Latest Underwriting Headlines

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

Hallmark Sends 2nd Take Over Letter to Chicago Specialty Underwriters

Jul 1 2008 // Fort Worth Texas-based Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. today reaffirmed its proposal to acquire all of the outstanding stock of Chicago-based Specialty Underwriters’ Alliance Inc. (SUAI).Hallmark submitted a...

Allied World Assurance to Acquire Darwin Professional Underwriters

Jun 30 2008 // Bermuda-based Allied World Assurance Co., Ltd. has agreed to acquire Connecticut-based Darwin Professional Underwriters, Inc.Darwin offers specialty and primary professional lines coverages, which include health care...

Towerstone Adds Broker, Underwriter and Account Representative

Jun 26 2008 // Dallas-based wholesale insurance broker and managing general agent Towerstone Inc. has added a new broker, underwriter and account representative to its team.Chris Rohrer was hired as a property broker and will focus on...

Russo Joins N.J.’s New Day Underwriting

Jun 25 2008 // New Day Underwriting Managers LLC, an environmental and construction insurance wholesaler, has appointed David D. Russo to the newly-created position of account manager. Russo joins New Day Underwriting from Commerce...

P/C Insurers’ Underwriting, Investment Results Deteriorate in First Quarter

Jun 25 2008 // The U.S. property/casualty insurance industry’s net income after taxes fell to $8.2 billion in first-quarter 2008 from $16.2 billion in first-quarter 2007.Contributing to the $8 billion, or 49.3 percent, decline in...

Downs Joins Towerstone as Senior Underwriter

Jun 25 2008 // Dallas-based wholesale insurance broker and managing general agent Towerstone Inc. has hired Cindy Downs as a senior underwriter in the firm’s MGA unit. Downs formerly was a senior underwriter at Capstone...

Strengths and Weaknesses, Part 1: What Agents Think of Regional, National P/C Insurers

Jun 25 2008 // Regional carriers rate better in underwriting experience, relationships and stability as well as in customer service and agency relations than their national competitors in the view of independent agents. Regional insurers...

Specialty Underwriters Reports Acquisition Offer from Hallmark

Jun 24 2008 // Specialty Underwriters’ Alliance, Inc. reports that it has received a letter from Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. containing an unsolicited, non-binding and conditional proposal to acquire the company.The proposal...

ACE Chooses Shaw as Chief Underwriter-Global Markets, Tempest Re Chairman

Jun 18 2008 // ACE has announced the appointment of Matthew Shaw as Chief Underwriting Officer, ACE Global Markets (AGM). He will also become the Chairman, ACE Tempest Re Europe, where he was previously Managing Director. He will report...

Fisher Joins American Underwriting Managers in Southlake Office

Jun 16 2008 // American Underwriting Managers (AUM), a managing general agency and surplus lines broker with offices in North and South Texas, added Ken Fisher as a contract underwriter/broker in its Southlake office. Fisher has more...

People

Jun 16 2008 // Thomas F. Motamed has stepped down as vice chairman and chief operating officer for The Chubb Corp. to become chairman and chief executive officer of CNA Financial Corp., a position he will assume as of June 8,...

People

Jun 16 2008 // Golden Eagle Insurance, a Liberty Mutual Agency Markets regional company, appointed Pete McPartland president and CEO.McPartland comes from General Casualty in Sun Prairie, Wis., where he led insurance operations for QBE...

Exclusive Survey, Part 1: Strengths and Weaknesses – What Agents Think of Regional and National P/C Insurers

Jun 16 2008 // Regional carriers rate better in underwriting experience, relationships and stability as well as in customer service and agency relations than their national competitors in the view of independent agents.Regional insurers...

Fitch: U.S. P/C Industry Shifts To Modest Underwriting Loss In 2008

Jun 13 2008 // Fitch Ratings said that following a review of industry aggregate statutory financials for year-end 2007 and 1Q 2008, the rating agency has updated its full-year 2008 U.S. Property/Casualty industry forecast and now...

Mold: Underwriters Endorsing CGL to Remove Coverage

Jun 11 2008 // Contractors are the target of nearly 2,000 mold-related lawsuits annually according to a 2003 report from toxlaw.com. When accused or sued for injuries and damages resulting from mold, contractors look to their commercial...

U.S. Risk Relocates Lighthouse Programs; Mordarski Named Manager

Jun 6 2008 // U.S. Risk Underwriters, a subsidiary of U.S. Risk Insurance Group, Inc., will relocate four programs currently operated by the U.S. Risk subsidiary, Lighthouse Underwriters.The programs – ElderCare, StaffPak, PLPros...

How Hartford-Progressive Alliance for Banks Works

Jun 4 2008 // Agents submitting community bank risks to the new alliance between The Hartford and Progressive should expect to work with underwriters from each carrier but the companies promise quick turnaround.According to the...

People

Jun 2 2008 // Markel Corp.’s Board of Directors elected Anthony F. (Tony) Markel vice chairman and Paul W. Springman president and chief operating officer.Markel served Markel Corp. for more than 40 years, most recently as...

The Hartford, Progressive, ABA Team up for Community Bank Program

Jun 2 2008 // Agents submitting community bank risks to the new alliance between The Hartford and Progressive should expect to work with underwriters from each carrier but the companies promise a quick turnaround.The “sweet...

A Soft Market Solution: MGAs and Risk Sharing

Jun 2 2008 // Editor’s Note: The following is part two of a discussion of the risk retention options available to managing general agents, the variables which may affect their execution, and the means and modes of analysis. The...