Latest Market Headlines

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

People

Sep 7 2009 // ProMutual ProMutual Group has promoted José R. “Joe” Zorola to vice president of underwriting. Zorola previously served as director of underwriting for the Boston-based medical liability insurer. In this new...

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...

Willis Exec Sees Insurance M&A Activity Increase in 2010

Sep 4 2009 // The insurance industry will see a pickup in mergers & acquisitions (M&A) activity in 2010, according to Tony Ursano, CEO of Willis Capital Markets & Advisory, a unit of Willis Group Holdings.Ursano made his...

Trade Group: Insurance Industry Adds $1.2M Daily to Ohio Treasury

Aug 28 2009 // The insurance industry is a key player in Ohio’s economy, according to the Ohio Insurance Institute (OII). With 261 insurance companies located there, Ohio is a top state for industry employment with close to a $6...

Survey: Transportation Insurance Market Soft, But Leveling Off

Aug 26 2009 // Transportation insurance rate decreases seem to be moderating and are down on average between 1 percent to 10 percent, according to a recent industry survey on availability and rate trends in the transportation insurance...

Study: Buyers of Home, Auto Insurance Say They’re Happy with Insurers

Aug 25 2009 // Most consumers of auto and homeowners insurance seem to be happy with their insurers, says a new indsutry study.A new public opinion study by the Insurance Research Council (IRC) reported that 91 percent of respondents...

Michigan Insurers Balk As Democrats Advance ‘Bad Faith’ Legislation

Aug 19 2009 // Michigan insurance companies say that so-called “bad faith” bills approved by the House Insurance Committee today are unnecessary and will open the floodgates for lawsuits against them, eventually costing...

NYMAGIC Appoints 2 Senior Officers

Aug 18 2009 // NYMAGIC appointed Tim McAndrew and Ed Skoch to senior executive positions within its Mutual Marine Office Inc. subsidiary. McAndrew has been appointed executive vice president and chief underwriting officer – Ocean...

Charities Get Lucky Strike With Industry Sponsored Bowling Tournament

Aug 17 2009 // Golf is often the sport of choice when insurance groups pick an activity for their charity fundraiser. But the insurance industry in San Diego has found it can strike up just as much fun with bowling. The San Diego...

Insurers in Crosshairs of U.S. Health Care Reformers

Aug 11 2009 // The debate over reforming the U.S. health care system has zeroed in on one main target: insurance companies.Democrats and the Obama administration plan to spend August battling to win popular support to expand health care...

Has the Declining Economy and Soft Market Affected Your Marketing Plans for 2009/2010?

Aug 6 2009 // Beacon Marketing, Inc. – “Helping to guide your prospecting needs to new destinations”Beacon is coming up on their 2nd year with helping agents across the country write new business and they have been...

Regulatory Reform, Rewards for Quality Insurers Ahead, Says Chubb Exec

Aug 5 2009 // Skepticism over the financial condition of insurance companies is healthy and financially strong insurers stand to gain over weaker competitors in today’s market, an executive for a major property/casualty insurer...

Kentucky National Enters Tennessee P/C Insurance Market

Aug 4 2009 // Kentucky National Insurance Co., a Lexington-based property/ casualty insurance company, began offering insurance to customers in Tennessee June 1, 2009. Kentucky National is offering auto, homeowners, boat, renters,...

How to Re-ignite Producers – and Other Employees – Who Have Lost Their Spark and become Too Comfortable

Aug 3 2009 // Al Diamond is one of the country’s best known agency management consultants. His firm, the Agency Consulting Group, is based in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He deals with agencies across the country on issues ranging...

How to Re-ignite Producers – and Other Employees – Who Have Lost Their Spark

Aug 3 2009 // Al Diamond is one of the country’s best known and respected agency management consultants. His firm, the Agency Consulting Group, is based in Cherry Hill, N.J. He deals with agencies across the country on issues...

Fairfax Sees Insurance Market Turning Corner in ’09

Jul 31 2009 // Toronto-based Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd said Friday it expects the insurance market to turn a corner this year and believes its book value will be “up significantly” in five years. Speaking during a...

UK Insurance Industry Working Group Releases Report on Challenges

Jul 27 2009 // The UK’s Insurance Industry Working Group (IIWG) has published its report into the medium and long-term challenges facing the country’s insurance industry.The group was commissioned in October 2008 to look into...

St. Johns Enters South Carolina Homeowners Insurance Market

Jul 27 2009 // St. Johns Insurance Co., a Florida domiciled property and casualty insurer, has expanded its presence into the South Carolina homeowner insurance market. Insuring more than 200,000 policyholders in Florida, St. Johns...

Insurance Reform Group Criticizes Medical Malpractice Insurance Industry

Jul 23 2009 // Insurance premiums and claims for doctors both have dropped significantly in recent years, while the medical malpractice insurance industry is enjoying “remarkable profits” in light of the global economic...

P/C Industry Pressured by 2009 Recession; Turnaround in 2011

Jul 20 2009 // Results for the property/casualty industry over the next few years will be driven by the 2009 recession, mixed insurance premium pricing momentum, and modestly deteriorating underwriting results, according to a new...