Personal Lines

Insured losses from Monday's killer earthquake in Italy are likely to range between EUR200 million ($265 million) and EUR400 million ($530 million), a catastrophe modeling firm estimated.

Property-casualty insurance rate decreases were one point less in March than the previous month, according to tracking by an electronic insurance exchange.

The quake that struck near L'Acquila, Italy killing more than 200 persons and demolishing thousands of buildings is unlikely to inflict a major insurance loss, according to figures from one expert.

A spokesman for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation said that many insurers have expressed interested in providing coverage for policyholders with suspended home insurer Coral Insurance Co.

The G-20 meeting generated a number of proposals that if implemented would have a strong benefit for U.S. insurers, according to officials at an industry trade group.

Despite continued increases in loss costs, the private passenger auto insurance industry should continue to remain profitable, benefiting from the weak economy, a financial analyst said.

Bills to ease rules for bringing "bad faith" lawsuits in claim disputes have been introduced in a growing number of state legislatures, but so far insurance interests have been winning.

A study of auto crash injury claims has found that in collisions where vehicles had front and side airbag systems, injuries were less severe and claim costs were lower.