HCC Insurance Holdings

• Three Reports Point to Keenly Disappointing P&C 3Q, 9-Month Results

  By Phil Gusman, PropertyCasualty360.com, Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  December 1, 2011

  When looking at the property and casualty industry’s performance for the first nine months of 2011, or even just the third quarter, the news is the same: sharply declining profits and underwriting results compared to the same periods in 2010, according to three recent reports.

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  Specialty Insurers Lead Way in 2011, but Industry Underwriting Results Down

  By Phil Gusman, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  November 22, 2011

  Specialty commercial insurers continue to lead the way for property and casualty insurers’ underwriting results for this year’s first nine months, but results overall are down sharply compared to same period in 2010, according to a Fitch Ratings analysis.

• Auto Insurers’ 3Q Earnings Hit by Investments, Cats and Prior-Year Losses

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  November 3, 2011

  Auto insurers Mercury General Corp., Infinity Property and Casualty Corp. and Safety Insurance Group Inc. each report drops in third-quarter income, with Los Angeles-based Mercury General posting a $3.8 million loss.

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  P&C Earnings Struck By 2Q Cat; Commercial Market Still Intense, Says Moody's

  By Mark E. Ruquet, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  August 19, 2011

  Moody’s says second-quarter catastrophes took a toll on property and casualty insurer’s earnings, but there are no signs that price competition on the commercial side will let up anytime soon.

• Picky HIIG Seeks Unadvertised Specials

  By Susanne Sclafane, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  June 17, 2011

  If you own an underwriting agency with a very specialized, quality book of business—and have no plans to sell it—then Stephen Way, CEO of Houston International Insurance Group, may want to talk about making a deal.

• More M&As Expected in 2011; Big Names on List of Potential Targets

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  December 20, 2010

  Investment bank Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (KBW) said mergers and acquisitions accelerated during the 2010 second half, indicating that larger companies with abundant capital are looking for "opportunistic growth."

• More M&As Expected In 2011; Big Names On List Of Potential Targets

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  December 15, 2010

  Investment bank Keefe, Bruyette & Woods said mergers and acquisitions accelerated during the 2010 second half, indicating that larger companies with abundant capital are looking for "opportunistic growth."

• Oil Spill-Driven ILW Price Hikes Could Spread To Re Market, Exec Warns

  By Susanne Sclafane, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  July 5, 2010

  Although reinsurers cut prices for June 1 renewals, one Bermuda-based executive speculated that price hikes in the insurance loss warranty market--fueled by the Deepwater Horizon disaster--could eventually spread to the reinsurance market.

• Are Wholesaler Commissions At Risk In Ongoing Soft Market?

  By Susanne Sclafane, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  June 28, 2010

  Retail brokers may start seeking larger cuts of the commissions paid out on surplus lines transactions as the soft market continues, a specialty lines insurance executive suggested recently.

• No Turn Without AIG Price Leadership, Carrier Exec Says

  By Susanne Sclafane, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  June 21, 2010

  Current market conditions may be the "new normal"--lasting for several years-- industry leaders predicted recently, with one attributing the continued softness to the absence of American International Group's historical price leadership.