Average rate increases forcommercial and personal lines continued their slow ascent throughAugust, rising an additional point over the prior month, saysMarketScout.

The Dallas-based electronic exchange's P&Ccommercial-insurance market barometer puts the composite rate forU.S.-based commercial risks up 5 percent for August. Rates heldsteady at up 4 percent for the months of May, June and July of thisyear.

Commercial Property rates in the United States were up 7 percentin August—an acceleration from a 6 percent increase seen inJuly.

Workers' Compensation and General Liability rates were up 6percent for the month. Rates for Directors and Officers Liabilityincreased to up 4 percent from 3 percent in July. EmploymentPractices Liability insurance rates held steady, up by 3percent.

But not all lines saw an uptick in rate increases in August.Commercial Auto rates slipped from up 5 percent in July to up 4percent in August. Likewise, rates for Umbrella were up 3 percentin August after being up 4 percent in July.

By account size, rates for small and medium-sized accounts wereup 5 percent; large accounts were up 4 percent; and jumbo accountsof more than $1 million were up 3 percent, says MarketScout.

From an industry-class perspective, rate increases in Augustwere led by 6 percent hikes in manufacturing and contracting.

In personal lines, rates in August this year compared to August2011 were up 3 percent—an increase from being up 2 percent inJuly.

Homeowners' insurance was up 3 percent in August, while Autoinsurance rates were up 2 percent for the month.