ISO Emerging Issues Perspective Robust data is an essential underwriting tool In a sector rife with market volatility and other unknowns, Big Oil often carries outsized exposures. Unlike general property insurance for commercial enterprises, where the law of large numbers sharpens underwriting for more than 5 million buildings, data on the roughly 135 oil and gas refineries operating in the United States is relatively slim. The energy insurance market is
Specialty Lines
ISO Emerging Issues Perspective How will the auto insurance market be affected by self-driving cars? As manufacturers race to create autonomous vehicles, insurers face a difficult question: How best to insure a car that “drives itself”? Part of the problem is that auto insurance, like other property/casualty lines of business, tends to be highly regulated by state laws. Since the law is dynamic, the target keeps changing, and insurance forms
Experienced adjuster offers insight for agents and brokers who serve contractors and other construction professionals As the construction recovery continues to unfold, contractors are taking on more work. More projects mean more insurance policies—including more builders risk policies. But they also mean more claims. Tom Tiernan, senior executive general adjuster for Engle Martin & Associates, works with contractors all the time, and because of that he’s able to observe trends
The construction industry has stabilized and is growing All things considered, it’s been a good year for the construction insurance market. According to the latest Swiss Re Sigma report, global insurance and reinsurance losses in 2016 due to catastrophes and manmade events will likely cost $49 billion. While that’s a 33% increase over 2015, it still falls just below the 10-year average, says the Swiss Re data. An Aon Benfield
Smooth sailing so far, but uncharted waters ahead One could say that today’s surety business is like a ship slowly cruising after having passed through turbulent waters, but heading into new waters that may hold either promise or peril. A little more than a decade ago, surety business was convulsed by huge loss ratios and massive consolidation. An industry accustomed to loss ratios at or below 25% saw the number
