Rates News

New Zealand Quakes Drive Insurance Market Changes

A string of earthquakes in New Zealand is sending tremors through the global insurance market with some companies delaying underwriting policies and others turning to capital markets to offset the risk of pile-on damage and costly claims. “Although there has …

Will Next Big Nat Cat Turn Cycle? ‘Maybe’ Say Reinsurance CEOs

The reinsurance world has always been a bit arcane, but rarely to the extent it appears to be right now. Henry Keeling, the president and CEO of Guy Carpenter’s international operations, noted at the European Insurance Forum in Dublin that …

Insurers Eye Rate Increases as Hurricane Season Approaches

Property and casualty insurers craving respite from a long-running drop in prices are eyeing the start of the U.S. hurricane season next week in the hope that summer windstorms will finally turn the market. The June 1 to Nov. 30 …

Oklahoma Schools Insurance Rates Go Up After Storms

More than 400 Oklahoma schools have received notices of expected insurance rate increases averaging 19.5 percent. The notice from the Oklahoma Schools Insurance Group, which provides various types of coverage to 440 of Oklahoma’s 526 school districts, comes after schools …

Best Sees ‘Growing Pressure’ for Higher P/C Insurance Rates

There is “growing pressure” to support increased rates in property/casualty insurance and reinsurance markets, rating agency A.M. Best has concluded in its most recent market analysis. As a consequence, Best said it is maintaining its stable rating outlook for the …

Hiscox Issues Interim Management Statement; Sees Future Rate Hikes

Hiscox Ltd., which operates in the U.S., Bermuda and Europe, as well as the Lloyd’s and UK market, has issued its Interim Management Statement for the first three months of the year to 31 March 2011. Hiscox said its gross …

Aon Benfield Says Q1 Cat Losses Expected to Raise Facultative Rates

Aon Benfield, the global reinsurance intermediary and capital advisor of Aon Corp, has released the latest edition of its “Fac Quarterly report,” which provides an analysis of trends witnessed in the facultative reinsurance market during the first quarter of 2011. …

New Mexico Regulator OKs Insurance Company Rate Request

State Insurance Superintendent John Franchini has approved a double-digit rate increase for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico. The rate increase will average 21 percent and affects about 40,000 people. The state regulator on Wednesday affirmed the settlement …

Reinsurance Rates Are Rising, but Few Agree Where

Reinsurance rates may be edging higher only now, but the companies’ shares could still surge amid investor hopes that disasters, including Japan’s earthquake, will result in much higher rates in the future. Going into 2011, brokers and analysts estimated it …

Towers Watson: Disasters Have Limited Impact on Japan Insurers