In October of last year, the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) issued a request for commentary on how to modernize health insurance regulations. The commentary period ended in December with the agency receiving more than 150 suggestions on what to do. Now, the FIO is using the comments it has received to help build a report regarding the regulatory system in the U.S. When completed, the report will be given to Congress and used to help plan a course of action for the future. Michael McRaith, director of the FIO, attended…
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ING Group to abandon plans for combined insurance and investment operations in Europe and Asia
The ING Group, a Dutch financial institution working in the banking and insurance industries, has announced that it will be abandoning its plans for a combined European and Asian insurance investment operation. The company cites economic turmoil in the European region as the primary reason for its change of heart. Future investment and insurance plans are still a possibility for the future, if the European financial crisis is resolved appropriately. The company still has a keen interest in the Asian market, however, and plans to pursue alternative schemes to expand…
Read MoreVermont licensed more than 40 new captive insurance companies in 2011, expects to license more this year
The Vermont Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration has released new data that shows the state has added 41 new captive insurance companies in 2011. The state is home to more than 590 active captive insurance groups currently, with a total of 952 licensed insurers.2011 was the sixth consecutive year in which Vermont added more than 40 new captives to the market, showing the growing trend of captives in the state’s insurance industry. Captives have always been popular in the insurance business, but more insurance organizations are opting to…
Read MoreChina insurance industry to face major challenges this year, according to Regulatory Commission
China may be home to one of the fastest growing insurance markets on the planet, but Xiang Junbo, chairman of the Chinese Insurance Regulatory Commission, says that the industry is faced with major challenges this year. Last year, Chinese insurers saw return on investment results drop by 3.6%. When coupled with the now notorious natural disasters of 2011, the results have rocked the nation’s insurance industry somewhat. Regulators say that if the coming challenges cannot be overcome, the growth of the insurance market may grow beyond the industry’s ability to…
Read MoreCover-All Technologies acquires BlueWave Technology
The Delaware-based Cover-All Technologies Inc., has announced that it has acquired BlueWave Technology’s assets, including all of its innovative software solutions for insurance claims, called PipelineClaims. The acquisition was made in cash and came into effect as of December 30, 2011. The browser-based software solution for claims administration will now be marketed by Cover-All as both a fully integrated component into its existing products for Policy and Business Intelligence, and as a standalone product. This way, Cover-All hopes to be able to provide its customers will a full function, fully…
Read MoreDespite disasters, global insurance industry sees only modest rate hikes in 2011
This year, the global insurance industry saw more than $100 billion in insured losses due to natural disasters. Normally, losses are accompanied by rate increases, but many insurers have not been raising premiums as much as analysts and consumers had expected. The fact that insurers have issued only modest rate hikes throughout the world has had a profound impact on the investment business. Investors are now having trouble figuring out which companies are good targets for the 2012 fiscal year, as many have emerged from 2011 catastrophes will healthy capital…
Read MoreReport shows the rocky road of the property casualty insurance industry during 2011
ISO, a risk assessment firm specializing in the property/casualty insurance industry, and the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) have released a new report showing the impact natural disasters had upon the P/C insurance industry in 2011. This year has become infamous for the number of severe storms and other natural disasters that have rocked the U.S. and other nations. The report notes that while the property/casualty industry grew in some aspects, it saw steep losses in others, with the most severe losses coming in a short 9-month period.…
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