Soft Market Loses Steam While Uncertainty Clouds Future of Commercial Insurance Market

KANSAS CITY, Mo. and LONDON, May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report on the commercial insurance market in the Lockton Market Update shows that the broad soft market of recent years is losing some steam while uncertainty is clouding the future.  

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Property Insurance Market

Lockton's report cautions that aftershocks from earthquakes in the Asia Pacific region and new catastrophe models create an uncertain environment for property insurance buyers.  http://www.locktonpropertymarketupdate.com/default/

Casualty Insurance Market

For casualty insurance buyers, Lockton reports that the past several months have seen a marked increase in uncertainty in the U.S. casualty insurance market.  The soft market, while still dominant, has generally lost some of its steam, and a harder market is forming in limited pockets. http://www.locktonmarketupdate.com/Casualty.aspx

Financial and Executive Risk

The soft insurance market continued last year and into this year. Many insurers are willing to write management liability policies at very competitive rates. It is still possible to achieve premium decreases for many companies. Lockton reports that despite worsening claims experience, insurers have been under pressure to lower premiums and broaden coverage in the current soft market. The D&O insurance market has also seen a number of new entrants recently.  http://www.locktonmarketupdate.com/FinancialExecRiskUS.aspx

http://www.locktonmarketupdate.com/FinancialExecRiskUK.aspx

Employee Benefits

On-site clinics are currently the rage as a potential "easy button" for employers looking for ways to reduce rising healthcare expenses.  But Lockton's report cautions, "Not so fast."  http://www.locktonmarketupdate.com/OnsiteClinics.aspx

The Lockton Market Update also reports on changes in the new health reform law http://www.locktonmarketupdate.com/HealthWelfare.aspx and changes in pharmacy pricing that will require clear-eyed scrutiny from employers.

http://www.locktonmarketupdate.com/PharmacyAnalytics.aspx  

Political and Credit Risk

With the prospect of potentially prolonged instability in the Middle East and North Africa, the market for terrorism and political risk is in some turmoil and will take some time to settle, Lockton Market Update says.  The volume of claims for political violence-related losses coming into the market has been limited thus far, but some insurers have increased political violence premiums by up to 25 percent for clients with exposures in the Middle East and North Africa.  http://www.locktonmarketupdate.com/PoliticalRisk.aspx

Surety

Lockton reports that surety carriers are cautious about the economic environment and the condition of contractors.  Therefore, contractors with strong credit will find sureties flush with capacity and willing to offer competitive terms. Contractors with lackluster performance and weak balance sheets will find sureties unmotivated and unforgiving.  http://www.locktonmarketupdate.com/USSurety.aspx

The Lockton Market Update includes snapshots of 25 commercial insurance and employee benefits markets with the latest trends facing risk managers, chief financial officers, human resource leaders, and other executives.  

To obtain free copies of these reports please visit www.locktonmarketupdate.com

About Market Update

Editors, feature editors and reporters are invited to quote from these reports and articles to enhance their own reporting. Please contact Dean Davison or Chris Don for permission to reproduce an article in its entirety or to speak to a Lockton expert.

About Lockton

More than 3,800 professionals at Lockton provide more than 15,000 clients around the world with insurance, benefits, and risk management services, offering an uncommon level of client service. From its founding in 1966 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, Lockton has grown to become the largest privately held insurance broker in the world and 9th largest overall. Business Insurance recognized Lockton as a "Best Place to Work in Insurance."   You can learn more at www.lockton.com

SOURCE Lockton