Commercial Lines

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett says Europe's debt concerns and the anemic U.S. home construction business will continue to hurt the economy even though many businesses are performing well.

Third-quarter reserve releases declined nearly 19 percent over the same period last year, which could put greater pressure on carriers to increase rates.

More than $2 billion in weather-related losses, and mark-to-market losses in investments, drove a third-quarter net loss of $852 million at Nationwide.

German insurer Allianz SE saw third quarter profits sag $350 million from $1.73 billion the year before because of investment losses and Greek bond writedowns from Europe's debt crisis.

Showing rate increases/decreases were flat for the month, MarketScouts October barometer provides further evidence of the soft market making a turnaround. One insurance-broker executive says he believes the industry is actually primed for an increase in demandalthough likely in areas outside the traditional property and casualty arena.

The last time buffer liability insurance was in vogue, Ronald Reagan was in the White House. But now, the need for a buffer layer of excess coverage is emerging back into the structure of risk-sharing within the excess and umbrella insurance worlda sign that the market is transitioning from soft...