Best's Review

AM BEST'S MONTHLY INSURANCE MAGAZINE



Published: July 2024

Calculating Success

Best's Review examines the emerging issues in insurance accounting and the ongoing consolidation of the public accounting sector.

 

AM Best TV & Audio: Swiss Re Executive: Life Insurance Companies Ready to Handle Widening Retirement Savings Shortfall: Also, professionals discuss the effects of artificial intelligence on the DUAE sector as well as the potential impact of fabricated weather reports on P/C insurers.

AM Best Webinars: Panelists Discuss Strategies for Minimizing Loss Through Appropriate Legal Engagement Pre-Lawsuit: Professionals also examine recent developments in the Florida property market as well as the DUAE sector and explore auto insurance trends.

AM Best’s Media Program – Publisher: In Other News ...: A roundup of news from publishers around the globe. Access to some sites may require registration or subscription.

Accounting Firms: Insurance Accounting Firms: Beginning with information from insurers’ annual statement filings, Best’s Review compiled a list of insurance accounting firms, presented alphabetically.

Accounting Issues: Insurers See Changes in Accounting Sector, Costly New Standards: Deals have been changing the face of the public accounting sector. The insurance industry, meanwhile, has been focused on IFRS 17 and other regulatory changes.

Asset Management: Interest Rates: Strategic Investment Amid Higher Interest Rates: Higher rates decrease the flexibility of a company to meet its liabilities, but insurance companies are in a much better position than banks, Jennifer Quisenberry, chief investment officer at New England Asset Management, told AM Best TV.

Book Store: Mastering Insurance Pricing Involves Diverse Skills, Robust Support and Firm Foundation: Price Writers co-founder Jeremy Keating discusses his method designed to help insurance pricing directors.

Executive Changes: Successor Named as Swiss Re Group CEO Steps Down: Lloyd’s appoints chief commercial officer and Americas CEO, Farmer’s taps permanent CFO and Allianz welcomes global head of marine.

From the Editor’s Desk: 1903 and Counting: The July issue of Best’s Review examines insurance accounting issues. It includes a ranking of the top global insurance brokers and an interview with Athene CEO Jim Belardi.

Global Brokers Ranking: Top Global Insurance Brokers — 2024 Edition: Marsh McLennan captures the top spot for the 14th consecutive year, while three new brokers join the top 20.

Insurance Media: Podcast Touts Importance of Relationships in the Insurance Industry: Pete Tessier and Curt Wyatt, hosts of The Insurance Podcast, sold their brokerages but still wanted a role in the business.

Insurance Professional Resources: Risk Management, Claims Get Lift From Artificial Intelligence: AI’s ability to automate workflows, uncover fraud, and manage risks to prioritize claims and allocate resources has made it an integral part of the insurance claims function, according to Dan Thompson, president and CEO, DeeGee Rehabilitation Technologies Ltd.

Issues & Answers: ISSUES & ANSWERS: Specialty Coverage • Insurance Accounting • Talent Development • Underwriting Trends: Insurance leaders discuss the benefits and innovative developments in specialty coverage as well as the trends and opportunities in insurance accounting, talent development and underwriting.

Life Insurance: Athene CEO: Solutions Needed To Help People Live Well in Retirement: Fighting the “retirement savings crisis” is a priority for Athene Holding Ltd., whose strong growth over the past 15 years has helped it become the largest U.S. issuer of total annuities in 2023, said Jim Belardi, the company’s co-founder and chief executive officer.

State Rate Filings: Footing the Bill: Large Pet Insurance Rate Increases in 2024: Accredited Surety and Casualty Co. landed two rate increases of 60% or greater amid a sale by R&Q to Onex Corp. Nationwide’s pet insurance program also saw big hikes for 2024.

State Rate Filings: Pet Insurance Approved Rate Filings by Overall Effect With Increases of 32% or Greater: Based on an effective date beginning on Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2024.

The Last Word: AI: Leading AI Platforms Respond to Question About Insurance Accounting: Large language model programs examine key insurance accounting issues, including the implementation of IFRS 17 and cybersecurity risks.

Top 200 US L/H Insurers: Top 200 US Life/Health Insurers - 2024 Edition: Industry’s 2023 admitted assets increased 5.6%.

Top 200 US P/C Writers: Top 200 US Property/Casualty Writers - 2024 Edition: Industry’s 2023 net premiums written increased 10.4%.

Top 25 US Holding Companies: Top 25 US Holding Companies - 2024 Edition: Ranked by Assets and Revenue.

Top 75 US, Canada Public Insurers: Top 75 US and Canada Public Insurers - 2024 Edition: Ranked by 2023 assets and revenue.

Trending: Best’s News: Top Stories Include a Feature About the Insurance Industry’s Relationship With Defense Counsel and Legal Costs: Other popular items include the results of a survey of insurance defense attorney members of Best’s Insurance Professional Resources and a feature about parametric insurance contracts.

Trending: Best’s Research: Trending Research Includes a Special Report on Social Inflation: Other trending research includes reports on MGA premiums and the medical professional liability sector.

Underwriting & Loss Control: For Federally Funded Nursing Homes, New Rules May Heighten Claims Risk: Best’s Underwriting Reports and Best’s Loss Control Reports provide insights into the risks and lines of coverage for nursing homes.

Web Traffic: Web Traffic: Visits to Largest Global Insurance Brokers' Sites: Aon plc leads web analytics provider Semrush’s ranking of most-visited global insurance brokers’ sites.

What AM Best Says: AM Best: Social Inflation Remains a Thorn in the Side of Casualty Insurers: Cultural attitudes toward corporations and the erosion of tort reform in a number of states are among the factors driving social inflation.

World’s Largest Insurers: World’s Largest Insurance Companies - 2024 Edition: Based on 2022 net nonbanking assets and net premiums written.