says, and the state and insurance companies need to redouble efforts...
Political Risk Premiums Rising in Response to Resource Nationalism
Nov 5 2009 // Political risk insurance premiums have risen across emerging markets in the last year, fuelled by rising resource nationalism and unrest linked to the financial crisis as well as a renewed concern over risk amongst...
Survey: Despite Slow Growth, Carriers Still Upbeat About Program Market
Nov 5 2009 // Though fewer of them than a year ago perceive a growing market, carriers still have what must be considered an upbeat opinion of the nation’s program administrators and managing general agents marketplace in light of...
Feds Improve Flood Prediction in Washington State
Nov 4 2009 // Federal weather officials are beefing up their storm detection abilities in the Green River basin south of Seattle in hopes of better predicting flood threats, according to an article in the Seattle Times. Next month, the...
Swiss Re Q3 Profit Tops Forecasts; Capital Strengthened
Nov 3 2009 // Swiss Re strengthened its capital in the third quarter, it reported on Tuesday, boosting its chances of repaying a costly convertible loan from Warren Buffett as it beat operating profit forecasts in its core...
