The buyers market has not only continued into 2008 but accelerated, with the average commercial insurance rate decline deepening by 1.5 points to 13.5 percent for the first three months of the year, according to the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers.

The CIAB's quarterly survey found the soft market firmly entrenched, as none of the 119 broker respondents reported an up-tick in rates for accounts of any size.

For the first quarter, the average decline in rates for small accounts (commission and fees of less than $25,000) stood at 10 percent. Midsize accounts (between $25,000 and $100,000) saw rates fall an average of 14.7 percent, while large accounts (above $100,000) experienced the steepest drop at 15.7 percent.

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