The Colorado State University Hurricane Forecast Team has issued an initial prediction calling for an above-average storm season next year with up to eight hurricanes.

Subrogation of claims, which can yield a high return on investment, is still not a core function for a majority of insurers in a survey.

The property and casualty insurance industry is expected to see an underwriting loss this year, with no let-up in the soft market through 2010 barring a substantial market shift, according to Fitch Ratings.

The International Insurance Society has announced five candidates from Israel, Australia, Brazil, the United Kingdom and Taiwan for the 2010 Insurance Hall of Fame Awards.

Language contained in insurers' own claim manuals may void policy exclusion provisions insurers have used to deny homeowners' Chinese drywall damage claims, an insurance law expert testified

The insurance industry will undergo increasing consolidation as part of the fallout from government intervention and potential tax law changes following the financial crisis, a consulting firm is advising.

NU readers responding to a recent query concede the value of recruiting a diverse work force, but not as an ethical imperative or an end unto itself, notes NU Editor Sam Friedman, who invites reader comment on his blog at www.NUSamSoapBox.com.

Wells Fargo Insurance Services Inc. said it acquired two insurance agencies earlier this month, one in Florida and the other in Washington State.