Latest Underwriting Headlines

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

J.M. Wilson Adds Bailey as Asst. Transportation Underwriter in Michigan

Aug 17 2017 // Managing general agency and surplus lines broker, J.M. Wilson, has added Mitchell Bailey as assistant transportation underwriter in its Portage, Michigan, office. Bailey is responsible for quoting new and renewal...

4 European Reinsurers Maintain Pricing Discipline in Tough Market: Fitch

Aug 17 2017 // The four largest European reinsurers – Munich Re, Swiss Re, Hannover Re and SCOR – have largely maintained pricing and policy terms without a significant drop in their business volumes, despite relentless soft market...

Pioneer Special Risk to Offer CPL Coverage Expansion For Specialty Contractors

Aug 17 2017 // Pioneer Special Risk has launched a new optional coverage expansion for specialty contractors that offers them the option of including incidental contractors pollution coverage, traditionally required as part of their...

Industry Relevance and Expertise ‘Ours to Lose:’ Catlin

Aug 15 2017 // First of Two ArticlesAfter 44 years in the insurance business, Stephen Catlin is retiring at the end of 2017. While he’ll be retiring from his role as executive deputy chairman of XL Group, he emphasizes that he...

Reinsurers More Likely to Report Natural Disaster Underwriting Losses: S&P

Aug 15 2017 // Things could get rougher for global reinsurers if annual natural catastrophe claims keep moving closer to the long-term average, Standard & Poor’s said in a new report.It turns out that upward trend has been...

Why and How P/C Insurance Carriers Should Work with Insurtechs

Aug 15 2017 // Startup insurtechs need partnerships more than they need money from insurance carriers, according to one leading venture capitalist actively funding insurance technology firms.Venture firm XL Innovate’s Martha...

What Agents Want from Carriers in 2022: Survey

Aug 14 2017 // Independent agents and brokers who work primarily in personal lines believe competitive pricing, carrier technology and customer service will be more important in five years than they are now. The sentiment is quite...

Velocity Risk Underwriters to Offer Coastal HO-3 Product in Texas

Aug 11 2017 // Velocity Risk Underwriters is expanding its Texas insurance product offerings to include HO-3 for primary and secondary coastal homeowners.Velocity offers its A.M. Best “A” rated coastal homeowners programs in...

Markel Taps Sompo Canopius’ Holcroft as Contract Frustration & Political Risk U/W

Aug 8 2017 // Markel International, the the London-based specialist insurer and Markel Corp. subsidiary, has appointed Alex Holcroft as political risk underwriter in Singapore. He joins the existing trade credit and political risk team...

Berkshire Hathaway Reports Losses on Re/Insurance Underwriting in Q2

Aug 7 2017 // Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway insurance and reinsurance businesses lost money or gained less in underwriting in the second quarter and first six months of 2017 compared to last year while his railroad,...

How to Catch Commercial Auto Use Fraud

Aug 7 2017 // Pulling the wool over the insurance company’s eyes seems like a victimless crime. After all, if a few dollars are saved by saying a car is a personal vehicle instead of the commercial work truck it really is, who...

‘Specialize and Diversify,’ Industry Veteran Markel Tells Super Regional Insurers

Aug 7 2017 // Insurance is a very simple business.“You take in some money, you spend some money and you lose some money, and God willing, you have some left at the end of the day,” according to Anthony (Tony) Markel, vice...

Dale Underwriting Gets Lloyd’s Approval to Set Up Special Purpose Arrangement

Jul 31 2017 // Dale Underwriting Partners, managed by Lloyd’s third party managing agency Asta, announced it has been granted “in principle” approval by the Lloyd’s Franchise Board to establish a special purpose...

U.S. Risk Acquires Strategic Insurance Underwriters of Florida

Jul 28 2017 // U.S. Risk Insurance Group, LLC, a property and casualty wholesaler, has acquired Strategic Insurance Underwriters, a specialist trucking MGA and broker headquartered in Sarasota, Fla.Strategic Insurance Underwriters has a...

Syndicate DTW1991 Names Cowell & Colville to UK, Int’l Underwriting Team

Jul 27 2017 // Lloyd’s Syndicate DTW1991, managed by R&Q Managing Agency, has appointed John Cowell as senior underwriter and Ed Colville as underwriter in its UK and international underwriting team. Cowell has over 25...

Chubb Net Income Up 79% in Q2; P/C Combined Ratio at 88

Jul 26 2017 // Chubb Limited reported net income for the second quarter ended June 30 of $1,305 million compared with $726 million for the same quarter last year‚ a 79 percent increase. Operating income was $1,180 million compared with...

U.S. Risk Announces Acquisition of Strategic Insurance Underwriters

Jul 26 2017 // Dallas, TX, July 26, 2017—U.S. Risk Insurance Group, LLC, the nation’s fifth largest Property and Casualty wholesaler, announced today that it has acquired Strategic Insurance Underwriters, a specialist Trucking...

Texas Seeks Applicants for Medical Liability Insurance Underwriting Board

Jul 25 2017 // The Texas Department of Insurance is accepting applications through August 31 for the public member positions on the Texas Medical Liability Insurance Underwriting Association Board of Directors. The appointment is for one...

Meadowbrook Promotes Browning to Chief Underwriting Officer

Jul 25 2017 // Meadowbrook Insurance Group Inc. has promoted Fred Browning to chief underwriting officer. Browning, who most recently served as senior vice president of Admitted Carrier Operations, will now lead Meadowbrook’s...

Sign of the Times – Brokers vs. Carriers on a Classic Soft Market

Jul 24 2017 // Chief executive officers of property/casualty insurance brokers and P/C insurance carriers called each other out in June for engaging in activities they said were “classic signs of a soft market.”During a...