Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
California Commissioner Asks Workers’ Comp Board to Withdraw Rate Increase
Apr 28 2009 // At a rate hearing on Tuesday, April 28, California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner urged the Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB) to withdraw its request for an increase in the workers’...
Florida’s Property Insurance Market: An Overview by Commissioner McCarty
Apr 24 2009 // It is always interesting, and frequently amusing, to read various “research” pieces on the Florida property insurance market. While I, like every other insurance regulator, industry professional and observer in...
North Carolina Coastal Insurance Rates to Rise May 1
Apr 23 2009 // Homeowners in 18 coastal North Carolina counties whose homes are insured by a state-backed insurance pool shouldn’t expect a delay of higher rates taking effect May 1. A powerful state legislator said a comprehensive...
Europe Votes to Adopt New Solvency Rules for Insurance by 2012
Apr 23 2009 // The European Parliament voted this week for new regulation of insurers that aims to cut costs by giving one national regulator the lead role in monitoring insurance companies operating across several EU nations. EU...
Hurricane Prediction Lowered
Apr 20 2009 // While lawmakers in coastal states debated property insurance rates and reforms, forecasters lowered their 2009 Atlantic forecast to 12 tropical storms, of which six could become hurricanes. The Colorado State University...
Cat 5 Litigation in the Forecast?
Apr 20 2009 // As 2008 Hurricane Claims Enter Court and New Season Approaches, Katrina Issues Linger The 2008 hurricane season was the sixth most active tropical storm season recorded since data collection began in 1851. Six storms made...
California 2008 Workers’ Comp Premiums Written Decrease 20%
Apr 20 2009 // The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California has published its summary of insurer experience reported up to Dec. 31, 2008. California written premium for 2008 is estimated at approximately $10.4...
Crime Warp: Recession Driving a Rise in Vehicle Give-Ups
Apr 20 2009 // As America’s economy slogs through this once-in-a-generation recession, stressed-out consumers are literally being driven to desperation. Growing numbers of drivers around the U.S. are illegally dumping their...
Rates Rising on U.S. Property Catastrophe Reinsurance
Apr 20 2009 // A new industry briefing shows reinsurance rates continuing to increase for the U.S. property-catastrophe reinsurance market for April 1, 2009, renewals. According to Guy Carpenter & Co.’s “Rates Up on...
Make the iConnection: Engage Your Future Leaders
Apr 20 2009 // Talent Strategies for Understanding Generation Y Employees “They all received trophies just for showing up. They are unable to accept failure.” “If they don’t like the way the game is being played,...
Finding Solutions for Emerging E&O Risks
Apr 20 2009 // Excess and Surplus Lines Market Offers a Place For Challenging Risks Since all service providers face the potential of law suits related to real or perceived “errors and omissions,” E&O coverage has become...
Global Takaful Market On Growth Track
Apr 17 2009 // Growth in the emerging global Islamic insurance industry, or takaful, is waning slightly due to the economic slowdown, but remains strong as more people switch from conventional insurance. The global market is seen growing...
Increasing Insurance Costs Could Curb Horse Rides on Oregon Beaches
Apr 16 2009 // Once, stable owner Terry Swigart recalls, people could ride horses through the surf along Oregon’s beaches with few restraints — “a free-spirit-type thing.'” These days, though, the practice of...
Lloyd’s Finds Insurance Increasingly Important for Rock ‘n’ Roll Band Tours
Apr 15 2009 // An article on the Lloyd’s web site (www.lloyds.com) analyzes the stepped up need for insurance coverage when mega-rock bands like U2 go on tour. The Irish band is slated to begin its latest series of concert dates,...
Survey: Claims Handling is the Key to Winning over Agents
Apr 15 2009 // Quality claims handling is the most important factor to independent agents in evaluating an insurer, according to a recent survey of 450 agents conducted by the Professional Insurance Agents Associations (PIA) of...
Survey: Most U.S. Companies Hold Steady on Benefit Plans for Employees
Apr 14 2009 // Despite the pressures of the economic crisis, most U.S. companies continue to view their retirement as a vital part of their workplace relationship with employees, even as they struggle to balance cost and talent...
S&P Analyzes Jordanian Insurance Sector
Apr 13 2009 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has issued a report, “Growing Supply Chases Slowing Demand In The Jordanian Insurance Market,” on its RatingsDirect web site. The report states: “The...
Best Revises Liberty Mutual Group Outlook to Negative; Affirms Ratings
Apr 10 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has revised the outlook to negative from stable for the financial strength (FSR) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of Liberty Mutual Group, Inc. (LMGI), Liberty Mutual Insurance Companies and Liberty Insurance...
Marsh Finds Growing Demand for D&O Coverage as Claims Rise
Apr 9 2009 // “Concerns about the global economy, shareholder action, litigation, and the increasing engagement by regulators are fuelling demand for Directors’ and Officers’ (D&O) insurance,” according to...
Aon Reports Kidnap Insurance Costs up ‘Tenfold ‘ in Gulf of Aden
Apr 9 2009 // A timely report (See above article) from Aon Risk Services warns that “ship-owners navigating the Gulf of Aden are seeing insurance premiums for kidnap and random (K&R) increase tenfold as piracy escalates. This...
