Latest Excess Surplus Headlines

All the headlines from our Excess Surplus Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Lloyd’s Insurer Jubilee Launches New Brand Consolidation Plan

Sep 17 2009 // The specialist Lloyd’s insurer Jubilee Managing Agency Limited announced the launch of a new brand across its operations, which it said reflects “the company’s strategic plans to expand and grow its...

Lloyd’s Directors & Officers Insurance At Issue in Stanford Fraud Case

Sep 15 2009 // Lloyd’s of London said a federal judge should not allocate the proceeds of a directors and officers insurance policy for accused swindler Allen Stanford and other executives because they have no guarantee of...

California Court Rules for Surplus Lines Insurers on Taxes

Sep 11 2009 // A Los Angeles court has ruled that surplus lines insurers need not pay California’s 2.3 percent of gross premiums tax that admitted insurers pay, as well as the 3 percent surplus lines-premiums tax the state...

Kittleson, Hill Join Iron-Starr Excess Casualty Operation in Bermuda

Sep 10 2009 // Iron-Starr Excess Agency Limited, the joint venture between Ironshore Inc. and C. V. Starr & Co., Inc., report that Eric S. Kittleson and Mark Hill have joined the Excess Casualty operation domiciled in Bermuda....

New Facility for Excess Lawyers Professional Liability Now Available

Sep 9 2009 // Synergy Professional Associates, based in Kinelon, N.J., announced a new program that provides excess lawyers professional liability for small law firms. The facility can consider excess limits on standard lines written in...

House Passes Surplus Lines Reform Legislation

Sep 9 2009 // The House of Representatives passed HR 2571, the Non-Admitted and Reinsurance Reform Act of 2009 on Wednesday.The bill, authored by Reps. Dennis Moore, D-Kan., and Scott Garrett, R-N.J, will simplify the tax remittance and...

People

Sep 7 2009 // Texas-based Specialty Insurance Managers Inc. appointed several new vice presidents.Karen Ashton was named vice president of the Arlington, Texas, branch. Bonnie Stalkfleet is now vice president of the Granbury branch....

Montana Surplus Lines Group Protests Stamping Office Takeover

Sep 7 2009 // The surplus lines industry is taking issue with the Montana insurance department’s takeover of the surplus lines industry’s stamping and fee collection functions.The stamping office had been run by the Montana...

E&S Brokers Look for Rays of Light at the End of the Tunnel

Sep 7 2009 // A poor economy, natural catastrophes and an extended soft market have all combined to nip growth in the excess and surplus lines (E&S) insurance market over the last year.Although there are a few bright spots at the...

New York Eases Rules for Placing Difficult Risks in Excess Market

Sep 3 2009 // In a move widely supported by industry advocates, the New York State Insurance Department has approved new rules that would make it quicker and easier for to write some categories of higher-risk insurance that are...

Specialty P/C Insurer Ironshore Raises $300 Million

Aug 31 2009 // Property/casualty insurer Ironshore Inc. in Bermuda has completed an equity capital deal that will raise $300 million to support the continued expansion of Ironshore’s specialty insurance business.Lead investors in...

Lloyd’s Explores Terrorism/Internet Threats

Aug 27 2009 // Politico-social trends are rarely static; they evolve over time. Terrorism is no exception. An article on the Lloyd’s of London web site (www.lloyds.com) notes that “today’s extremists are just as intent...

Best Affirms Lloyd’s Syndicate 1084 (Chaucer) ‘A’ Ratings

Aug 27 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the Best’s Syndicate Rating of ‘A ‘(Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a+” of Lloyd’s Syndicate 1084. Best also affirmed the ICR of...

Piracy Remains a Concern Says Lloyd’s

Aug 24 2009 // The news media sometimes neglects important events in an effort to avoid overexposure. But when a new twist occurs, the media returns to the subject with a vengeance. The latest example is the extensive coverage given to...

Best Affirms Ratings of Lloyd’s Syndicate 510, Kiln Group

Aug 21 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the Best’s Syndicate Rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a+” of Lloyd’s Syndicate 510, which is managed by R.J. Kiln & Co...

Surplus Lines Group Contests Montana’s Right to Stamping Fees

Aug 21 2009 // The surplus lines industry is taking issue with the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance over its decision to take over the collection of stamping fees from the Surplus Lines Stamping Office, previously part of...

Watkins Appointed as New President of Lloyd’s North America

Aug 20 2009 // Lloyd’s has selected Hank Watkins as the new President for North America. He takes over from LoriAnn Lowery who resigned from the position last June after a little more than a year on the job [See IJ web site –...

Specialty Risk Associates Is Expanding Management Team

Aug 20 2009 // Louisiana-based insurance wholesaler, Specialty Risk Associates Inc., announced several changes to its management team that will become effective Sept. 1.Thomas Garland was named chief operating officer. Garland joined...

Lloyd’s Assesses Impact of Heat Waves and Wildfires

Aug 19 2009 // The recent series of wildfires that ravaged parts of Spain, France, Greece and Italy in late July may well be symptomatic of the warming trend in global weather patterns according to experts at Lloyd’s of...

Brownyard Adds Equipment Breakdown Coverage for Specialty Programs

Aug 19 2009 // The Brownyard Group, based in Bay Shore, N.Y., is offering Equipment Breakdown coverage for its security guard (Brownguard), pest control operators (PCOpro) and cosmetic manufacturers (Foundation) programs.Coverage is...