A.M. Best Co.

• Worst of the Best

  By Barry Zalma  |  April 1, 2013

  Agent who misrepresented company's A.M. Best rating can't sue after suspension

• Heavily-Vetted Weston Ready to Shoulder Heavy Load in Florida Take-Out Program

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  February 13, 2013

  Following nearly two years of modeling, stress-testing and refining its business model, Weston Insurance Co. is ready to embark on a “precedent-setting” move to assume about $30 billion in exposure from Florida’s bloated last-resort insurer.

• Meadowbrook Enters Quota Share Agreement with Swiss Re

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  December 21, 2012

  Meadowbrook Insurance Group, currently under review by rating agency A.M. Best Co., says it has reached a quota-share agreement with Swiss Re to address capital concerns.

• Meadowbrook Under Review by A.M. Best

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  October 25, 2012

  On the heels of Meadowbrook Insurance Group’s announcement that it was adding $31 million to its reserves, rating agency A.M. Best Co. says it has placed the insurer under review with negative implications.

• Allstate Agents Reenter Mass. Auto Market After 25 Years Away

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  October 3, 2012

  Consumers will be able to visit an Allstate agent in the Boston area for the first time in a generation as the insurer looks to expand its presence in Massachusetts—a result of state's changing regulatory environment.

• Income Statements, Not Balance Sheets, Driving E&S Rate Increases

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  October 1, 2012

  The E&S market may be seeing some positive rate movement, but a lack of supply or capacity isn’t the reason, says Lexington Insurance Co. President David Bresnahan.

• Income Statements, Not Balance Sheets, Driving E&S Rate Increases

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  September 25, 2012

  The excess and surplus lines market may be seeing some positive rate movement, but a lack of supply or capacity isn’t the reason.

• Validus to Buy Flagstone Re for $623 Million in Cash, Stock

  By Chad Hemenway and Mark E. Ruquet, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  September 10, 2012

  Less than one year after its unsuccessful pursuit of Transatlantic Holdings, Validus Holdings says it has reached an agreement to buy Flagstone Reinsurance Holdings for about $623 million in cash and stock.

• Ratings Agencies: Validus Remains Strong After Flagstone Acquisition

  By Mark E. Ruquet, PropertyCasualty360.com, Phil Gusman, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  September 4, 2012

  Ratings agencies agree that Validus Holdings should not see significant negative repercussions from its proposed acquisition of Flagstone Reinsurance Holdings, as statements today indicate Validus’ ratings will remain unchanged.

• Through His Eyes: Then-Fla. Insurance Commissioner Remembers Andrew

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  August 29, 2012

  Tom Gallagher recounts the damage Hurricane Andrew inflicted and an industry forever changed.

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  PC360 Exclusive: Florida Insurance Commissioner During Andrew Remembers the Storm—and Assesses Its Game-Changing Impact

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  August 23, 2012

  It was the storm no one thought, or no one remembered, could happen and it would forever change Florida's property market and the way the insurance industry does business.

• Meet the New Boss: Benefits of the Tokio Marine Acquisition

  By James Murdock  |  August 6, 2012

  When Tokio Marine Holdings Inc. announced it would acquire Philadelphia Consolidated Holding Corp. for $4.8 billion in July 2008—near the height of the global economic meltdown—market-watchers were impressed but not overly surprised at the hefty price tag. Some four years on, many agree, the deal still looks smart.

• Snow, Wind and Fire Poach Profits from NU’s Top 100 P&C Performers

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  July 23, 2012

  Catastrophe losses were primarily to blame for NU’s Top 100 insurance groups posting a 110 combined ratio, despite an overall increase in net premiums written.

• Billionaire Hedge-Fund Manager Steps into Reinsurance Ring

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  July 11, 2012

  Billionaire hedge-fund manager Steven A. Cohen has decided to inject $500 million of additional capital into the Bermuda reinsurance markets.

• State of the U.S. Reinsurance Market: Higher Prices, But No Real Hardening

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  July 9, 2012

  Despite 2011’s huge catastrophe losses, abundant reinsurance capacity is largely keeping price increases at bay.

• Navigate a Difficult Market

  By Paul Morrissette  |  June 28, 2012

  Up-to-date market data helps agents retain clients when premiums fluctuate