Increase expected for commercial insurance rates

Though consumers have been seeing steady increases in rates for casualty, property, home, and auto insurance, companies have not seen any notable raises in their own insurance costs. Yet. The sensitivity of businesses to increases for insurance rates runs much deeper, and some new competition has brought some of the business for commercial insurance to Canada. Those two factors have allowed the price of those plans and policies to remain relatively steady over the last few years. However, according to RSA Canada’s chief executive, Rowan Saunders, this trend will not…

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Thailand floods could cost the global insurance industry $10 billion

Devastating floods in Thailand may have a global impact, according to insurers. Thailand is a critical point in the global supply chain, says Gary Lynch, head of supply chain risk at Marsh Risk Consulting. Widespread flooding has closed more than 14,000 businesses, including distribution centers for Sony, Canon and Nissan. The disruption in the supply chain could have far reaching consequences in the U.S., the UK and throughout Europe. Lloyd’s of London is now petitioning Thailand insurance and risk firms to assess the risk exposure they see in the nation.…

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Largest workers’ compensation insurance company in California to lay off 1,800 by next June

The State Compensation Insurance Fund, a government-controlled insurer which is the largest workers’ compensation insurance company in California, has announced that one of its efforts to cut expenses and streamline its operations will be to lay off approximately one quarter of its total 6,800 employees. Chief executive of State Compensation Insurance Fund, Tom Rowe, said that as many as 1,800 civic service workers will be eliminated by the end of June 2012, as the company has been determined to be overstaffed by about 30 percent. This is the first time…

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Towers Watson research shows commercial insurance prices are on the rise

The most recent Commercial Lines Insurance Pricing Survey (CLIPS) by Towers Watson, has shown that commercial insurance prices rose by an average of almost 1.5 percent during 2011’s second quarter, which is the first time that all standard commercial lines headed in an upward direction since 2003. The results of CLIPS align with the preliminary results that were obtained by a Towers Watson survey which will soon be released. They showed that 75 percent of CFOs feel that the standard property market prices have either hit the lowest point that…

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