Commercial Lines

Insurance groups are praising the Florida Legislatures passage of a commercial-lines rate-deregulation bill and are indicating that they may push to expand such a regulatory structure to personal lines in the future.

Insurance rates are showing signs of stability despite the catastrophe losses earlier this year, but catastrophe-exposed risks in North America will probably see increases in the mid-single-percent range, according to a report from Willis Group Holdings.

A near-term pricing shift for commercial lines is unlikely, and recent deterioration in underwriting results has led to a decline in premium revenues unseen since the 1930s, according to a recent Fitch Ratings report.

Hanover Insurance Group Inc. said Monday its first-quarter profit fell 30 percent on smaller investment gains.

First-quarter catastrophes could have a negative impact on the property-catastrophe market as underwriters deal with a combination of losses and changes to their risk profile, according a brokers report.

Hard hats and steel-toed shoes don't usually lead to thoughts of custom boutiques. Yet for many higher-exposure and hard-to-place workers' compensation accounts, a specialty niche approach to managing risk is a natural evolution.