An agent's association said it believes certain insurance companies are demanding confidential information about independent agents' books of business so it can bypass them on sales.

The world's two major insurance brokers earned a 100 percent positive rating on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) issues from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

Standard & Poor's rating service lowered the financial strength rating of guarantee insurer MBIA Insurance Corp. over concern that it is still experiencing adverse loss development.

Property and casualty insurance industry first-half net income fell 59.3 percent, reflecting weakness in the economy and losses in investment income, according to an industry report.

A large majority of insurance executives in the United Kingdom believe that if the government does not overhaul the tax system, there will be a drop in the number of U.K.-based carriers, one trade group's survey found.

Airline insurance placements saw their third straight month of premium increase pointing to an increasingly hardening market in that sector, Aon insurance brokerage said.

Lloyd's of London reported a profit increase of 39 percent for the first six months of this year, but warned that the ongoing effects of the recession and uncertainty over natural catastrophes could still adversely affect year-end results.

Lloyd's of London reported profit increased 39 percent for the first six months, but warned that recession effects and uncertainty over natural catastrophes could adversely affect year end results.