As difficult as this may be for brokers to hear, market swings in the competitive environment of the P&C insurance industry are inevitable. During soft markets, when capacity is plentiful, companies will use that capacity to lower premium rates to…
Commercial rate increases gradually became steeper in 2019 and should continue like this for some time, says Prem Watsa, chairman and CEO of Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. Toronto-based Fairfax, the parent company of Northbridge Financial, recently reported a 21.6% increase…
With insurers’ returns on equity lower than normal, it’s anyone’s guess how much longer your clients are going to see price increases. “Through 2020 we will see rate increases,” said Jim Auden, Chicago-based managing director of North American Insurance at…
Whether the industry faces a hard market or simply a “market correction,” commercial lines premiums are definitely on the rise, Canadian commercial brokers reported in an online poll by Canadian Underwriter. And they are starting to get concerned about it.…
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that A.M. Best had changed its outlook for the global reinsurance sector from ‘Stable’ to ‘Negative.’ In fact, the outlook changed to ‘Stable’ from ‘Negative.’ Canadian Underwriter apologizes for the error.…
Shopping around for the best deal for a business client may be getting more difficult as commercial lines prices start to uptick. Among commercial insurers, “it seems there is a little bit of tightening up on the risk appetite,” Raymond…
While many in the P&C industry view IFRS 17 as an expensive time-suck that offers “no business value,” others believe the new financial standard could be a boon for product pricing. “One thing I’m really hoping that IFRS 17 [can…
The Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) announced on Monday that it is formally suspending its sponsorship partnership with Aviva Canada “for the foreseeable future.” IBAO CEO Colin Simpson argued in a media release that “Aviva continues to leverage the…
Guidewire Software, Inc.’s planned acquisition of Cyence Inc. will ensure Guidewire clients can access a cloud-based data listening and risk analytics solution to help them manage emerging risks for which long claims histories may not be available. California-based Guidewire Software,…
Flood-related cover for residential policyholders is far advanced from what it was when the devastating floods hit southern Alberta in 2013, but it is now time to refine those offerings and address outstanding issues, says Gord Enders, president of Direct-Line…
Responses from brokers surveyed indicate commercial property insurance rates in the United States dropped an average of 3.6% during the three months ending June 30, with average premium pricing down 1.44% in cyber, in a market that is “softer than…
Global reinsurers’ first half 2017 results provide further evidence of continuing pressure on pricing and earnings, Fitch Ratings said in a report released on Monday. “Intense competition among global reinsurers and the abundance of capital invested in the sector mean…