The commercial transportation insurance market is far from hard and in some segments, first-quarter 2010 prices were lower than they were last year, according to a just-published survey of market participants.

Joseph Peloso, a veteran of the program business segment, remembers a time when unsolicited program proposals flooded the desks of property and casualty underwriters, offering more business than they could possibly handle.

Non-U.S. organizations vaulted up a premium ranking of writers of excess and surplus lines insurance in the United States in 2009, although industrywide U.S. E&S premiums shrank for the third straight year.

With Richmond, Va., continually growing as an excess and surplus lines insurance hub, the newest E&S carrier to set up shop there will distinguish itself with a "contrarian underwriting strategy," the company's chief executive says.

With an eye toward servicing $1,500 surplus lines accounts rather than $200,000 accounts, the newest managing general agency in Connecticut aims to grow by capturing the small, hard-to-place business of each retail agent customer.

After seeing damages awarded against it in one lawsuit, a Chinese drywall maker announced last week that it settled a case brought against it by U.S. homebuilder Beazer Homes for an undisclosed dollar amount.

A Chinese drywall maker announced that it settled a case brought against it by U.S. homebuilder, Beazer Homes, for an undisclosed dollar amount.

A Chinese drywall maker announced that it settled a case brought against it by U.S. homebuilder, Beazer Homes, for an undisclosed dollar amount.