Rating agency A.M. Best Co. says the deal reached in Washington to raise increase the U.S. debt ceiling does not get rid of uncertainty regarding the credit quality of U.S. government debt.

The Association of British Insurers says insurers are expecting significant losses of more than 100 million pounds ($162 million) from damages caused by rioting in boroughs of London and other cities.

The Hanover Insurance Group reports a second-quarter net loss of $31.8 million, as the commercial- and personal-lines insurer says after-tax catastrophe losses during the period, mainly from tornadoes, were $103.4 million.

The Hanover Insurance Group reports a second-quarter net loss of $31.8 million, as the commercial- and personal-lines insurer says after-tax catastrophe losses during the period, mainly from tornadoes, were $103.4 million.

Transatlantic Holdings says the acquisition proposal it received from Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary National Indemnity Co. is not better than the merger agreement it has in place with Allied World Assurance Co. Holdings.

Property and casualty carrier employment was basically flat based on June 2011 data from the U.S. Labor Dept.’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Berkshire Hathaway says it is unlikely that its combined insurance operations will post an underwriting profit this year as the Warren Buffett-led company reports a $7 million second-quarter underwriting loss.

Berkshire Hathaway’s National Indemnity Co. has put in a competing bid for Transatlantic Holdings Inc.