Latest Underwriting Headlines

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

LLOYD’S UNDERWRITERS SUE USAIG, MEMBERS:

Jul 5 2004 // A number of Lloyd’s of London underwriters filed a lawsuit June 15 against an aircraft insurance group and several of its members, alleging the group refused to assist in the defense of companies involved in a deadly...

Insurers Scramble to Keep Up with ‘Morphing’ Media Liability

Jul 5 2004 // PLUS Symposium in Philadelphia Zooms In On 24/7 Media ExposuresThe media liability insurance field resembles a highway “with lots of roadside attractions” including exposures from reality TV shows, video games,...

This Time, We’ll Do It The Right Way

Jul 5 2004 // New U.S. P/C Insurers Learn from Sins of Their PredecessorsIn the summer of 2001, the hard cycle had already arrived for the U.S. property/casualty marketplace for all lines of coverage. Prices were trending up as experts...

National Specialty Underwriters Opens Chicago Office

Jun 30 2004 // Bellevue, Wash.-based wholesaler and program administrator National Specialty Underwriters Inc. has opened a new branch in Chicago. NSU specializes in insurance for the hospitality and health-care industries, as well as...

P/C Industry’s Q1 Net Income Doubles

Jun 29 2004 // The U.S. property/casualty industry’s net income after taxes rose to $13.3 billion in first-quarter 2004 from $6.5 billion in first-quarter 2003 as insurers posted an underwriting profit for only the second time...

PLUS: More Cooperation, Knowing Labor Laws and Better Underwriting Measures Needed to Stop Lawsuits

Jun 25 2004 // Effective litigation, cooperation, greater understanding of labor laws and meaningful communication are reportedly the keys to preventing lawsuits. Underwriters need to find out if HR understands state labor laws, whether...

Platinum Underwriters Holdings Appoints Fisher

Jun 24 2004 // Bermuda-based Platinum Underwriters Holdings Ltd. appointed Joseph Fisher to the position of executive vice president and CFO. Fisher has more than 20 years of experience in the property and casualty industry, including...

Applied Underwriters Appoints Ferenc as Chairman; Menzies as President

Jun 22 2004 // Applied Underwriters, based in San Francisco, Calif., has announced the appointment of Sidney R. Ferenc as chairman of the board, and Steven M. Menzies as president. Ferenc assumes the position of chairman, while...

A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of Allianz Insurance Group and Fireman’s Fund

Jun 22 2004 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength ratings of A (Excellent) of Allianz Insurance Group (Allianz), which consists of Allianz Global Risks US Insurance Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Allianz...

That’s Entertainment Disability Insurance

Jun 21 2004 // Twenty years ago, no one envisioned top entertainers earning $20 million for a single film, or for 90 days of work. Unusual work schedule aside, the dollars involved in protecting these individuals creates a unique...

Best Affirms Employers Re, Westport ‘A’ Ratings; Lowers Medical Protective; Revises Outlook to Stable

Jun 16 2004 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength ratings of “A” (Excellent) of Employers Re Corp Group and Westport Insurance Corporation of Jefferson City, Mo.The bulletin noted that the...

AmWINS Appoints Vaccaro as Specialty Underwriting Division President

Jun 16 2004 // Charlotte, N.C.-based American Wholesale Insurance Group (AmWINS), one of the nation’s largest independent wholesale insurance broker, has announced the appointment of Stephen J. Vaccaro Jr. as president of its...

Zenith Files Registration Statement for Underwritten Secondary Offering of Common Stock

Jun 16 2004 // Woodland Hills, Calif.-based Zenith National Insurance Corp. announced that, at the request of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited’ it filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement...

Barnes Joins American Underwriting Managers

Jun 15 2004 // Texas-based American Underwriting Managers announced that Phyllis K. Barnes has joined the company as marketing director.Barnes has more than 10 years of experience in the surplus lines field. She was previously associated...

Wellington to Acquire AXA’s U.S. Specialty Lines

Jun 9 2004 // London-based Wellington Underwriting plc, a major Lloyd’s underwriter, has announced plans for expansion into U.S. Specialty business through the proposed acquisition of AXA Corporate Solutions Excess and Surplus...

American Professional Liability Underwriters Makes Pair of Promotions

Jun 8 2004 // Florida-based American Professional Liability Underwriters Inc. has announced a pair of promotions within the company. Robert Kenney has been named as president. Kenney has been with AmPro since 1996, and was formerly vice...

MARINE UNDERWRITERS ASSOCIATION REVISES CARGO CLAUSES:

Jun 7 2004 // The American Institute of Marine Underwriters (AIMU) has revised the association’s cargo clauses for the first time since 1966. AIMU chairman David French said the revisions would make the forms more consistent with...

Marine Underwriters Association Revises Cargo Clauses; First Revision in 38 Years

May 24 2004 // The American Institute of Marine Underwriters (AIMU) has revised the association’s cargo clauses for the first time since 1966.AIMU chairman David French said the revisions would make the forms more consistent with...

Best Releases Latest Version of Underwriting Guide

May 21 2004 // A.M. Best Co. announced the release of the “second flow” of its 2004 Underwriting Guide. The publication is aimed at helping insurance underwriters and risk managers gain a better understanding of industrial...

ICAT Hires Pilawa as Senior Underwriter

May 21 2004 // Boulder, Colo.-based International Catastrophe Insurance Managers LLC (ICAT) announced that Peter Pilawa has joined the company as a senior underwriter. Pilawa joins the company’s Middle Market Business Unit, and...