soft market News

Market Softening Slows but Rate Stabilization Is Elusive: Willis Re

The June/July 2016 renewal season has seen a continuation in market softening, though the magnitude of rate reductions is slowing, according to the latest 1st View Renewals report from Willis Re, the reinsurance business of Willis Towers Watson. Capacity withdrawals …

Persistent Soft Market Begins to Hit Reinsurer Stock Prices: A.M. Best

While global reinsurers are continuing to withstand challenging market conditions, their stock prices, on average, are starting to take a hit as a result of the persistent soft market and its negative effect on top line growth, according to a …

Ongoing Soft Market Tops Reinsurers’ Concerns: Xuber Survey

Soft market conditions continue to be the biggest concern for the industry, followed by regulation, competition from third party capital, low investment returns, cyber crime and maintaining underwriting discipline, according to a survey completed by Xuber, the insurance software business …

Brokers Dealing with Soft Market, ‘Market Fatigue’ in Medical Professional Liability

Are insurance brokers experiencing “market fatigue” in the medical professional liability line of insurance right now? Could be, according to Daniel Nash, senior vice president of Field Operations and Business Development for Ironshore. Even though pricing in the market is …

Low Interest Rates, Soft Market Pricing Hit London Market Insurers: Fitch

The negative impact of low interest rates and soft market pricing on London market insurers has been partially offset by low levels of large claims, according to Fitch Ratings in a special report. London market insurers tend to hold a …

Negative Outlook for Energy Insurers May Force Sector Exit: Willis Towers Watson

Energy insurers continue to feel the pressure caused by over-supply of capital and falling demand from buyers, which may lead them to exit or scale back their participation in the energy sector, according to a report published by Willis Towers …

Reinsurers’ Loss Reserves Dwindle While Rates Continue to Drop: Allianz Re CEO

Reinsurers are running out of claims reserves that they can release to boost profits as pricing continues to fall, according to the head of Allianz SE’s reinsurance unit. “I don’t think there are too many loss reserves left and the …

Energy Insurers Become Latest Casualty of Oil Slump as Projects Are Postponed

The insurance industry is becoming the latest casualty of the oil price slump, with postponements and cancellations of energy projects forcing down premium rates and income in a market that was already crowded. Insurers forecast income could dive by 20 …

Chinese Industrial Firms Will Lead Insurance M&A in 2016, to Grow Beyond Asia

China’s biggest industrial companies want to buy insurers in 2016 as they seek to grow outside Asia as the domestic economy slows and falling insurance rates prompt more firms to do deals, according to Willis Towers Watson Plc. “We’ve been …

RMS: Cat Bond Analysis Reveals Market Predictions of Price Bottom Are Optimistic

Return relative to risk values for catastrophe bonds at current prices are actually higher in 2015 than they were last year, even though recent market commentary suggests that market prices have stabilized, according to research by RMS, the Newark, Calif.-based …