Intel

Last quarter, we indicated the Property & Casualty (P&C) market had reached a relative level of equilibrium not seen in several years. We defined this as an environment where rates and capacity were relatively stable, and carriers could be profitable. The gradual and consistent shift in business from the admitted to the Excess & Surplus (E&S) market is a transformation…

Across industries, companies face the risk of professional errors leading to serious losses and costly lawsuits. To learn more about the types of Professional Liability Insurance available to address these risks, we spoke with Andy Wood, Vice President, Professional Liability, Burns & Wilcox, Chicago, Illinois. What are some of the greatest risks today when it comes to Professional Liability? A.W.:…

A woman who was assaulted in her apartment after a stranger broke in through the unit\'s back sliding door is suing the housing complex for over $1 million, claiming the attack could have been prevented if the broken back door lock had been fixed when she and her roommate first reported it. The Austin, Texas, woman filed the lawsuit against…

Following several years of double-digit rate increases and restrictive adjustments to Terms and Conditions (T&C), the Property Insurance sector has reached a point of relative stability. Rates are largely modest as insurers secure the required premium, now applying rates against a proper exposure basis—Insurance to Value (ITV). With few exceptions of traditional CAT-prone perils in specific geographies, most carriers are…

When an error is made by a real estate agent, accountant, consultant or other professional, the financial loss incurred by their client can be substantial. To learn how Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance can help protect professionals, we spoke with Erica​​​​ Rangel, Manager, Professional Liability, Burns & Wilcox, Chicago, Illinois. What are some of the greatest risks today as it…

The engineer allegedly responsible for a partial building collapse in the Bronx in December has had their license suspended for two years by the city of New York and faces a $10,000 fine, according to reports. No one was injured but dozens of families lost their homes after the collapse of the seven-story apartment building, part of which was under…

Many of the primary factors that influenced the status of the Property & Casualty (P&C) market in 2023 are likely to remain in 2024. We continue to operate in a comparatively hard environment marked by rising but moderating rates on some lines of business, where it is often necessary to layer available capacity that includes carefully worded terms and conditions…

Despite the continued “flight toward profitability” for most carriers, moderation in both rate and capacity is occurring in many insurance sectors. Most rates are rising, but the level of increases is slowing. Capacity is generally available but often requires creativity. On the Casualty side, some classes remain stressed while carriers are competing for business in others. These and other trends…

A homeowner in Connecticut is facing a dog bite claim that will not be covered by insurance after his agent allegedly failed to disclose the dog on his Homeowners Insurance application. Antonio Laires, who is being sued over an incident in which his dog reportedly bit a woman on her face, claims he did not realize that his pet was…

A well-known personal injury attorney in Colorado recently filed a malpractice lawsuit against his former accountant, claiming that tax preparation errors on a 2017 return led to severe underpayment to the IRS. The attorney, Frank Azar, is accusing Louisiana accountant Timothy McKey of mistakes that led to Azar underpaying his federal taxes by $716,000 and incurring $170,000 in legal expenses…

The state of the professional liability market for contractors includes both challenges and opportunities. While the market is generally stable, there has been a recent increase in the severity of claims which has increased the costs of settling them. Today claims regularly take one year or longer to finalize. Added pressure is placed on the market in the form of…

We have seen few changes in the Property & Casualty (P&C) marketplace from Q1 through Q2 of 2023, however, the broader picture is becoming clearer now that 2022 year-end financial filings are available. According to ALIRT Insurance Research, the discrepancy between Personal and Commercial Lines Composite underwriting is historically wide. Namely, the Personal Lines Composite combined ratio of 109 percent…