Relationships Key in Bidding Process.
No matter which technique you use to place your insurance business, it's the people who make the difference when choosing a broker. Risk managers have options when they take their insurance programs to market. They can use three different techniques: open bidding, request for proposal (RFP) and...

Calif. regulators push for rate cuts.
California employers faced with skyrocketing workers' compensation premiums over the last couple of years may get a break soon. Reform legislation is expected to save at least $4 billion, according to a rating agency. That could translate to a rate decrease of 2.9 percent. But insurers are wary of...

Life Insurance For Estate Plans.
Life insurance is most commonly purchased to provide money to beneficiaries in the event of the death of a breadwinner. However, for school administrators in the middle to end portion of their careers, life insurance also can play an important role as an estate planning tool. Principally,...

The Warming of the Globe.
Global warming has the potential to not only increase the severity of hurricanes, flooding, and wildfires, but also claims for business interruption and heat-related workers' compensation. Here's a look at the risks associated with climate changes. The scientific community continues to improve its understanding of the scope...

S&P Lowers Golden Rule Insurance Company Ratings to 'A+'; Outlook Stable.
NEW YORK, Mar. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Standard & Poor's today lowered its counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on Golden Rule Insurance Co. (GRI) to single-'A'-plus from double-'A'-minus. The outlook is stable. GRI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Golden Rule Financial Corp. The downgrade...

Chapter 3: Highly rated insurers.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Push to the Forefront For the A.M. Best Co., 1905 and 1906 proved to be pivotal years in its rise to prominence on the credit ratings landscape. Founded in 1899 by Alfred M. Best, the company first operated out of a single...

Lincoln Financial Group Comments on Standard & Poor's Ratings Action.
S&P Affirms 'AA' Financial Strength Ratings with Stable Outlook PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lincoln Financial Group today announced that Standard & Poor's ("S&P") affirmed its AA counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company and Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of...

Assurant Comments on A.M. Best Ratings Statement; Ratings Continue to Reflect Assurant's Solid Financial Position.
NEW YORK, Nov. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Assurant, Inc. ("Assurant") , a premier provider of specialty insurance and insurance-related products and services, today commented on A.M. Best's statement regarding the company's financial strength ratings. "We were very pleased to see that A.M. Best affirmed the ratings of nineteen...

Rating actions.
This edition reflects all financial strength rating changes--assignments, changes or placed under review--that occurred for life, health and property/casualty insurers domiciled in North America, as well as non-U.S. insurance companies, since this section last appeared in the October 2008 edition of Best's Review. See page 29 for...

Rating actions.
This edition reflects all financial strength rating changes--assignments, changes or placed under review--that occurred for life, health and property/casualty insurers domiciled in North America, as well as non-U.S, insurance companies, since this section last appeared in the September 2008 edition of Best's Review. See page 27 for...