Latest Underwriting Headlines

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

Why Agents Choose Other Markets Rather Than Their Preferred Markets

Nov 2 2008 // While independent agents have their favorite carriers for certain risks, on occasion they end up choosing a carrier other than their preferred carrier. Most often the reason they do is pricing.Independent agents named...

Best Comments on Resignation of Ironshore’s Rock

Oct 31 2008 // A.M. Best Co. has commented that the ratings and outlook of Cayman Islands-based Ironshore Inc. and its operating subsidiaries are unchanged following the resignation of the company’s chief underwriting officer...

Ironshore’s President, Chief Underwriter Resigns

Oct 30 2008 // Les Rock, president and chief underwriting officer of Ironshore Insurance Ltd., has resigned effective Oct. 31, 2008 for personal reasons.Howard Barnes, Peter Coleman and Rod Todd will continue to underwrite property...

Tennessee’s Appalachian Underwriters Acquires Business Insurance Center

Oct 29 2008 // Oak Ridge, Tenn.-based Appalachian Underwriters Inc. acquired the business insurance center assets of NFIB, from MSC Insurance Agency of Tennessee LLC.NFIB is a small business association representing small and independent...

16 Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters Conferred in Los Angeles

Oct 28 2008 // Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters Society (CPCU) chapters in the greater Los Angeles area — Los Angeles, El Camino and San Gabriel Valley — recently celebrated 63 years of professional excellence at the...

Tennessee Underwriter Forms Commercial Brokerage in Florida

Oct 28 2008 // Tennessee-based Appalachian Underwriters Inc. established a commercial brokerage division and will open a new office in Sarasota, Fla. to house the new operation.AUI will focus on property and casualty risks that are...

Arch Capital Q3 Underwriting Loss $38.5 Million; $26.4 Million Net Income

Oct 24 2008 // The Bermuda-based Arch Capital Group Ltd. reported that net income available to common shareholders for the 2008 third quarter was $26.4 million, or $0.42 per share, compared to $199.7 million, or $2.76 per share, for the...

Yates & Associates Names New Business P&C Underwriter/Broker

Oct 21 2008 // Yates & Associates of Tustin, Calif., announced that Denise Plecas will be joining the underwriting department as underwriter/broker – new business P&C. Starting as a receptionist at Hull & Co. in...

Flagstone Re Buying Lloyd’s Marlborough Underwriting Agency

Oct 20 2008 // Bermuda-based Flagstone Reinsurance Holdings Limited has entered into an agreement to acquire Marlborough Underwriting Agency Limited, the managing agency for Lloyd’s Syndicate 1861.The Syndicate underwrites a...

People

Oct 20 2008 // Calabasas, Calif.-based Lionheart Insurance Services hired Pat Piccinonno and Joe Weckerle Jr. to head its newly opened Irvine, Calif., office.Piccinonno, appointed president, has 35 years of insurance management and...

AIG Commercial Insurance Battles Back

Oct 20 2008 // Exclusive Insurance Journal Interview with AIG Commercial Insurance CEO John Doyle and CFO Rob SchimekThe very strengths in its balance sheet, surplus, underwriting and personnel that have made the Commercial Insurance...

Risk Placement Services Hires Kufner as Underwriter/Broker in Scottsdale

Oct 17 2008 // Wendy Kufner has joined Risk Placement Services Inc. in Scottsdale, Ariz., as an underwriter/broker. She brings to her position a strong insurance background as both a retail and wholesale broker. She will be responsible...

W.R. Berkley Forms New Canadian Underwriting Operation

Oct 16 2008 // W. R. Berkley Corp. announced the formation of Berkley Underwriting Managers Canada, Ltd. The new unit is based in Toronto and will offer a wide range of specialty casualty commercial insurance products, including general...

AIG Commercial Insurance Unit Financially Fit and Fighting Back

Oct 14 2008 // The very strengths in its balance sheet, surplus, underwriting and personnel that have made the Commercial Insurance unit of American International Group (AIG) a market leader are keeping it competitive even while the...

It Pays To Specialize

Oct 6 2008 // Despite challenging soft market conditions, today’s program administrators should be able to seize the day’s market opportunities thanks to their specialty knowledge and expertise, says William Kronenberg III,...

For Agents, Their Carriers’ Claims Service is Top Performance Measure

Oct 6 2008 // Independent insurance agents want their property/casualty insurance carriers to provide quality claims service above all else, according to an exclusive survey of agents’ attitudes about the insurers their agencies...

P/C Insurers’ Net Income, Profitability Fall Sharply in First-Half 2008

Oct 1 2008 // The U.S. property/casualty insurance industry’s net income after taxes fell 57.4 percent to $13.9 billion in first-half 2008 from $32.7 billion in first-half 2007. The insurance industry’s overall profitability...

XL Insurance Opens Boston Office

Oct 1 2008 // XL Insurance, the global insurance operations of XL Capital Ltd, has opened a new regional office in Boston.The office, located at 470 Atlantic Avenue, will provide insurance agents, brokers and their clients in the region...

Best Affirms Catlin’s Ratings

Sep 26 2008 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a” of Bermuda-based Catlin Insurance Company Limited (CICL), as well as Catlin...

Sovereign Risk Appoints Demeyer as New Senior Underwriter

Sep 24 2008 // Bermuda-based Sovereign Risk Insurance Ltd. announced that Sophie Demeyer will join the Company as a Vice President and Senior Underwriting Officer. She will replace Nila Davda, who is relocating to open Sovereign’s...