Commercial Lines

Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Liberty Insurance Co. Ltd., has been granted approval to establish a branch in Shandong province by the China Insurance Regulatory Commission.

Firefighters battled wildfires across the U.S. West on Tuesday, including a massive out-of-control blaze that has destroyed at least 60 homes and burned more than 28,000 acres between two national forests in Washington state.

A round of storms in late June and early July has amounted to the third costliest insurance event in Ohio history with estimated insured losses of at least $433.5 million.

A round of storms in late June and early July has amounted to the third costliest insurance event in Ohio history with estimated insured losses of at least $433.5 million.

Despite rising rates and second-quarter performance that met or beat estimates for most insurers, the outlook for the industry is considered challenging, according to one analyst firm, as loss trends are picking up in personal lines and investment income is worsening across the industry.

A hardening market and exposure growth in Nationwides commercial lines segment has led to a 19 percent growth in policy sales during the first half of 2012.