Standing the Test of Time
AM Best TV & Audio: Geopolitical Instability Threatens To Sink Gains in Maritime Sector, According to Allianz Executive: Professionals also discuss federal policy shifts and insurance investment reporting and examine climate data cut impacts on insurance affordability.
AM Best Webinars & Briefings: Panelists Explore Trends and Developments in the Evolving Cyber Insurance Sector: Professionals also discuss renewals and preview the reinsurance market ahead of Rendez-Vous de Septembre and examine the state of D&O insurance.
App Store: Mobile Match: Health Insurer Apps Link Users in Sickness and Good Health: Health plan mobile apps branch into price comparisons, rewards programs and telehealth.
Artificial Intelligence: AI Platforms Explore Risks on the Horizon That Casualty Reinsurers Face: Third-party litigation funding is fueling more frequent and costly claims for casualty reinsurers, according to some artificial intelligence models.
Best's Calendar: VCIA Anticipates Record Captive Owner Turnout for Annual Conference: AM Best is attending, sponsoring, exhibiting and speaking at the Vermont Captive Insurance Association’s yearly gathering Aug. 11-13 in Burlington.
Best's Rankings: Largest Latin America Insurers – 2025 Edition: Ranked by 2023 gross premiums written.
Best's Rankings: US Property/Casualty – 2024 Direct Premiums Written by Line – 2025 Edition:
Best's Rankings: US Total Auto – 2024 Direct Premiums Written – 2025 Edition:
Best’s Rankings: Total Cyber – 2024 Direct Premiums Written – 2025 Edition:
Best’s Rankings: US Commercial Multiperil – 2024 Direct Premiums Written – 2025 Edition:
Best’s Rankings: US Homeowners Multiperil – 2024 Direct Premiums Written – 2025 Edition:
Best’s Rankings: US Life/Health – 2024 Accident & Health Insurance Contracts – 2025 Edition:
Best’s Rankings: US Life/Health – 2024 Individual Life Premiums for Life Contracts – 2025 Edition:
Best’s Rankings: US Life/Health — 2024 Group Annuities Premiums for Life Contracts — 2025 Edition:
Best’s Rankings: US Pet Insurance Plans – 2024 Direct Premiums Written – 2025 Edition:
Best’s Rankings: US Workers’ Compensation – 2024 Direct Premiums Written – 2025 Edition:
Bookstore: A Decade Later, the Definitive Guide to D&O Liability Coverage Remains Key to Industry: Larry Goanos thought someone should write a book detailing how directors and officers liability insurance works. In 2014, he wrote it himself.
Captives: New Captives Emerge While Some Play Catch-Up Amid ‘Transitional’ Market: While a softening market could slow new captive formations, industry leaders say it is unlikely to fully negate their role in risk management.
Casualty Reinsurance: Casualty Reinsurers Say They See Positive Signs Following Adverse Developments: Many reinsurers are drawing back from casualty lines, while others see an opportunity for growth despite recent increases in litigation claims and jury verdict awards.
Corporate Changes: Bermuda Startup Mereo Rebrands as Cedar Trace: Mereo Insurance Ltd. launched earlier this year under the chairmanship of Brian Duperreault, its co-founder and former American International Group chief executive officer.
Executive Changes: Athene Taps CEO, Executive Chair, and Athene USA Co-Presidents: Covéa Group welcomes a new CEO, MetLife Investment Management names president and Mosaic fills global head of cyber role.
From the Editor’s Desk: Consistent Strength: Insurers Maintain Ratings Over the Years: Best’s Review identifies insurers that have maintained a Best’s Financial Strength Rating of A or higher for at least 50, 75 or 100 years. This issue also includes coverage of the casualty reinsurance sector and rankings of the largest cyber, pet and Latin America insurers.
Insurance Industry Research: Aon: Midyear Renewals Point to Buyers’ Market Despite Catastrophe Losses: The midyear renewal market was competitive despite an active first half for natural catastrophe losses, Aon said, noting reinsurers, insurance-linked securities markets and new entrants sought to deploy capacity and grow market share.
Insurance Professional Resources: Digital Forensics Playing a Bigger Role in Claims Inquiries: Panelists discussed the use of digital forensics in accident investigations, cyber incidents and AI during the AM Best webinar Digital Forensics: Application and Considerations in Insurance and Litigation-Driven Investigations.
