Economy News

P/C Insurers’ Net Income, Surplus Rose But Profitability Dropped

The U.S. property/casualty insurance industry’s net income after taxes rose 7.1 percent to $49.4 billion through nine-months 2007 from $46.1 billion through nine-months 2006. Fueled by the industry’s net income, policyholders’ surplus — insurers’ net worth measured according to Statutory …

President Signs TRIA Extension

With only five days left before the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act was set to expire on Dec. 31, 2007, President George Bush signed into law legislation that reauthorizes the federal backstop for seven years. Some key provisions of HR 2761 …

Subprime Contagion: Where Will the Litigation Wave Spread Next?

The subprime mortgage meltdown has been a leading story on the front pages of newspapers around the country for the past few months. The uproar also has led to a flood of new lawsuits and to concerns about how much …

Donelon Emphasizes the Positives in Louisiana’s Property Market

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner James Donelon believes there is “light at the end of the tunnel” for the property insurance market in his state. The devastation of the coastal areas in 2005 via Hurricanes Katrina and Rita threw a wrench into …

Subprime Contagion: Where Will the Litigation Wave Spread Next?

The subprime mortgage meltdown has been a leading story on the front pages of newspapers around the country for the past few months. The uproar also has led to a flood of new lawsuits and to concerns about how much …

On the Radar for 2008

It’s that time of year — predictions about everything from the economy to politics run rampant with a new year. Predicting the future is never easy. But there are some issues facing the independent agency system in 2008 that are …

Survey of Analysts Projects Healthy Underwriting Profits

I.I.I.’s Earlybird Forecast predicts negative premium growth but continued profitability in 2008 Next year may go down on record as one of the best insurance industry underwriting performances in the past 80 years, according to an industry survey of Wall …

FedEx to Appeal Mass. Penalty over Classification of Drivers

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley has assessed penalties of more than $190,000 against FedEx Ground Package System, Inc. for what her office claims is an intentional misclassification of 13 drivers as independent contractors rather than as employees. The attorney general’s …

Bush Gets Terrorism Insurance Extension Bill to Sign

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed an extension to the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) by a vote of 360 to 53 in a form closer to what the Bush Administration and the Senate would support than to an …

Storm May Only Dent Oregon Economy, Damage Still Serious

The Pacific storm that toppled trees and cut off power for days along the northern Oregon coast earlier this month left serious damage in the three counties that bore its brunt but may only dent the statewide economy. “We’re always …