Corporate Risk

Soft market insurance conditions persist in the airline insurance marketplace, but risk appetite and exposures are fluctuating masked by regional and corporate differences, says Aon Risk Solutions.

Hotels, energy and financial services conglomerate Loews Corp posted quarterly results ahead of analysts' expectations, helped by an increase in its investment income and lower catastrophe losses at CNA Financial Corp., its biggest holding.

At a time when technology has eroded the security agents and brokers have known in their traditional business model, membership in the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America remains a valuable beacon for future opportunity, says the associations chairman.

With the current investment environment working against workers compensation insurers, companies may be pressured into a harder market as they try to achieve underwriting profits in a line that has not had a combined ratio under 100 since 2006, a new report says.

The world has become statistically less stable with civil unrest downgraded in 37 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain, in light of European austerity measures and spending cuts.

Three subjects appeared to be most prominent in discussions between executives and risk managers in Philadelphia at this years Risk and Insurance Management Society meeting: price, business interruption and cyber risk.