Personal Lines

Industry leaders are proud of the way insurers handled and absorbed 2011s huge catastrophe losses, but what if this level of disaster claims becomes the new normal?

Where rooftops werent pummeled by hail in Texas in 2011, damage from wildfires scorched homes and set records for damage.

The good news for property and casualty insurers is that 2012 should see positive rate momentum. The bad news is that insured-exposure growth will not likely be a contributing factor to premium growth, according to a Keefe, Bruyette & Woods analysis.

Allstate Corp. is asking to raise rates for 144,000 Louisiana homeowners who get their insurance coverage from two Allstate companies.

The Travelers Cos. says 2011 fourth-quarter net income fell 31 percent as underwriting gains suffered from lower prior-year favorable reserve development and catastrophe losses.

Louisianas last-resort insurer is considering going to the U.S. Supreme Court after the states highest court chose not to reconsider its decision to reinstate a $92.7 million award in favor of policyholders.