Rating analysts at Standard & Poor's are starting to get concerned about loss reserving activities of commercial insurers, and insurance executives are eyeing the same troubling actions, said speakers at a conference.

What types of companies face the greatest risk of EPL charges and lawsuits?

Broker and carrier representatives have slightly different views of conditions in the overall employment practices liability market, but all agree that unchanged prices and enhanced service offerings are possible for individual accounts.

Not all the news is bleak on the employment practices liability front for employers and insurers, but in a down economy, there are more dim forecasts than bright spots ahead, experts say.

While overall property-casualty insurance loss reserves are adequate right now, the situation needs to be closely monitored, agency analysts told an industry conference.

A hard market may not be arriving anytime soon, but several insurance executives at last week's S&P conference suggested that the industry is in good shape, even in the midst of a struggling economy, while others warned against complacency.

Prior calculations of the U.S. property-casualty insurance industry's ultimate exposure to asbestos claims have probably underestimated the amount by $10-to-$15 billion, an actuary predicted.

IPC Holdings and Max Capital announced they will shell out some cash to sweeten their proposed merger deal in advance of a shareholder vote.