Personal Lines

Experts in fighting insurance fraud say scams that historically escalate in a poor economy will increase in 2010, with health-related activity at the top of the list and with smaller firms as favored targets

A.M. Best Co. said it has affirmed the financial strength ratings and issuer credit ratings of most property and casualty and life and health insurance subsidiaries of American International Group, Inc.

Wells Fargo, BB&T, and BancorpSouth were cited for exceptional performance by Who's Who in Bank Insurance (WWBI), an annual study published by the Bank Insurance Market Research Group.

The title insurance market next year will see a decline in volume, but prices should increase, said Keefe Bruyette & Woods consulting firm.

New York insurance regulators said 113 State Farm policyholders, whom the company wanted to drop because their homes were on the coast, will be allowed to renew their coverage.

Florida's acrimonious battle with State Farm over its effort to leave the state's homeowners insurance market has ended with the company winning a 14.8 percent rate increase and permission to drop 125,000 policyholders.