Topic Insurers
New rating methodology from A.M. Best expected in Q4
September 8, 2017 by Greg Meckbach, Associate EditorA.M. Best Company Inc. expects its new methodology – which will yield five different scores for capital adequacy ratio – will become effective early in the fourth quarter but will not be a “fundamental change” to how the ratings firm…
Total property damage from Hurricane Harvey’s flooding estimated at between US$65-75 billion: AIR Worldwide
September 7, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterProperty losses from flooding in Texas caused by Hurricane Harvey’s record-breaking rainfall will be between US$65 billion and US$75 billion, catastrophe modelling firm AIR Worldwide estimated in a press release issued late Wednesday. The estimate includes damage to all properties…
“Notable shift” in North American perils is inclusion of Canada in covered areas of cat bonds: Aon Securities
September 7, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterCatastrophe bond issuance in the 12 months ending June 30, 2017, reached a historic US$11.3 billion, nearly US$2 billion larger than the previous all-time record, Aon Securities said in a new report. Aon Securities, the investment banking division of global…
‘Persistent low interest rate environment’ among factors affecting Canadian P&C financial performance in 2016: A.M. Best
September 6, 2017 by Greg Meckbach, Associate EditorAs the Bank of Canada announced Wednesday its second rate hike in less than two months, an analyst with A.M. Best Company Inc. suggested to industry professionals that a 2.1-point increase in the industry-wide operating ratio in the Canadian property…
Auto personal accident loss ratio up for fourth year in a row in Canada: A.M. Best
September 5, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterThe auto personal accident loss ratio in Canada “remains a concern,” with Canadian auto insurers being affected by distracted driving and rising repair costs, A.M. Best Company Inc. suggested in a recent report. In 2016, ratings firm A.M. Best said…
Surprising growth surge forces forecasters to revisit Canadian economic predictions
September 5, 2017 by The Canadian Press (CPSTF)OTTAWA – The economy’s surprisingly powerful second-quarter performance is pushing forecasters to change their outlooks – starting with predictions for Wednesday’s central bank rate announcement. Fresh data released last week showed the economy expanded at an annual pace of 4.5…
A.M. Best has ‘significant concerns’ about global reinsurance industry after 2016 accident year combined ratio tops 100%
September 5, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterThe global reinsurance market is “far from thriving” and while the Lloyd’s market “maintains an excellent business profile,” its accident year combined ratio in reinsurance exceeded 100, A.M. Best Company Inc. said in a report released Tuesday. Each September, Oldwick,…
NFIP losses from Hurricane Harvey estimated to reach US$7-10 billion: RMS
September 5, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterGross losses accrued in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) from Hurricane Harvey will be between US$7-10 billion, Pete Dailey, vice president of product management with Risk Management Solutions, Inc. (RMS), suggested in a blog posted on Friday. About 40%…
PCS launches global cyber industry loss index
September 5, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterProperty Claim Services (PCS) announced that it has launched PCS Global Cyber, a new loss aggregation service that provides “industry loss estimates for individual affirmative worldwide cyber events with insured losses of at least $20 million industrywide.” Developed in collaboration…
Free online offering hopes to bolster catastrophe modelling understanding
September 5, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterWhat has been described as the first free and neutral open online catastrophe modelling course was launched today to help those working in climate change and disaster loss mitigation, academia and insurance better understand the use of models in nat-Cat…
A.M. Best reports spike in Canadian investment in U.S. insurance market
September 1, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterThere is a “growing interest” among Canadian property and casualty insurers in the United States market, while on this side of the border, Aviva plc has became the Number 2 P&C insurer in Canada and the loss ratio in Canadian…
B.C. attorney general extends ICBC’s rate filing deadline by two weeks
August 31, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterBritish Columbia’s attorney general announced on Thursday that he has extended by two weeks the rate filing deadline for the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC). Attorney General and the minister responsible for ICBC, David Eby, said in a statement…