U.S. commercial insurance rates up 5%, personal lines up 4.5% in Q4

MarketScout reports 2019's fourth-quarter numbers for U.S. commercial and personal lines insurance rates.

2019′s U.S. average personal lines rate trends by quarter, reported by MarketScout. (Photo: MarketScout)

2019′s fourth-quarter numbers are in for U.S. commercial and personal lines insurance rates.

This week, MarketScout reported personal lines rates were up 4.5% in Q4. The firm also concluded that personal insurance buyers were assessed an average of 3.5% more in 2019 as compared to 2018.

Richard Kerr, CEO of MarketScout, said in a statement, “We must all keep in mind, the barometer results include all types of personal lines insurance across the U.S. Massive placements for homes/autos/jewelry in the $300,000 to $800,000 value, which are in non-cat prone areas, impact the rate. If we were to measure homes over $5,000,000 in brush-exposed areas of California, the average rate increase would be over 35%.”

MarketScout listed a summary of fourth-quarter 2019 personal lines rates:

Commercial lines rates for Q4 2019

MarketScout also put forth new numbers on U.S. commercial insurance rates for Q4 2019, reporting an increase of 5%.

This concludes a year of steady rate increases in commercial lines, reflecting what MarketScout says are insurers’ plans to continue increasing prices across all lines of coverage, with a lone exception of workers’ compensation. Of note, D&O and professional rates increased significantly in the quarter.

MarketScout’s report lists a summary of Q4 2019 rates by coverage class, industry class and account size, outlined in the graphs and bullets below:

Premium trends by coverage class for Q4 2019. (Photo: MarketScout)

By account size:

U.S. commercial lines insurance premium trends by industry class for Q4 2019. (Photo: MarketScout)

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