Declarations
Declarations
Bundled Buying
“Buyers who use insurance agents are also more likely to purchase bundled auto and homeowner insurance policies. … Despite this trend, insurance providers are steadily enhancing their Web sites capabilities, and shopping through a direct channel certainly has its benefits for prospective buyers, as most cite the ease of conducting business as a primary reason for shopping and purchasing direct.”
– Jeremy Bowler, senior director of the insurance practice at J.D. Power and Associates, who conducted the recent J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Insurance New Buyer Study. The study examines the purchase behaviors and overall satisfaction of buyers who shop for a new auto insurance company.
Soft Market Through 2010
“The outlook for the next three years – through 2010 – is generally soft for the property-casualty industry as a whole. We project continued deterioration in underwriting margins and implied return on equity.”
– Clint Harris, analyst at Conning Research & Consulting. The company issued a new “Property-Casualty Forecast & Analysis” that identifies the key drivers of the industry and forecasts industry growth and performance for 2007-2010. The report said the financial condition of the property/casualty industry is strong and it should be able to withstand the current price deterioration.