KBW News

Most Commercial Lines Continuing to Win Healthy Price Increases

While aggregate U.S. commercial insurance price hikes continue to moderate, most lines are still producing robust price increases, according to Willis Towers Watson. Excess/umbrella produces significant price increases during the 2021 second quarter. As well commercial auto, property, and directors …

While Aon and Willis Were Focused on Merger, Marsh Attracted Producer Talent

While Aon and Willis Towers Watson were trying for many months to land their merger, their competitors were able lure away some of their producer talent – capitalizing on the “distraction and uncertainty” that existed for both brokers. Aon’s proposed …

Pandemic-Hit Re/insurers Expect a Costly Hurricane Season – and Rates Are Rising

The official start of the Atlantic hurricane season on Monday could signal more steep losses for insurers and reinsurers, already battered by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on their underwriting and investment positions. However, recent years of hefty damage …

Analyst Says Specialty P/C Insurers More Likely to See Business Interruption Losses

The original property/casualty insurance industry reaction that business interruption losses may be modest may have been too optimistic, according to a leading insurance analyst. KBW’s Meyer Shields believes that the “combination of an aggressive trial bar, legitimately suffering insureds, and …

Hardening Markets, Social Inflation, E&S Business: Berkley, AIG Execs Face Analysts

The commercial general liability line will be the next property/casualty line to harden, the chief executive of W.R. Berkley Corp. predicted at an industry conference. Speaking at the Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Insurance Conference last week, W. Robert Berkley Jr., …

Market Changes Not Expected From Hurricane Michael; Florida Insurers ‘Heavily’ Reinsured

Losses to the insurance industry from Hurricane Michael, a Category 4 storm that hit the Florida Panhandle before continuing a path of destruction through several other Southeast states, will be substantial but not enough to cause problems for insurers or …