E&S/Specialty

Greenwich, Conn.-based insurer W.R. Berkley says 2011 fourth-quarter net income was down 7 percent, but its chief executive says rate increases are taking hold and 2012 should be a better year.

Environmental experts agree that 2012 will be the year of the rate increase for pollution-related coverages. This presents both challenges and opportunities to independent agents, who must help customers understand the realities of the marketplace.

Although insurance capacity for catastrophic perils is still available and affordable, some experts say last years huge losses already are driving up insurance costs and could shrink capacity, federal financial assistance or both.

Officials with the Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting Association are in London this week looking for reinsurance deals.

A judge Monday stopped attorneys trying to seize bank accounts of Louisiana's property insurer of last resort to collect more than $100 million they won for homeowners who claimed the company dragged its heels in adjusting hurricane claims in 2005.

Recently, an insured approached First Nonprofit about an event it wanted to host for participants in one of their youth programs at a recreation facility called Xtreme Trampoline. First Nonprofit's risk-management VP checked it outand persuaded the client persuaded that this was not a good idea.