E&S/Specialty

The American Association of Managing General Agents is gearing up for its annual meeting in Boca Raton, Fla., next month, drawing its members to the gathering with the promise of networking opportunities.

N.Y. Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo has begun an inquiry into whether Allstate Corporation engaged in illegal participation in unregulated insurance markets, after the insurer's CEO wrote an opinion piece calling for federal regulation.

Since desperate times often prompt desperate measures, companies should be on the lookout for a spike in criminal acts by employees fearful of losing their jobs in a worsening economy, risk managers were warned here last week.

The insurance industry will need to improve risk management, technology and cost-cutting strategies to survive the "deepest financial crisis and recession in two generations," a consulting firm is advising.

As a one-year mandatory medical malpractice rate freeze is set to expire at the end of June, interested stakeholders wait to see if state leaders will come up with a plan to address the state's worsening market.

Specialty insurer RLI Corp. reported a first-quarter 2009 net loss of $1.8 million, compared to the period last year when it posted a $25.5 million profit.