While cyber insurance growth is clearly on the rise – with 2015’s estimated US$3 billion in premiums possibly tripling in four years – the rapid expansion into standalone offerings brings with it concern the move could be credit-negative, suggests a…
The combined ratio for a group of insurance firms tracked by Fitch Ratings Inc. deteriorated 1.1 points from 93.4% in 2014 to 94.5% in 2015, Fitch reported Tuesday. “Fitch’s universe of 45 (re)insurance organization reported an aggregate a 7.2% decline…
The change in commercial insurance prices from the fourth quarter of 2014 to the fourth quarter of 2015 were “nearly flat,” Willis Towers Watson plc reported Monday. London-based Willis Towers Watson released its Commercial Lines Insurance Pricing Survey (CLIPS), which…
A.M. Best Company on Thursday published proposed revisions to its core credit rating methodology, Best’s Credit Rating Methodology (BCRM). At the same time, the ratings firm has released proposed revisions for the criteria procedure for the United States property and…
Financial stress among Canadian mining and metals companies drove transactions to a decade-long low in 2015 and that environment is expected to shape the sector’s merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in 2016, Ernst & Young suggests in a recent report.…
Pricing improvements over several years in underwriting portfolios have propelled returns for regional property and casualty insurers in the United States, credit ratings and research company Fitch Ratings said on Friday. The ability to implement further pricing actions in a…
The property and casualty industry in the United States is expected to produce a third consecutive underwriting profit in 2015, despite a slight deterioration in the combined ratio as rate increases slow and the level of favourable loss reserve development…
The combined ratio will rise from 98% in 2015 to 99.2% for the property and casualty insurance industry in the United States, while for the U.S. and Bermuda reinsurance industry, the combined ratio will deteriorate by 6.7 points, A.M. Best…
Canada is not necessarily in a recession, but the country is experiencing a dramatic shake-up of where economic growth is coming from, the Bank of Montreal’s vice president and senior economist said on Thursday. “We’re looking at, for example, almost…
The pace will slow from 2015, but mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity and consolidation in the Bermuda insurance market will continue in 2016, notes a new report issued this week by Fitch Ratings. “Organic growth options are limited and scale…
A.M. Best has placed under review with negative implications the issuer credit rating (ICR) of American International Group, Inc. and the financial strength ratings (FSR) and ICRs of its insurance subsidiaries. “The under review status reflects the strengthening of loss…
The ratings outlook for 120 oil & gas and 55 mining companies is being reconsidered, with Moody’s Investors Service announcing Friday that it has placed the ratings on review for downgrade. The reviews “reflect a mix of declining prices that…