Latest Underwriting Headlines
All the headlines from our Underwriting Topic Page, ordered by recency.
O’Neill Named NBIS VP of Underwriting
Apr 13 2005 // Jerry O’Neill has been named NBIS vice president of underwriting. O’Neill comes to NBIS with more than 20 years of insurance experience in the brokerage and reinsurance community. Having held multiple senior...
First Underwriting Profit Since 1978, Investment Gains Send Industry’s Net Income and Surplus to Record Highs
Apr 12 2005 // Benefiting from a rare profit on underwriting and investment gains, the U.S. property/casualty insurance industry’s net income after taxes rose 29 percent to a record $38.7 billion in 2004 from $30 billion in...
Lloyd’s CEO Outlines ‘Strategic Challenges’ Facing General Insurance Industry
Apr 8 2005 // Lloyd’s CEO Nick Prettejohn, speaking at the FSA insurance conference on Thursday, April, 7, outlined six “strategic challenges” facing the general insurance industry, which he also indicated was by no...
Harleysville Group Appoints Jacobs Vice President of Workers’ Comp Underwriting
Apr 7 2005 // Pennsylvania-based Harleysville Group Inc. announced the appointment of Henry Jacobs as vice president of workers’ compensation underwriting. In this new position, he is responsible for directing Harleysville’s...
Hartwig Tells CASRS Seminar Volatile Underwriting Cycle is Back
Apr 7 2005 // The property/casualty industry’s frequently volatile underwriting cycle is back with a vengeance and will have no mercy this time around, Robert Hartwig, senior vice president and chief economist for the Insurance...
Best Comments on Universal Underwriters Group; Downgrades UULIC Rating
Apr 5 2005 // A.M. Best Co. announced that the financial strength rating of “A” (Excellent) of Universal Underwriters Insurance Company, based in Overland Park, Kansas, and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Universal Underwriters...
Specialty Underwriters’ Alliance Lost $8.2 Million in 2004
Apr 4 2005 // Chicago-based commercial property/casualty program carrier Specialty Underwriters’ Alliance Inc. reported a net loss of $8.2 million for 2004. Total revenues were $300,000, representing investment income earned after...
How to Float to the Top and Other Words of Wisdom
Apr 4 2005 // Berkshire Hathaway’s Buffett on Insurance Economics, 2004 Results By Chairman Warren Buffett’s own admission, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. did not have one of its best years in 2004. Last year, Berkshire’s...
Regulators Look for a Clue
Apr 4 2005 // Was it Colonel ChoicePoint in the Conservatory With a Knife? When ChoicePoint Asset Co. finally disclosed Feb. 15 that criminals had gained access to the personal information of as many as 145,000 people in all 50 states,...
Best Places Platinum’s Ratings Under Review, Downgrades Credit, Debt Ratings; Company Comments
Apr 1 2005 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has placed the financial strength rating of “A” (Excellent) of the reinsurance subsidiaries of Bermuda-based Platinum Underwriters Holdings, Ltd. under review with negative...
Glencoe Acquires Savannah Re from Palmer & Cay
Mar 25 2005 // In a joint announcement private retail brokerage firm Palmer & Cay, Inc., and Glencoe U.S. Holdings Inc., the wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Bermuda’s RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd., affirmed that Glencoe has...
AIA OPPOSES WASH. BILL LIMITING UNDERWRITING BASED ON DOG BREED:
Mar 21 2005 // If a Washington measure becomes law, responsible pet owners who take care of their animals will face higher insurance costs to subsidize rates for others with dogs more likely to bite, according to the American Insurance...
Serving the Friendly Skies
Mar 21 2005 // When the 1970s began, Bill Moloney was afraid of flying. When the 21st century dawned, he had his own aviation brokerage based in an airport and flew his plane as often as he could. Moloney, a self-described...
Pratka Joins Burns & Wilcox of Houston as Commercial Lines Underwriter
Mar 16 2005 // Burns & Wilcox of Houston announced that James Pratka has joined the managing general agency as a commercial lines underwriter. As a commercial lines underwriter, Pratka’s responsibilities include serving as a...
Burns & Wilcox of Dallas/Fort Worth Promotes Littlejohn to Associate Underwriter
Mar 16 2005 // Burns & Wilcox of Dallas/Fort Worth announced the promotion of Andrew Littlejohn to associate underwriter. As an associate underwriter, Littlejohn is responsible for producing new business and maintaining his renewal...
Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett on Insurance Economics and 2004 Results
Mar 8 2005 // By Chairman Warren Buffett’s own admission, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. did not have one of its best years in 2004. Last year, Berkshire’s book-value gain of 10.5% fell short of the S&P 500 Index’s 10.9%...
AIA Opposes Washington Bill Limiting Underwriting Based on Dog Breed
Mar 8 2005 // If a Washington measure becomes law, responsible pet owners who take care of their animals will face higher insurance costs to subsidize rates for others with dogs more likely to bite, according to the American Insurance...
Deals for $460M from Bank of America, $100M from 4 Underwriters Reached in Worldcom Case
Mar 7 2005 // Four investment banking firms that participated as underwriters in WorldCom’s May 2000 bond offering have agreed to pay a total of $100.3 million to settle the claims asserted against them in the WorldCom securities...
Heads Up! Employees at Large
Mar 7 2005 // Wal-Mart, Morgan Stanley, Boeing, Texaco, State Farm and Farmers have all been the targets of recent employment practices lawsuits. Wal-Mart was hit with sexual harassment charges. Farmers was sued for wrongful...
Insurers Must Underwrite Smarter, Not Succumb to D&O Market Pressures
Mar 7 2005 // Insurers must not be lulled into thinking that the Directors and Officers liability market has recovered because the quantity of cases remain high and the complexities of litigation are overwhelming. As a result, carriers...
