E&S/Specialty

Specialty insurer RLI Corp. says marketplace pricing remains competitive despite recent catastrophe activity worldwide.

AXIS Capital Holdings' expected financial impact of $285 million from the March 11 Japan earthquake and tsunami headlines the latest round of loss estimates from Bermuda companies.

Special relationships or circumstances may broaden an agent or brokers' duty to advise. In this second article in a two-part package about agent/broker professional liability, Attorney Peter Biging examines recent relevant court rulings examining such circumstances.

With chatter about the next market turn heating up, it's a good time to explore the impact on program business to see if there could be a replay of the gut-wrenching turmoil that left some program administrators (PA) out in the cold during the last soft-to-hard transition.

In recent years, the use of engineered nanomaterials in consumer products like sunscreen, cosmetics, clothing and baby products has soared. As a result, substantial concern has developed because these tiny materials are often made of toxic substances, and closely resemble asbestos fibers.

In spite of carrier angst about backing start-up programs, MGAs are having success in launching new offerings for wine collectors, auto dealers and properties exposed to earthquake risk.