Latest Underwriting Headlines
All the headlines from our Underwriting Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Growth, Profitability to Continue for U.S. Commercial Lines: Fitch
Apr 21 2014 // Fitch Ratings said it maintains a stable rating outlook for the U.S. commercial lines sector due to improving profitability over the past two years and strong capital levels allowing insurers to withstand considerable...
Brett Barnsley Joins OnPoint Underwriting as Director of Tribal Business Development
Apr 17 2014 // Denver, CO, 4/17/14 – OnPoint Underwriting, one of the nation’s leading program managers for Sovereign Nations, announced Brett Barnsley has been appointed director of tribal business development. For nearly 30...
Specialty Risk Associates Adds Faust as Commercial Lines Underwriter
Apr 7 2014 // Shreveport, La.-based Specialty Risk Associates Inc. announced that Cody Faust joined the firm as a commercial lines underwriter. Prior to joining Specialty Risk, Faust worked in marketing and business development for a...
Mackey Named VP-Underwriting at Columbia Insurance Group
Apr 7 2014 // Columbia Insurance Group (CIG), headquartered in Columbia, Mo., welcomed Scott Mackey to its executive team in the newly created role of vice president of underwriting. Mackey is a seasoned insurance professional with 30...
Environmental Exposure: Flood Risk in the Oil & Gas Industry
Apr 7 2014 // There has been much discussion regarding the increasing frequency and intensity of storms around the world. While both underwriters and insurance buyers are concerned with exposure to potential catastrophic losses from...
Fitch Sees Growth, Profitability Continuing for U.S. Commercial Lines
Apr 3 2014 // Fitch Ratings said it maintains a stable rating outlook for the U.S. commercial lines sector due to improving profitability over the past two years and strong capital levels allowing insurers to withstand considerable...
Hilltop Holdings Inc. to Acquire SWS Group
Apr 2 2014 // Hilltop Holdings Inc., a Dallas-based financial holding company with interests in financial services and insurance operations, announced an agreement to acquire SWS Group Inc., a holding company that provides investment...
Hudson Acquires Trucking Program Manager, Motor Transport Underwriters
Apr 2 2014 // Hudson Insurance Group has acquired Motor Transport Underwriters Inc. (MTU), an underwriting, claims and risk management specialist in the long-haul trucking arena with which Hudson does business. The announcement said MTU...
Johnson & Johnson Acquires Midwest’s Stateside Underwriting
Apr 1 2014 // Charleston, South Carolina’s Johnson & Johnson has acquired Stateside Underwriting Agency Inc. (SUA) in Crystal Lake, Illinois, and Chagrin Falls, Ohio. SUA will continue to operate under the leadership of...
Innocent Joins LevelFirst in Dallas as Associate Underwriter
Mar 28 2014 // LevelFirst, a wholesale broker and managing general agency based in Dallas, Texas announced that Kate Innocent has joined the firm as an associate underwriter. Innocent brings over 10 years of insurance experience and...
Top 10 HOT Markets to Watch
Mar 24 2014 // Insurance Journal examined industries experiencing changes and expansions in the past year. Here are the top 10 market sectors that just might deliver hot opportunities for agents and brokers in the property/casualty...
Best Revises Outlook on Chubb and Subs ICR Ratings to Positive; Affirms FSR
Mar 21 2014 // A.M. Best has revised the outlook of the issuer credit ratings (ICR) to positive from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A++’ (Superior) and the ICRs of “aa+”of the...
Florida Senate OKs Ban on Insurance Underwriting Based on Gun Ownership
Mar 20 2014 // The Senate passed a bill that would make it illegal for insurance companies to deny policies or charge higher rates solely based on gun ownership. The bill passed on a 36-3 vote. Supporters have said some insurance...
Kinetic Insurance Brokers to Provide New Surety Bond Facility for UK, EU
Mar 14 2014 // Lloyd’s broker, Kinetic Insurance Brokers Limited announced that it has “entered into a multi-million pound underwriting agreement with Gable Insurance AG to underwrite Specialist Commercial Surety Bonds within...
State Farm Managed Underwriting Profit in 2013 Despite Loss on Auto
Mar 5 2014 // Even though State Farm’s auto businesses suffered a loss in 2013, the property/casualty companies reported a $230 million underwriting gain, State Farm reported. The $230 million gain of $230 million on earned...
Insurance Units’ Profits Drive Berkshire Hathaway
Mar 3 2014 // Insurance operations contributed $5.7 billion to total operating income of $15.1 billion for Berkshire Hathaway in 2013—with an underwriting profit of $2.0 billion (after taxes) representing the 11th year in a row with...
Effort to Put House in Order Paying Off: Meadowbrook Insurance CEO
Feb 26 2014 // Meadowbrook Insurance Group, based in Southfield, Mich., has struggled with many challenges during the past couple of years but the “strong remedial measures” implemented to correct unacceptable results are...
MarketScout Adds 3 to Fine Arts Underwriting Team in Illinois
Feb 26 2014 // Dallas-based electronic insurance exchange and specialty MGA, MarketScout, has expanded its national fine art and collectibles program with three new hires: Donna Hester, underwriter; Susan Soloman, underwriter; and Cheryl...
Best Upgrades American Financial Group and Affiliates Ratings
Feb 26 2014 // A.M. Best has upgraded the issuer credit rating (ICR) to “a-” from “bbb+” and the debt ratings of American Financial Group, Inc. (AFG). Best has also upgraded the financial strength rating (FSR) to...
Northeast PIA Survey Shows Prices Rising, But at Slower Pace
Feb 24 2014 // In the first month of 2014, the PIA affiliates in Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York conducted their second-annual Market Trends Survey and found that the heralded hard market may not be launching as...
