State Farm secured four of the 10 most notable calculated premium changes by US private auto insurers in the first quarter, according to an S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis. Subsidiary State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. led the pack with a 24.9% rate increase in New York, resulting in a calculated premium change of approximately $679.8 million. This marked the most impactful rate hike of the period, affecting about 1.75 million policyholders.

Assicurazioni Generali SpA's proposal to acquire the entire shareholding of its Chinese property and casualty insurance business was the largest deal in the Asia-Pacific insurance market in the first quarter, based on transaction value, according to an analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence. The Italian insurer agreed to acquire a 51% stake in Generali China Insurance Co. Ltd. from CNPC Capital for about 774 million yuan. This transaction will make Generali the first foreign player to obtain a controlling stake in a property and casualty insurer from a single state-owned...

In 2023, mortgage loans held by US life insurers reached record levels in terms of aggregate dollar value and as a percentage of invested assets. This surge occurred despite indications of weakening asset quality in their exposure to commercial real estate.

The U.S. insurance industry continues to grapple with the challenges of persistently high inflation, according to experts at an S&P Global Market Intelligence webinar held on April 30. Despite a slight moderation in inflationary pressures from previous levels, they remain elevated compared to pre-pandemic years.

The United Nations' recently launched net-zero insurance initiative is more resistant to antitrust attacks than its predecessor, the Net-Zero Insurance Alliance (NZIA), according to Butch Bacani, chairman of the new initiative. The UN disbanded the NZIA on April 25 due to allegations of antitrust violations and replaced it with the Forum for Insurance Transition to Net Zero (FIT). Bacani, who also oversees insurance for the UN Environment Programme Finance initiative, serves as chair.

Progressive Corp.'s personal lines business has reported a combined ratio of 84.5% in the first quarter, significantly below management's 96% target and marking the lowest such result for the segment in a first quarter since 2004. This follows an unexpected downturn in underwriting results from March 2023, which led Progressive to reduce its expansion pace, including cutting back on advertising expenditure.

The first quarter of 2024 is projected to bring growth in earnings for the majority of US life insurers, both on a year-over-year and sequential basis. Analyst estimates compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence indicate that out of 15 publicly traded US life insurers, 12 are expected to record year-over-year increases in first-quarter earnings. The same group is also anticipated to perform better sequentially, with eight projected to have higher earnings in Q1 2024 than in the preceding quarter.

Shares in The Travelers Cos. Inc. experienced a dip this week following the release of first-quarter earnings that revealed unexpectedly high catastrophe losses, contrasting with other sector heavyweights. The insurer reported a first-quarter net income of $1.12 billion, an increase from $975 million during the same period in 2023. However, catastrophe losses also escalated due to severe wind and hailstorms in the central and eastern regions of the US, reaching $712 million pretax, up from $535 million in 2023.

The global shipping industry is likely to experience a significant increase in freight, insurance, and crew wages in the near term due to Israel's retaliatory missile attack on Iran. However, ongoing loadings are expected to continue as usual, according to market participants on April 19.

On November 15, 2023, revised insurance risk-based capital adequacy criteria were released, assigning a UCO identifier to ratings that could potentially be affected by the change. This designation was used to highlight the possibility of a rating action on specific issuer and issue ratings. A UCO identifier was assigned to one or more ratings on 63 issuers, their subsidiaries, or related issues.

The majority of US health insurers are projected to record year-over-year revenue growth for the first quarter of 2024, despite nearly half of them expecting a drop in Earnings Per Share (EPS) during the same period. This forecast is based on an S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis of sell-side analyst predictions.

Shares of Globe Life Inc. experienced one of their most significant drops on record this past Thursday, following a report by short seller Fuzzy Panda Research alleging fraudulent practices within the company and its subsidiary, American Income Life Insurance Company. The Texas-based life insurer's stock plunged over 50% in response to these claims.

State-backed UK terrorism reinsurer Pool Reinsurance Co. Ltd. is "very confident" that its members will vote in favor of fundamental changes to how it is run. The changes, which include shifting to catastrophe treaty-style reinsurance coverage from the current facultative model, are part of Pool Re's remit to return more risk to the private insurance market, which is a condition of its unlimited guarantee from the UK government. Pool Re is classified as an arms-length body of the UK Treasury department."The government support for the scheme ... sits as a cornerstone for...

Mergers and acquisitions in the UK insurance industry saw a rise in 2023, contrasting with a broader slowdown in deal activity across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence data, "there were 156 acquisitions of UK insurance targets last year, up from 130 in 2022."While deal numbers across EMEA decreased, the UK stood out as the most active M&A market in the region. The main driver behind the UK's volume was broker M&A, with a large number of small brokers and larger groups pursuing buy-and-build strategies. Notable deals included...

According to estimates from S&P Global Market Intelligence, individual annuity direct premiums and considerations surged by 21.8% in 2023, marking a third straight year of double-digit growth. The most substantial annual growth rate for this product category since 2002."A resilient domestic economy, rising interest rates, and ample supply of attractive products led to outsized expansion in individual annuities during a year of otherwise mixed growth in business volumes for the US life insurance industry." - S&P Global Market IntelligenceThe top six individual entities...

Florida domestic residential property insurers saw a positive financial turnaround in 2023 after seven years of struggling. According to an analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence, the group of around 50 insurers reported a net income of $147.3 million for the year, marking a significant improvement from previous years of losses exceeding $1 billion.One of the key factors contributing to this improvement was a notable increase in investment income and better underwriting results. Additionally, the industry benefited from a mild hurricane season and saw a rise in...

Property and casualty insurers doing business in California will be able to expand their use of catastrophe modeling under a new proposal from the state regulator. The California Department of Insurance is proposing that insurers be permitted to use catastrophe models that include wildfire, terrorism, and flood lines for both homeowners and commercial insurance lines.The proposal, which is the second element of the regulator's Sustainable Insurance Strategy introduced by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, aims to revise what can be included in catastrophe modeling. This...

Amidst persisting volatility in capital markets, insurers in the Asia-Pacific region are facing uncertainties over earnings, prompting them to actively manage their investments. According to S&P Global Ratings analysts, 98% of rated insurers in Asia-Pacific have a stable outlook, but the ongoing market fluctuations are impacting profitability.Lead analyst Wenwen Chen highlighted that insurers in the region are reassessing risk-return balances and becoming more selective due to credit stresses, particularly in real estate and alternative investments. Chen also noted that...

Shares of Heritage Insurance Holdings and American Coastal Insurance Corp., two Florida-based homeowners' insurers, have experienced significant increases in their stock prices as a result of strategic shifts and favorable weather conditions. Heritage Insurance Holdings' share price has surged by 115.9% to $7.86, while American Coastal Insurance Corp. has seen a remarkable 438.1% increase to $10.60.Heritage Insurance Holdings announced a strategic focus on commercial lines and the excess and surplus market, leading to its stock price rise. Similarly, American Coastal...

Japanese life insurers Dai-ichi Life Holdings Inc., T&D Holdings Inc., and Japan Post Insurance Co. Ltd. are all making significant progress towards achieving their annual profit forecasts for the fiscal year ending March 30, 2024.Dai-ichi Life Holdings Inc. reported a remarkable 42.1% year-over-year growth in net income, attributing the increase to various positive factors. The company stated, "The improvement in T&D Holdings' nine-month profit was largely due to a 'reactionary decline' in large temporary valuation losses related to Fortitude, a foreign reinsurance...