Fitch Affirms Midland National Life & North American Co. for Life & Health Insurance IFS at 'AA-'.
HEALTH AND BEAUTY CLOSE-UP-6 July 2008-Fitch Affirms Midland National Life & North American Co. for Life & Health Insurance IFS at 'AA-'(C)2008 - CloseUpMedia - newsdesk@closeupmedia.com Fitch Ratings has affirmed the 'AA-' insurer financial strength (IFS) ratings of Midland National Life Insurance Company (Midland) and North American...

BUSINESS BRIEFS.
COLUMN: BUSINESS BRIEFS TELEGRAM & GAZETTE Bloomberg Index Central Massachusetts +0.06 182.50 Volume: 52,385,510 Up: 16 Down: 11 Unchanged: 5 Gainer: American Superconductor Corp. $17.13 +$1.18 (volume of 774,321...

Malayan Insurance stable outlook rating affirmed.
A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of B++ (Good) and the issuer credit rating of "bbb" of Malayan Insurance Company, Inc. (MICO) (Philippines). The outlook for both rating is stable. The ratings reflect Malayan's strengthened risk-adjusted capitalization, strong market presence with diversified...

Due diligence on D & O: six insurance questions you should ask before joining a board.
YOU HAVE BEEN INVITED to become a director of Titan Tech Corp. This is one of the most exciting growth companies in the world, and, if truth be told, you are eager to rub elbows with Titan Tech's current directors--captains of industry and former top government officials. You want...

Navigating the ratings maze. (Risk Primer).
Never before has selecting a financially secure insurance company been such a game of chance. Insurance companies' ratings have been plummeting and once prominent and financially secure companies are falling by the wayside. Insurance companies now seem to fall from grace within months of initial press reports about their...

Insurer smoothes bumps with rising premiums.
Byline: The Register-Guard Unanticipated claims from asbestos victims, losses after the 2001 terrorist attacks and criticism from financial rating agencies have spelled an unsettling couple of years for Liberty Mutual. The costs were high: $500 million paid to Sept. 11 victims and a $1.1 billion...

On alert: Terror coverage prompts concerns; although some commercial insurers are responding to the need for terrorism coverage, much about the risk remains unknown. (Special Report: Insurance Executive).
Nature abhors a vacuum, and insurers abhor uncertainty. Since September 11, uncertainty about if and when additional terrorist attacks might occur has led the insurance industry to cancel or limit terrorism coverage, causing ripple effects throughout the rest of the economy. Many sectors--such as real estate, construction,...

Business briefs.
COLUMN: BUSINESS BRIEFS TELEGRAM & GAZETTE Bloomberg Index Central Massachusetts +1.10 182.48 Volume: 63,017,820 Up: 15 Down: 9 Unchanged: 8 Gainer: Cytyc Corp. $41.44 +$0.70 (Volume of...

Health coverage renewal: a checklist.
It's renewal time for your health plan, and your carrier informs you of another double-digit rate increase. Now what? Should you seek out another carrier? The danger is you could end up with just a cheaper health plan. The right health plan, after all, amounts to more than the...

Business briefs.
COLUMN: BUSINESS BRIEFS TELEGRAM & GAZETTE Bloomberg Index Central Massachusetts +0.77 181.36 Volume: 78,998,053 Up: 13 Down: 13 Unchanged: 6 Gainer: Waters Corp. $67.46 +$1.00 (Volume of...