With the backing of $500 million and a chief executive seasoned in the ways of mergers, Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC is preparing to line up acquisitions, which it sees as the fast-track way to grow

Mr. Mered joins Zurich from AIG where he held various senior positions during his long tenure with the company, from financial lines underwriting and running AIG's Egypt operations to holding a

Richard Kerr, CEO of Dallas-based MarketScout--which conducts the monthly "Market Barometer" survey--said the decline in insurance prices will be coming to a halt because rates have become inadequate

The focus on risk management has intensified as crises have roiled through markets, such as the collapse of major corporations due to mismanagement and daily developments on Wall Street arising from