Failure to acknowledge, pay or deny claims within specified timeframes tops the list of insurer violations that examining regulators find, Wolters Kluwer Financial Services said.

What are the most interesting, most challenging, most unusual exposures you've ever covered as an agent, broker or underwriter? Contact NU's Phil Gusman today at [email protected] to be included in his story for the Sept. 7 edition.

Recent insurance industry gains in capitalization may prove "ephemeral," as recessionary forces continue to constrain economic growth, Moody's Investors Service warned in a report today.

The Consumer Federation of America has weighed in with criticism of the Illinois decision to allow an insurance brokerage to resume charging scandal-tinged contingency commissions.

Bank holding company first-quarter insurance brokerage income declined by 5.7 percent to $3.03 billion, compared with last year's record $3.21 billion for the period, a consulting firm reported.

Hamilton, Bermuda-based insurer and reinsurer Max Capital Group Ltd. reported second-quarter net income of $43.8, a 41 percent decrease from the $74.2 million recorded for the period in 2008.

Bermuda-based AXIS Capital Holdings Limited reported second-quarter net income of $159 million, a 31 percent decline from 2008 second-quarter net income of $231 million.

Colorado State University forecasters slightly lowered their tropical storm outlook, saying arrival of a Pacific El Ni?o weather system will help lower the formation of Atlantic Basin hurricanes.