Latest Trends Headlines
All the headlines from our Trends Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Fitch Moves Berkshire Hathaway’s Outlook to Negative
Apr 19 2005 // Fitch Ratings has revised the Rating Outlook to Negative from Stable on the ‘AAA’ long-term issuer and unsecured senior debt ratings of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Berkshire) and its wholly-owned subsidiary GEICO...
RS Group of Companies Reports 2004 Year-End Growth
Apr 18 2005 // RS Group Of Companies Inc., a provider of pass-through risk specialty insurance, reinsurance products and affinity programs, announced the company has met its financial guidance for its gross profit in fiscal 2004. The...
IVANS Survey: Independent Agents Concerned About Internet Security
Apr 18 2005 // IVANS Inc., a provider of networking and e-commerce solutions for the insurance and healthcare industries, announced the results of an independent insurance agent survey covering technology issues such as security and...
Best Downgrades, Withdraws Ratings for Commercial Risk Partners; Outlook Negative
Apr 15 2005 // A.M. Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength ratings to B- (Fair) from B (Fair) and the issuer credit ratings to “bb-” from “bb” of Commercial Risk Reinsurance Company Limited (Hamilton,...
S&P Assigns AmWINS ‘B’ Rating; Outlook Stable
Apr 14 2005 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has assigned its ‘B’ counterparty credit rating to American Wholesale Insurance Group Inc. (AmWINS). The outlook is stable. At the same time, Standard &...
Garamendi Proposes New Regulations for Homeowners Insurance Market
Apr 14 2005 // California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi on April 14 announced new regulations to protect homeowners from unfair “use it and lose it” practices in the homeowners insurance market. “We all pay...
Munich Re Sets Up $65 Million Risk Foundation
Apr 13 2005 // Under the motto “From Knowledge to Action,” Munich Re announced that it has established the Munich Re Foundation with an initial capital of 50 million euros ($64.71 million). The announcment said the foundation...
Conning Reports More Mergers and Acquisition Deals for 2004, but Dollar Values Decline
Apr 13 2005 // The total number of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the insurance industry increased in 2004, driven by the health/managed care and distribution sectors, according to a new study by Conning Research and Consulting...
Study Says Higher Horsepower, Fewer Accidents; Costs Rise Though with More Horses
Apr 12 2005 // Think faster cars are involved in more crashes? You’re not alone. According to a recent phone survey of 1,000 people, one-third say that those who drive higher horsepower vehicles are involved in more frequent...
Best Affirms Inter-Industry; Insurco Ltd. Ratings; Revises Outlook to Stable
Apr 11 2005 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength ratings of “B+” (Very Good) of Inter-Industry Insurance Company Limited (III) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Insurco Ltd. (Insurco). Both...
P/C Industry Says Treasury Study Inadequate Gauge of Terrorism Insurance Market
Apr 11 2005 // Two months before the study is expected to be done, the property casualty insurance industry is getting nervous about a study on terrorism insurance being conducted by the Treasury Department, a study some in Congress are...
S&P: Willis Group Holdings Ltd. Ratings Removed from CreditWatch and Affirmed; Outlook Negative
Apr 8 2005 // Standard & Poor’s Rating Services said Friday that it affirmed its ratings on Willis Group Holdings Ltd., including the ‘BBB-‘ counterparty credit rating, and removed them from CreditWatch, where...
Miss. Increases Minimum Auto Liability Limits
Apr 8 2005 // Mississippi lawmakers increased the state’s minimum auto liability limits during their regular legislative session which ended on Wednesday, an official of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies said...
S&P Raises Real Legacy Assurance Co. Ratings to ‘BBB+’; Outlook Stable
Apr 8 2005 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has raised its counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on Real Legacy Assurance Co. Inc. (RLA), formerly known as Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance (Puerto Rico)...
Insurers Warn in Study: Unprofitable Del. Auto Insurance Market Could Face Reduced Competition
Apr 6 2005 // Even after investment income is considered, underwriting private passenger automobile insurance in Delaware has been unprofitable for the past five years, according to a study done by the Property Casualty Insurers...
IVANS Survey: Independent Agents Concerned About Internet Security; 80% Fear Viruses, Worms
Apr 6 2005 // IVANS Inc., a provider of networking and e-commerce solutions for the insurance and healthcare industries, announced the results of an independent insurance agent survey covering technology issues such as security and...
Changes in SB 1488 Would Cap Citizens Rate Increases, ‘Standardize’ Territories
Apr 6 2005 // Florida’s Senate Banking and Insurance Committee has put finishing touches on Senate Bill 1488 that would bring numerous changes to the industry, including, a cap on any rate increase next year by Citizens Property...
After Years of Hikes, ProMutual Vows No Increase in Med-Mal Rates in Massachusetts for 2005
Apr 5 2005 // The largest writer of medical malpractice insurance in Massachusetts said it will not have to raise rates this year, after several years of double-digit hikes. ProMutual Group credited “improved financial...
AIA Says No to Maine Premium Tax Increase
Apr 5 2005 // The proposal to increase the Maine property/casualty premium tax by 25 percent would make the state less competitive and increase insurance costs for consumers, the American Insurance Association (AIA) said Tuesday in...
Odyssey Re Increase Storm Loss Estimates
Apr 4 2005 // Odyssey Re Holdings Corp. announced that it expects after-tax net losses in the range of $26 million to $29 million during the first quarter of 2005. The increase is attributable to losses from Windstorm Erwin and an...
