This year, the world watched as many corporations – even those that are reputed to have the strongest security systems in place – experienced massive data breaches that were so extensive that their final damage total has yet to be calculated. For example, Sony experienced a tremendous breach to the personal account data stored within its network, and has yet to determine precisely how much the cyber attack has cost the company. The most recently published total was that 100 million customer accounts had been compromised, and that they predict…
Read MoreTag: Commercial Insurance
Lawyers gain broadened professional liability coverage from OneBeacon
OneBeacon Insurance Group member, OneBeacon Professional Insurance (OBPI), has launched a broadened lawyers’ professional liability (LPL) coverage so that its protections will now include network security and privacy (NSP) liability. Lawyers can access this new offering in either of two possible ways, which are: 1. As an LPL policy endorsement 2. As its own standalone coverage According to the OBPI senior vice president of the LPL division, Kim Noble, these days, a law firm’s lifeblood is its information systems, and it is vital to protect those systems, as they may…
Read MoreReputational risk a growing concern for companies and insurers
In the advent of social media, a person’s reputation is beginning to play a much more important role in the world of business. A new trend has been born in the insurance industry in the form of reputational risk. This risk is most apparent in companies that have had their reputations damaged by some sort of incident that caused consumer backlash. Companies with bad reputations tend to fare poorly in their given industry, as consumers often steer clear of such companies. In some cases, this avoidance can mean the end…
Read MoreTowers Watson report shows the cost of claims continues to outpace the rise in insurance pricing
Towers Watson, a global professional services firm, has released a new report showing the rising prices in the commercial insurance industry. The report shows that commercial insurance prices have grown for the second consecutive year by an average of 2%. Property insurance and workers compensation are the two fields where the increases in pricing are most apparent. The property insurance market is being bolstered by a number of natural disasters that occurred throughout the year, which prompted insurers to raise rates and prices for new policies. While prices are rising,…
Read MoreStatewide brings contractor insurance services into Washington state
Leading general liability insurance, commercial vehicle coverage, workers compensation and bonds provider for contractors, Statewide Insurance Brokers, has announced that it has broadened its contractor insurance offerings to include Washington State. The insurer has been providing these products to thousands of contractors of all forms from painters to electricians, since 1995. Today, Statewide Insurance is operating in seven states – Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Minnesota, and California – but has plans for widening. According to one of the company’s senior underwriters, Lana Matar, demand is what is fueling their…
Read MoreCommercial insurance market is on the cusp of a new growth
Jay Fishman, the chief executive of Travelers Cos. spoke at a financial services conference for Goldman Sachs, and announced that the insurer had boosted their business insurance prices in October by 5.2 percent, and in November by 5.8 percent, which are the most significant increases that have been made in a number of years. Travelers is known for painting a brighter image of prices than other insurance companies, and this latest announcement doesn’t appear to have changed that fact. However, at the same time, when the insurer said that it…
Read MoreFitch Ratings publishes its 2012 outlook report for American insurance brokers
Fitch Ratings has just announced the results of the analysis of their data for revenue and earnings increases for American insurance brokers in 2012, and that they have shown that their figures will likely equal or top those that were reported from January through September 2011. However, they also indicated that the basic nature of competition of the marketplace for property & casualty insurance, and the lukewarm recovery of the global economy will continue to provide a struggle for more significant growth and operating performance. Top-line increases may be able…
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