COMM. P/C RATES HARDEN

Property/casualty rates for small, medium and large commercial lines continued to rise between July 1 and Sept. 30, according to the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers’ (CIAB) Commercial Insurance Market Index for the third quarter 2000. The report shows significant rate increases for four of the five commercial property/casualty lines: commercial auto, workers’ compensation, property and general liability. Umbrella pricing saw no change, according to 54 percent of respondents. The Index is based on a quarterly survey of CIAB’s member firms, who represent the top 1 percent of agents and brokers in the U.S. and who place more than 80 percent of all commercial insurance premiums.