Buyers wondering if one is enough

Publication Date: August 30, 2006
Advisen -- Risk Management
Source: Business Insurance

"New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's investigation into the insurance industry has led to a greater movement towards the use of multiple brokers, particularly by large organizations, say some observers..."

Chicago Group Designs Test Study for Underwriting in Urban Markets

August 30, 2006
The Insurance Journal

"Insurers seeking a competitive edge in diverse markets are in the final stages of designing a study that will test a wide array of traditional and non-traditional information..."

Continued Improvement in 2005 Results, as Medical-Malpractice Premium Growth Subsides

Publication Date: 08/28/2006
Advisen -- Medical Malpractice
Source: Bestwire Service

"OLDWICK, N.J. (BestWire) - For the past several years, the medical-malpractice segment has been the beneficiary of healthy rate increases which, in 2004, began to show signs of moderating as premium growth fell to 5.5% (versus 13.5% in 2003). In 2005, premium growth fell to 0.5%, perhaps signaling the end of the latest hard market cycle for the medical-malpractice segment..."

Bush prods Congress on medical liability limits

Aug. 23, 2006
Business Insurance
Source: Reuters


"MINNETONKA, Minn. (Reuters)—President Bush on Tuesday renewed his call for Congress to curb medical malpractice lawsuits and signed an executive order aimed at providing Americans more information about the cost and quality of health care services..."

Insurer Group: Judge's Ruling on Prescription Period Sets Wrong Precedent

August 25, 2006
The Insurance Journal

"With nearly 95 percent of insurance claims from last year's hurricane season already settled, the recent Louisiana district court ruling on the constitutionality of laws that extend the time period for consumers to file insurance claims or lawsuits regarding property damage resulting from hurricanes Katrina and Rita will have little impact for the vast majority of residents, according to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI)..."

Lockton to buy international broking arm of Alexander Forbes

Publication Date: August 21, 2006
Advisen -- Mergers & Acquisitions
Source: Lloyds List

"LOCKTON Companies, said to be the largest independently owned insurance brokerage in the US, is to buy the international broking operation of London and Johannesburg-listed Alexander Forbes, to create a group with $600m revenue..."

Lloyd's Research Reports on 'What British Insurance Brokers Think'

August 7, 2006
The Insurance Journal

"Lloyd's has released a survey it commissioned, conducted by the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA), which concludes that 'the new means of providing insurance in a marketplace where 'Super-brokers' could take large chunks of business is one of the biggest challenges for insurance brokers.'..."