Personal Insurance Business

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  Channel Changers: Can Consumers Be Convinced to Switch?

  By Sam J. Friedman  |  May 17, 2012

  Disintermediation won’t be easy in the personal-lines market, at least among many of those who work with agents today, but direct buyers appear to be more open to purchasing through an intermediary, a Deloitte Research consumer survey indicates.

• Win 3 iPads

  By Staff Writer  |  May 17, 2012

  Enter your agency in AA&B's and NU's Commercial Agency Awards for Excellence. Entries due July 2.

• New Quota-Share Treaty at State Auto Keeps Q1 Loss at $2M

  By Chad Hemenway, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 4, 2012

  State Auto Financial Corp. reports a $2 million net loss for the first quarter, but it could have been worse.

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  Insured Cost of April Events Near $1 Billion, Says Aon Benfield

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

  Led by severe weather, especially tornadoes, in the United States, global insured losses for the month of April are close to $1 billion, says Aon Benfield.

• Allstate Q1 Income Up 46% on Better Auto, Home Results

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

  Allstate Corp. says first-quarter net income increased about 46 percent to $766 million as its strategy to improve margins in auto and homeowners insurance is paying off, Allstate's CEO says.

• Hartford Q1 Profit Falls 81% on Runoff Operations

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

  First quarter net income at The Hartford was down about 81 percent to $96 million, as net losses from runoff operations totaled $378 million. Core earnings were up 7 percent.

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  Florida Insurance Scam Leads to Arrest of 'America’s Most Wanted' Fugitive

  By Laura Mazzuca Toops, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 2, 2012

  A fugitive on the lam for 29 years was arrested as investigators were questioning his wife for insurance fraud.

• Nationwide Completes Harleysville Acquisition

  By Staff Writer  |  May 1, 2012

  Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. says it has completed its previously announced agreement to combine with Harleysville Mutual Insurance Co. and Harleysville Group Inc.

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  Personal Lines Insurers Balance Channel Activity & Technology to Attract & Retain Customers

  By Robert Regis Hyle, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  May 1, 2012

  If technology has done one thing in the personal lines world of insurance it is to increase the competitive nature among carriers. Through advances in automated underwriting and easier connectivity through the Internet, insurers of all sizes are going after the same customers.

• Fewer Consumers Shopping Auto Insurance Despite More Advertising

  By Phil Gusman, PropertyCasualty360.com  |  April 30, 2012

  Fewer auto-insurance consumers are shopping their coverage today, but those who do shop seem more willing to switch providers than in years past thanks to competitive quotes, according to J.D. Power and Associates.