Latest Life Insurance Headlines
All the headlines from our Life Insurance Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Georgia Allows Health, Life Insurance Sales Across State Laws
May 16 2011 // Gov. Nathan Deal has signed legislation that will allow the sale of insurance across state lines. Deal signed the measure Friday. Supporters contend the bill would lower insurance costs by introducing more competition....
Changes on the Playing Field; P&C Insurers Question Impact of New Regulations
May 11 2011 // The European insurance industry is becoming increasingly aware that the Solvency II regulations, which are scheduled to take effect as of January 1, 2013, will not only impose a different set of rules for the industry, but...
Texas: Many Life Insurers Keep Beneficiary Proceeds in Accounts
May 9 2011 // The Texas Department of Insurance says a recent industry survey shows that many life insurance companies place policy proceeds into Retained Asset Accounts (RAAs) instead of paying proceeds directly to the beneficiaries....
Bank Insurance Fee Income Again Reaches Record High
May 3 2011 // Bank insurance brokerage fee income in 2010 reached a record level as it rose 7.9 percent from $12.36 billion in 2009 to $13.33 billion in 2010, according to a new report. The report, compiled by Michael White Associates...
Ohio Program Finds Lost Life Insurance for Hundreds
Apr 29 2011 // An Ohio program begun a little over a year and a-half ago has tracked down nearly 450 lost life insurance policies, typically for families of Ohioans who have died. The successes were out of more than 680 valid requests...
Best Affirms AEGON USA Group’s Ratings
Apr 28 2011 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A+’ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa-” of the life/health subsidiaries of Netherlands-based AEGON N.V.’s...
Five Japan Life Insurers Eye Unhedged Foreign Bonds; See Weaker Yen
Apr 27 2011 // Five Japanese life insurers say they may buy more unhedged foreign bonds, believing that the yen is likely to weaken and that the currency risks are low enough for them not to take on higher hedging costs, a stance that...
S&P: Outlook Negative on 9 Japanese P/C Insurers; Ratings Affirmed
Mar 25 2011 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has conducted a detailed analysis of 15 Japanese P/C insurers, and has made several adjustments in its ratings following the earthquake and tsunami, which hit the country on...
Best Comments on Rating Impact of Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami
Mar 16 2011 // A.M. Best Co. has issued a bulletin indicating that it does not “expect an immediate rating impact on Japanese non-life insurers and reinsurers due to the March 11, 2011 earthquake in Japan. However, the...
Fitch Ratings: Japan Quake/Tsunami Losses ‘Appear Manageable’
Mar 15 2011 // Fitch Ratings has issued a bulletin, indicating that it “believes that while the 11 March earthquake in Japan will be among the largest insured losses in history, such losses can be absorbed by the insurance and...
Analysts Describe Quake/Tsunami Impact on Japan’s P/C Insurers as ‘Limited’
Mar 14 2011 // A decline in shares of Japanese non-life insurers including MS&AD Insurance Group [Mitsui Sumitomo] is expected to be temporary as the impact on their earnings of the earthquake and tsunami in northeast Japan should be...
Ohio Reveals Top Insurance Fraud, Enforcements for 2010
Mar 11 2011 // Ohio Lieutenant Governor and Department of Insurance Director Mary Taylor has announced the agency’s top insurance fraud and enforcement cases of 2010.The DOI opened more than 160 consumer insurance fraud cases last...
Chartis 4Q Loss Tied to Reserve Strengthening
Feb 25 2011 // American International Group Inc. reported net income of $11.2 billion for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2010, and $7.8 billion for the full year 2010. Included in the 2010 fourth quarter results is a previously announced...
S&P Sees No Rating Change for AIG from $4.1 Billion Charge
Feb 11 2011 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that its ratings on American International Group Inc. (A-/Negative/A-2) and AIG’s insurance subsidiaries “are not affected by the company’s...
AIG Completes Sale of Japanese Life Insurance Companies to Prudential
Feb 1 2011 // American International Group, Inc. (AIG) reported it has closed the sale of its Japan-based life insurance subsidiaries, AIG Star Life Insurance Co. Ltd. and AIG Edison Life Insurance Co., to Prudential Financial Inc. for...
S&P Japan Ratings Downgrade Hits Insurers
Jan 28 2011 // Yesterday Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it had lowered its sovereign rating on Japan to ‘AA-‘ from ‘AA’. The rating agency followed up that action by announcing that it...
Capgemini/Efma Report Urges ‘Re-focusing,’ ‘Operational Efficiencies’
Jan 21 2011 // In their recently released 2011 World Insurance Report Capgemini and Efma explore how insurers can “dissect their business to identify opportunities that will make fundamental and lasting improvements to their core...
Best Affirms USAA and Subs ‘A++’ Ratings; Outlook Stable
Dec 29 2010 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength ratings (FSR) of ‘A++’ (Superior) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aaa” of Texas-based United Services Automobile Association (USAA) and its...
Japan’s Dai-ichi Life to Take over Australia’s Tower Group for $1.2 Billion
Dec 28 2010 // Japan’s Dai-ichi Life Insurance Co said it would buy the shares it does not already own in Tower Australia Group Ltd for 99.6 billion yen ($1.2 billion) as it seeks expansion overseas. Japan’s No.2 life insurer...
Best Europe Affirms ‘A’ Ratings of HDI, Gerling, Talanx Companies
Dec 28 2010 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a” of Germany’s HDI...
