BriteCore CEO and Founder Phil Reynolds provides insights into the risks, challenges and opportunities affecting the changing insurance market due in large part to data. He says many insurers simply so not understand what their data means. The data collected on policies, claims, losses and consumer behaviors is a gold mine, and most don’t even know it. He notes that …

According to Sean Kevelighan, President & CEO of the Insurance Information Institute (III), says catastrophes, both natural and man-made, are having a large impact on personal lines insurance carriers. An increase in natural catastrophe has an impact on auto and homeowner’s insurance, and the “vastly underserved” flood market continues to be an issue. The auto insurance market is being impacted …

Kimberly Muccia, a Financial Analyst at A.M. Best Company, comments on the impact of catastrophic losses on the financial strength of insurers. Among the catastrophes affecting the auto and homeowner lines of business in 2018 were hurricanes and wildfires, resulting in about $17 billion for the Mutual Insurance segment alone. Despite the losses, Mutuals posted approximately a 6 percent increase …

According to AAIS Product Manager Casey Brewer, the biggest issues facing auto insurers today revolve around technology and the speed of technological change. Technology is changing the nature of the risk to the vehicle, as well as driver behavior and distracted driving and the insurer’s operations. Ironically, the opportunities auto insurers have are related to the challenges. New technologies are …

AAIS President and CEO Ed Kelly discusses the major issues industry executives are concerned about heading into 2018, including technology, the new economy and buying behavior, as well as government regulation. While technology remains an enabler in the insurance industry, Mr. Kelly notes that the new uses of technology are the “disruptors.” “We’ve seen that with automation…the use if drones, …

  Over the past decade, a steady flow of disruptive forces has impacted the personal auto insurance market, including telematics, the sharing economy and autonomous vehicles. AAIS Auto Product Manager Casey Brewer discusses how they are reshaping the Personal Auto insurance market, and myriad challenges and opportunities it creates for carriers.   Telematics programs provide insurers with access to vast amounts …

PORTLAND, Oregon and PUNE, India, November 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ –According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, “Usage-Based Insurance Market by Product Type (Pay-As-You-Drive Insurance (PAYD), Pay-How-You-Drive Insurance (PHYD), and Manage-How-You-Drive Insurance (MHYD) and Technology (OBD-II-Based UBI Programs, Smartphone-Based UBI Programs, Hybrid-Based UBI Programs, and Black-Box-Based UBI Programs): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2014–2022,” the global …

In part two of this special AAIS Advisory Report on the auto insurance market, John Kadous, VP of Personal Lines at AAIS, talks about how emerging exposure, technology and Big Data are impacting carriers’ approach to auto policies. With increasing uptake of telematics, we see more data is being generated and more underwriting tools for auto insurance carriers. Mr. Kadous …

Current stability and underwriting profits are giving way to growing loss trends, investment headwinds and deteriorating profits. Still, that will not be enough to harden insurance markets in 2017, according to Jim Auden, Managing Director & Head of U.S. Property & Casualty at Fitch Ratings The overall industry is “pretty stable” right now, as is Fitch’s ratings outlook. That stability …

Sustained increases in casualty pricing in the auto insurance lines are due in part to losses penetrating primary insurance and penetrating the umbrella level. That, according to Gerry Skalka, SVP and Head of Casualty Underwriting at Munich Re. He also notes higher awards from jury verdicts are having an impact on casualty pricing. He remains confident that the market will …

With losses from Hurricane Mathew and other catastrophe losses, 2016 has seen the highest loss activity in three years. Even so, according to Andrew Marcell, Global Head of Strategy at Aon Benfield, the impact on rates in property reinsurance will be fairly minimal. There are numerous emerging risks from new technologies and the sharing economy. For instance, Aon reports a …

The top three challenges facing reinsurance underwriters today are too much supply versus demand, new technology and data, and cyber risk. That, according to Martin Neuhaus, Chief Underwriting Officer of the Reinsurance Division at Munich Re America. Mr. Neuhaus says the oversupply of capital demands discipline from underwriters, and new technology and the amount of data now available require underwriters …

I.I.I. White Paper Finds Increase In Frequency And Severity Of Auto Crashes NEW YORK, October 20, 2016 — Over the past two years, U.S. auto insurance companies have seen private-passenger loss costs rise sharply as insurers receive more, and costlier, claims, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) “There has been an alarming increase in crashes and claims reported. This, …

Bryon Ehrhart , Global Head of Strategic Growth & Development at Aon Benfield, discusses the threats and opportunities in today’s insurance market. Mr. Ehrhart says the threats do not surround the same issues faced 20 years ago after Hurricane Andrew and the Northridge Earthquake.  Now that the industry has managed the risk down to lower levels of earnings and capital, …

WRIN.tv spoke with Munich Re America’s Michael Quigley, Head of Property Underwriting, and Stephan Hochburger, SVP & Client Executive, about threats and opportunities in insurance and reinsurance. In the current environment, Mr. Hochburger sees the biggest threat to insurers and reinsurers low interest rates and excess capital, as well as lower reserve levels. “Digitalization” is a new threat, but it …

AAIS President and CEO Ed Kelly speaks with WRIN.tv about technology challenges and opportunities posed by “disruptors.” While ‘retaining talent’ and ‘competition’ are among the major issues facing all insurers, Mr. Kelly sees technology as the biggest challenge. He says cyber risk is on everyone’s mind, particularly CEOs. Unfortunately, much of the focus for insurers revolves around legacy systems, and should be more about …

New augmented reality games like Pokémon GO have taken the world by storm. But there is real concern that avid players may “GET UP, GET OUT AND EXPLORE!” while driving. Even the Pokémon GO website reminds players to “never play while on a bike, driving a car…or anything else where you need to pay attention – for that matter. Esurance …

According to the Global Status Report on Road Safety released by the World Health Organization, over 1.25 million people die from traffic accidents each year, with millions more sustaining serious injuries. With behavior-based insurance quickly gaining momentum and offered by larger domestic insurers including Allstate, Liberty Mutual and Progressive Insurance, lesser known insurers such as ADI are seeking innovative ways to introduce telematics to …

In a recent edition of A.M. Best’s First Monday series, Vice President Rich Attanasio discusses how usage-based data and advances in automobile technologies are driving changes in the U.S. personal automobile sector. The advancement of safety features in vehicles is having a positive impact in regards to frequency trends in the personal automobile sector said Mr. Attanasio. New technologies including crash avoidance …

An agreement between leading U.S. insurance providers and Transportation Network Companies, like Uber and Lyft would clarify how much ride-share services must insure drivers…anytime they are working. Ride-share companies have been criticized for gaps in their insurance coverage and cab drivers and local governments have sought regulations that would put companies like Uber and Lyft on a more level playing …