AM Best report News

Reinsurers to Bear Brunt of Australia Flood Claims: AM Best

The majority of gross losses from recent devastating flooding in Australia likely will be borne by reinsurers with limited impact on primary insurers’ balance sheets, according to an AM Best report. The flooding brought widespread damage to regions of New …

UK Personal Lines Insurers Adjust to New Pricing Rules. Is Premium Volatility Ahead?

UK insurers are adjusting to new pricing rules for personal motor and household premiums, which could bring some pricing volatility in the coming months as insurers struggle with the implementation. The rules, which went into effect on Jan. 1, are …

Rising Reinsurance Prices and Demand Help to Create Stable Sector Outlook: AM Best

AM Best is maintaining a stable market segment outlook for the global reinsurance segment, citing in part the ongoing positive pricing momentum driven by rising loss cost inflation, enhanced underwriting discipline, including tighter terms and conditions, and a growing demand …

As COVID Spread, European P/C Insurers Took Hits but Remained Resilient: AM Best

European property/casualty insurers faced a dip in total average gross written premium and after-tax profit in 2020, but their regulatory solvency ratios remained strong. Pandemic factors generally played a role in both elements, according to a new AM Best market …

Global Minimum Tax Proposal Could Create Double Taxation for Some Insurers: AM Best

Given the accounting differences for global insurance companies in different jurisdictions, a new global minimum tax on certain multinational companies creates the potential for double taxation for some insurance companies, according to an AM Best commentary. The Organization for Economic …

AM Best Maintains Negative Outlook on UK Non-Life Insurance Market

AM Best is maintaining a negative market segment outlook on the United Kingdom non-life insurance segment, citing economic uncertainty as a key headwind for UK non-life insurers. In addition, COVID-19-related lockdown measures coincided with the country’s exit from the European …

P/C Insurers Improved Profitability in Year of Coronavirus: AM Best

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. property/casualty (P/C) industry improved its overall profitability in 2020, with a 68% increase in net underwriting income and combined ratio that improved slightly over the previous year. These preliminary results are from a new …

Repair Your Damaged Reputations, AM Best Tells UK Insurers

While most of the COVID-related problems that plagued UK commercial property insurers will abate after the March anniversary of lockdowns, battles with reinsurers and damaged reputations are lingering impacts, AM Best said. In a commentary report, “UK Commercial Property Insurers—Looking …

COVID-19 Crisis Renews Attention on Systemic (Uninsurable) Risks

Reinsurers and insurers for years have been worried about systemic risks – those uninsurable risks with the potential of surpassing the capital of the industry. The COVID-19 crisis has renewed attention on these risks, which could also include a global …

After Beirut Port Explosion, AM Best Comments on Potential Insurance Exposures

The devastating explosion at the Beirut’s port on Tuesday, Aug. 4 caused many casualties and considerable damage, but local insurance penetration rates in Lebanon generally are low, said AM Best in a market commentary. For the international market, however, marine …