Liberty Mutual Group reported 2009 fourth-quarter net income of $456 million, a 2 percent increase from $447 million recorded for the period in 2008 and it noted increases in net written premiums and strong core business performance.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners is ready to fight any provisions in proposed health care reform legislation that would allow federal preemption of state insurance rate regulation.

Specialist insurer and reinsurer Hiscox Ltd. reported 2009 profits increased by 296 percent over the previous year, helped by investment results and a lack of catastrophe losses.

Property and casualty insurers are seeing rising loss costs, increased levels of litigation and higher rates of fraudulent claims because of the struggling economy, a recent survey revealed.

The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) said it plans to lobby international regulators not to treat insurers as if they pose the same systemic risk as banks.

Social media outlets are a new marketing channel that insurers need to take advantage of, even though marketers are struggling to find out how best to leverage the new services in their favor, according to Mintel Corporation.

A bill, with language supplied by an insurance trade group, to deregulate insurance rates for some commercial lines excluding those exposed to catastrophic risk, has been introduced in the Florida Senate.

The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) said it plans to lobby international regulators not to treat insurers as if they pose the same systemic risk as banks.