Atwater: Why doesn't a drop in reinsurance costs to insurers result in reduced rates for homeowners? McCarty: Here's why...

The upward climb in property insurance rates has suddenly reversed course thanks to abundant capacity and continued light catastrophe losses, says Willis North America.

Reinsurance intermediary Guy Carpenter and catastrophe modeling firm Risk Management Solutions say they helped the Metropolitan Transportation Authority sell the first-ever bond to protect against storm surge.

Second-quarter net income at Hanover Insurance Group jumped to $53.4 million from $20.8 million a year ago on higher rates and better exposure management, the company says.

Allstate Corp. second-quarter net income increased slightly to $434 million on lower catastrophe losses.

Marsh says second-quarter rates in the U.S. are up but small drops in rates outside the U.S., on average, declined.

Texas law requires amusement rides are insured but the state has nothing on the books for facilities storing tons of ammonium nitrate. Does that make sense?

XL Group says favorable reserve development, investment income and increased pricing overcame $134 million in second-quarter catastrophe losses to result in net income of $272.7 million.