Latest Underwriting Headlines

People

Jul 18 2005 // The Ohio Casualty Insurance Co. announced that Ralph S. Michael III, 50, has been named president and chief operating officer of the company, effective July 25, 2005. Michael comes to the Fairfield, Ohio-based company from...

An Insurer’s Right to Reimbursement: Frank’s Casing

Jul 18 2005 // Insurers have long sought the right of reimbursement in Texas and, in the right circumstances, the court’s opinion will provide a valuable tool. The most significant Texas insurance case this year is the Texas...

Jul 18 2005 // Majestic Insurance Company announced the appointment of David Porter to the new position of marketing manager for Southern California. Porter has more than 25 years of experience in the industry. Prior to joining Majestic,...

The Industry Goes to School: Universities That Offer Insurance Degrees

Jul 18 2005 // Twenty years ago, it was nearly impossible to find colleges and universities offering degrees in insurance. Now there are many programs across the nation that offer bachelor’s degrees, concentrations, certifications...

An Insurer’s Right to Reimbursement: Frank’s Casing

Jul 18 2005 // The most significant Texas insurance case this year is the Texas Supreme Court’s recent opinion in Excess Underwriters at Lloyds, et al v. Frank’s Casing Crew & Rental Tools, Inc., No. 02-0730 (Tex., May...

Fitch Affirms RenaissanceRe’s Ratings

Jul 15 2005 // Fitch Ratings has affirmed the ‘A-‘ long-term and senior debt ratings and ‘BBB+’ preferred stock rating on RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (RenRe). Additionally, Fitch has affirmed the...

ISO: U.S. P/C Industry’s First Net Gain on Underwriting Since ’78 Moves Surplus to Record High

Jul 14 2005 // Ending a 26-year drought, insurers posted a $5 billion net profit on underwriting in 2004, despite slowing premium growth and a deluge of catastrophe losses. Powered by the best underwriting results in almost three...

First Premium Welcomes Harrington as Commercial Underwriter

Jul 12 2005 // La.-based First Premium Insurance Group Inc., a growing regional property and casualty insurance broker, introduced its newest team member, Debbie Harrington. Harrington joined the First Premium staff as a commercial...

Liberty International Underwriters Now Offers Accountants’ Professional Liability In 34 States and D.C.

Jul 8 2005 // Boston, MA and Dallas, TX – Liberty International Underwriters (LIU), a division of Liberty Mutual Group, and ProTexn, Inc. announce that CPAEssential(SM), an accountants’ professional liability policy designed...

XL Expects Negative Q2 Results Following Reserve Strengthening

Jul 8 2005 // Bermuda’s XL Capital Ltd. has announced today that its second quarter 2005 results will be adversely impacted by an increase in net reserves in its North American reinsurance operations of $191 million...

ACUITY Names New Mich. Underwriter, Adds Board Director

Jul 6 2005 // Sheboygan, Wis.-based regional property/casualty insurer ACUITY announced Christina Hess recently joined ACUITY’s staff as a commercial field underwriter for the insurer’s Michigan region. Prior to joining...

MGAs, Program Administrators Told Selling Out May be Way to Go

Jul 4 2005 // Steve Way Has Built Giant HCC Holdings Via Acquisitions and He’s Not Done Yet Managing general agents and program administrators have an admirer with deep pockets in Steven Way. Getting some of that money might be...

Laying the Groundwork for New Insurance Programs

Jul 4 2005 // While many new insurance program ideas emerge from various sources, very few result in the actual formation of a program. It is generally only those that are well-thought-out, include substantive information, and are...

People

Jul 4 2005 // Joe Grauwiler has been named regional vice president of The Main Street America Group’s Jacksonville Region and president of its Old Dominion Insurance Co. unit. The region encompasses Main Street America’s...

Jerry Blais

Jul 4 2005 // Tom Ellis Zurich North America appointed Jerry Blais to a newly created executive position as head of Zurich’s South Central region. Headquartered in Dallas, the region consists of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and...

Best Affirms Markel’s Lloyd’s Syndicate 3000 Ratings

Jul 1 2005 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed its Syndicate Rating of “A” (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating of “a” of Lloyd’s Syndicate 3000 which is managed by Markel Syndicate...

Swiss Re Economists See Underwriting Discipline Key to Profitability

Jul 1 2005 // Kurt Karl, Swiss Re’s chief economist in North America, led the reinsurer’s Mid-year Economic and Insurance Industry Teleconference yesterday, June 30. The panelists forecast that a “modest rise in...

The Combined Group Adds Nonsubscription Underwriter

Jun 28 2005 // The Combined Group announced a recent addition to their staff. Stan Opie has joined the Carrollton-based general agency to assume Senior Nonsubscription Underwriting responsibilities with a seasoned team of Nonsubscriber...

Best Downgrades Some AXA Canada P/C Subsidiaries

Jun 27 2005 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has downgraded the financial strength ratings of several of AXA Canada Inc.’s wholly owned property and casualty insurance subsidiaries. The rating action affects the following...

Bailey Joins Burns & Wilcox as Commercial Lines Underwriter

Jun 27 2005 // Farmington Hills, Mich.-based wholesaler Burns & Wilcox has appointed Alicia Bailey as a commercial underwriter in the firm’s Chicago office. Bailey serves as liaison with Burns & Wilcox’s network of...