Two common themes emerge when talking with risk managers in the process of renewing their insurance programs for 2014: In terms of rates, staying flat is the new "win," and effective loss-prevention programs and careful management of exposures in 2013 aided significantly in maintaining (and in a few cases, lowering) rates when it came time to go to market.

"My programs have either been flat to minimally increased, and terms and conditions have broadened a little," says Mike Liebowitz, director of risk management and insurance at New York University and NU P&C advisory board member. His renewals are within previous historical parameters for all of NYU's lines of coverage, and he sees no abnormal spiking or changes in terms of conditions.

"We haven't seen any withdrawals in coverage either; even for workers' compensation in New York City, which is a very difficult placement. But we only saw a single-digit increase. But we also saw it last year, and the year before that."