Issues & Answers: Auto Insurers: Vehicle Scoring Made Easy: Earlier this year, Pinnacle Actuarial Resources and CARFAX announced the release of a new vehicle scoring and automobile pricing tool called the CARFAX Vehicle Build Score (VBS). Pinnacle Senior Consulting Actuary Gary Wang discussed the value of the VBS solution for automobile insurers.
Issues & Answers: Risk Mitigation: Fortified for the Future: Mark Berven, President and Chief Operating Officer of Nationwide Property and Casualty, highlighted the company’s push for implementation of Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) FORTIFIED building standards in light of a new era of risk stemming from natural disasters.
Issues & Answers: Surety Insurers: A Surety Thing: James Crinnion, Vice President, Commercial Surety at Philadelphia Insurance Companies, said that over the last five years, there’s been an explosion in surety-backed letters of credit.
Latin America Insurers: Market Segment Outlook: Chile Insurance: Chile’s insurance penetration rate is the second highest in Latin America, a reflection of its depth and financial flexibility, according to an AM Best report.
Life Insurance: LIMRA CEO: After More Than a Century of Industry Focus, Life Group Adds Consumer Component: The move will allow LIMRA to spend more time with consumers and foster more education on the importance of life insurance, President and Chief Executive Officer David Levenson said.
Pet Insurance: Florida Law Creates Pet Insurance Framework, Ensuring Accident Coverage: The new legislation expands the definition of property insurance to include pet insurance coverage for accidents and illnesses and also defines critical terms ranging from chronic conditions and congenital anomaly to waiting periods and wellness programs, according to the Florida House of Representatives.
Preferred Bloggers: For This Insurer, Blogging Is His Specialty: Bob Sargent, founder and CEO of eSpecialty Insurance and a longtime blogger about specialty insurance, felt compelled to branch out into covering technology.
Preferred Influencers: Acrisure Exec: Effective Social Media Needs To Be Sharp, With a Personal Touch: Adrian Jones, head of underwriting and specialty retail at Acrisure, advises leaders to handle their own social media profiles.
Preferred Podcasters: The Florida Insurance Roundup Shines on the Sunshine State: Podcast host Lisa Miller, an industry consultant and former deputy commissioner for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, works to educate legislators, regulators and others about the insurance affairs of the state.
Preferred Publishers: As Commercial Brokers Consolidate, Leader’s Edge Article Offers Caution: The demands placed on employee benefits brokers offer a warning about compressed margins, according to Phil Trem of MarshBerry.
Standing the Test of Time: Standing the Test of Time — 2025 Edition: In this edition, 187 insurers have maintained a Best’s Financial Strength Rating of A or higher for at least 50 years, including 135 property/casualty companies and 52 life/health carriers.
State Rate Filings: Massachusetts Regulator Rejects 7.1% Workers’ Comp Rate Increase Request: The Workers’ Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau of Massachusetts sought a higher rate. The state attorney general’s office suggested a 6.2% decrease in rates while the State Rating Bureau in the Division of Insurance also recommended a reduction.
State Rate Filings: Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Approved Rate Filings by Overall Effect With Increases of 5.60% or Greater: Based on an effective date beginning on Jan. 1, 2020, through Dec. 31, 2026.
Trending: Best’s News: Top Stories Include Features About Artificial Intelligence and FAIR Plans: Other popular stories include news articles about network outages at Erie Insurance and Philadelphia Insurance.
Trending: Best’s Research: Trending Research Includes Reports on the Florida Property Insurance Market and on MGA Premiums: Other trending research includes a commentary on the emerging crypto market and market segment outlooks on nonlife insurance in the Philippines and South Korea and life insurance in Italy.
Underwriting & Loss Control: Power Line Strike Exposes Land Grading Risks, Safety Issues: Best’s Underwriting Reports and Best’s Loss Control Reports provide insights into the risks and lines of coverage for land grading contractors.
Web Traffic: Web Traffic: Visits to Largest Cyber Insurers’ Sites : Liberty Mutual Insurance Cos. leads web analytics provider Semrush’s ranking of most-visited cyber insurer websites.
What AM Best Says: US Cyber: Pricing Cuts Bring First Ever Reduction in Direct Premiums Written: The decrease in premium is driven more by pricing changes than any changes in exposure, according to a June Best’s Market Segment Report.