Participants in the survey included: 518 New York agencies; 156 New Jersey agencies; 91 Connecticut agencies; and 23 New Hampshire agencies.

The PIA survey's softness rating system ranged from 1, Highly Competitive, to 5, Impossible to Place (except residual market).

For the 15 insurance lines, the overall score for the four states combined was 3.5. Nevertheless, New York and New Hampshire had the equivalent score of 3.5, which the PIA said was among the surprises in the survey. Connecticut's score of 3.2 displayed a slightly softer market.

Compared to PIA 2001 survey results, agents this year are finding a substantially harder environment in New York State. The general contractors insurance market rating increased from 3.7 to 4.2, and long haul trucking rose from 4.2 to 4.4.

Agents in the other 3 states also reported difficulties with a tightening market.

New Hampshire agents reported higher hardness levels than New York in five of the 15 insurance lines, including general contractors (4.5 to 4.2); habitational (3.9 to 3.5); restaurants (3.6 to 3.2); and taverns (4.4 to 3.5).

"The survey reflects agents' perceptions of the market as they are experiencing it in their own agencies, in the historical context of their geographic location," said Ellen Kiehl, assistant director for the Glenmont partnership.

She added, "We believe the most important findings are the trends and comparative evaluations of lines of insurance within each region."

Highlights of these trends include:

? Long haul trucking was rated by agents who write these risks as the most difficult line to place with an average of 4.4, ranging from 4.2 in Connecticut to 4.5 in New York.

? General contractors' general liability was the second hardest line with a 4.2 ranking, ranging from 3.9 in Connecticut to 4.5 in New Hampshire.

? Coastal homeowners insurance also proved to be a difficult category, averaging 4.1 across the 4 states, with New Hampshire scoring a high of 4.3.

? Personal auto insurance was the only category that scored below a 3, which indicates an "adequate market, with some underwriting activity." Standard personal auto insurance (for good or average drivers) ranked at 2.7 overall, and non-standard (for drivers with accident and/or violations) came in at 2.9 with considerable variation among the states.

Overall, the results skewed towards the harder side of the spectrum.

According to Ms. Kiehl, the fact that the market has hardened overall and agents expect this trend to continue for some time, is no surprise.