Latest Underwriting Headlines

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

Best Upgrades Markel International’s Issuer Credit Rating

Jul 1 2010 // A.M. Best Co. has upgraded the issuer credit rating to “a+” from “a” and affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) of UK-based Markel International Insurance Company...

Catlin to Establish Swiss Reinsurer

Jun 29 2010 // The Bermuda-based Catlin Group Limited has announced that it intends to form a reinsurance company in Switzerland to “significantly expand the European-based reinsurance business underwritten by the...

P/C Insurers Return to Profitability in Q1 With $8.9B in Net Income

Jun 23 2010 // The property/casualty industry returned to profitability in the first quarter of 2010 despite continuing declines in both written premiums and earned premiums.Private U.S. property/casualty insurers’ net income after...

How to COPE with Apartments

Jun 21 2010 // COPE is generally associated with property underwriting rather than as a risk class-based underwriting acronym. However, the traditional use and definition of COPE can be broadened to highlight the top concerns of...

Utah Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters Chapter Installs Officers

Jun 17 2010 // The Utah Chapter of the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters has installed officers for the 2010-2011 term. Officers include: President Melanie Hamilton of Hamilton Insurance Associates Inc. in Salt Lake City; Vice...

Pacific Gateway Insurance Adds To Underwriting Staff

Jun 14 2010 // Pacific Gateway Insurance of Valencia, Calif., has added the field underwriting staff previously with Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies. Pacific Gateway acquired BHHC’s property/casualty division in...

The Competitive Advantage: Opportunity Knocks

Jun 11 2010 // When I first started as an underwriter a few decades ago, I was truly amazed at the coverage knowledge so many of the older underwriters had. The most remarkable underwriters knew their stuff. They were great resources for...

OnPoint Underwriting Adds Surety Bond Coverage for Tribal Clients

Jun 9 2010 // OnPoint Underwriting, a managing general agency, now has the ability to write tribal surety with a large carrier with more than 15 years of experience serving tribal nations. The carrier, rated “A” with A.M....

Best Upgrades Travelers Group Issuer Credit Ratings; Revises Outlook

Jun 9 2010 // A.M. Best Co. has upgraded the issuer credit ratings (ICR) to “aa” from “aa-” of Travelers Group, its P/C members and affiliate, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America (TCSA) and...

Texas High Court Sides with Lloyd’s in Contractual Liability Exclusion Case

Jun 7 2010 // The Texas Supreme Court has found in favor of an excess insurance provider in a case involving the contractual liability exclusion in a Commercial General Liability (CGL) policy.In 1993, Dallas Area Rapid Transit Authority...

People

Jun 7 2010 // Craig A. Payan has been elected to serve as chairman of the board of directors for Itasca, Ill.-based Associated Risk Managers International Inc. Payan is president of PA&T Insurance and Financial Services, an...

People

Jun 7 2010 // Crump Insurance Services Inc. has invested in new talent for its Atlanta brokerage location. Terry Sherwin has joined Crump as the Atlanta office leader; and property brokers Alex Duran, Jordan Yoss and Carl Feldhaus have...

People

Jun 7 2010 // Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corp. (LWCC) President and CEO Kristin W. Wall has been elected to the board of directors of NCCI Holdings Inc., a provider of workers’ compensation and employee injury data and...

Hiscox USA Adds Underwriters to Los Angeles Regional Office

Jun 4 2010 // Hiscox USA has expanded its business in its Los Angeles, California office with the addition of underwriters in the allied healthcare professional and general liability; architects, engineers and construction managers...

Torus Names 3 Senior Execs for Professional Lines in France, Germany

Jun 3 2010 // Torus, the global specialty insurer, announced the appointment of Mathieu Borneuf as Head of Management Liability and Jérôme Gillet as Head of Professional Liability. Both men are based in Torus’ new...

Accident Fund Holdings Opens Third Coast Underwriters

Jun 3 2010 // Accident Fund Holdings Inc. has created Third Coast Underwriters – a new, Chicago-based, specialty markets operation that will offer workers’ compensation insurance for underserved markets that have complex...

S&P Lowers State Auto Group’s Ratings to ‘A-‘; Outlook Stable

Jun 1 2010 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has lowered its counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on the operating insurance companies of State Auto Group to ‘A-‘ from ‘A’. S&P...

Judge Rejects Fraud Charge, Says Rating Agencies Not Underwriters

Jun 1 2010 // A Manhattan federal judge said on Tuesday that it was unfair to hold Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s liable as “underwriters” on securities offerings needing their ratings, as he...

Best Affirms Platinum’s ‘A’ Ratings

May 20 2010 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a” of Bermuda-based Platinum Underwriters Group and its members. Best also has...

Lloyd’s CEO Calls for ‘Underwriting Discipline’ In Face of a ‘Tough Year’

May 19 2010 // Lloyd’s CEO Richard Ward issued a warning to insurance chiefs to prepare for a tough year ahead with the fall-out from large scale catastrophes, such as the Chilean earthquake and Transocean oil spill, likely to be...