Distinguished Blog - Market Insights
Market insights and industry news.
Must-Have Inclusions in Your Art Insurance Policy
People collect art for many different reasons. Some have a passion for fine art, while others love discovering emerging artists or incorporating valuable art pieces as part of their asset portfolio. Families acquire artwork as a means of passing down their legacy to their children. A number of businesses invest in art collections curated to…
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Social Inflation and the Hard Market
In understanding and analyzing the “hard insurance market” – characterized by higher premiums, diminished capacity, new sub-limits, additional policy exclusions, changes to coverage forms, and tighter underwriting guidelines – you have to look at the impact that social inflation has had on our industry. Social inflation refers to recent growth over the last several years…
Adopting New Liability Risk-Mitigation Approach to Stem Mega Verdicts
Our litigious environment has been exacerbated over the last several years due to several factors including the rise of nuclear liability verdicts that run into the tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars. Contributing to these mega verdicts is anti-business sentiment and corporate mistrust by jurors. Juries feel more sympathetic toward injured plaintiffs and…
Why Participate In/Host Webinars
Before COVID was part of our vernacular and impacting our everyday lives, including the move to remote work, learning, conferences, and events, webinars already played a pivotal role in the insurance industry. Now, in a world still struggling to combat coronavirus, they have become even more relevant.
COVID Construction Spike Leads to Lumber Shortages
In March of 2020, American lumber mills curtailed operations, citing both employee health and safety concerns and an expected plunge in demand. As months-long quarantines kept Americans locked in their homes, however, home improvement projects and renovations skyrocketed. The failure of lumber producers to foresee this increased demand for construction supplies has led to widespread…
In the Weeds on the State of Cannabis
Marijuana laws are changing at a rapid pace across the country. Since 2012, 15 states and Washington, DC have legalized marijuana for adults over the age of 21. In total, 43 states have legalized medicinal or recreational use of marijuana. New Jersey, Arizona, Montana, and South Dakota in their November elections are the most recent…
2021 Insurance Market Insights: Part 2
In our previous article, we provided an overview of the hard insurance market cycle and what to expect in 2021. Here we will dive deeper into how COVID-19 is influencing the hard market in certain coverage lines.
2021 Insurance Market Insights: Part 1
There has been a flurry of industry data released over the last month with all indicators pointing to an ongoing hard insurance market across all lines for all-sized businesses as insurers continue to address profitability issues as a result of rate inadequacy and increasing losses. Even Workers’ Compensation insurance, which has remained flat while other…
The Future: Usage-Based Premiums and Smart Homes
Usage-based technology has been utilized for some time with auto insurance to track mileage and driving behaviors. You drive fewer than a certain number of miles and safely (no speeding, distracted driving, etc.), you get the benefit of premium discounts. Usage-based insurance (UBI) in this case is typically powered by in-vehicle telecommunication devices (telematics)—technology using…
Pandemic Adds to Potential D&O Risks
A recent report by Fitch Ratings indicates that among the insurance lines most impacted by potential COVID-19 losses are Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability, Employment Practices Liability (EPL), and Errors and Omissions (E&O) where allegations of negligence tied to poor loss prevention or preparation for a pandemic are possible.
View from Above: Inside the Real Estate, Community Association Umbrella Markets
The impact of today’s hard insurance market – characterized by higher prices, diminished capacity, and tighter underwriting guidelines – is being felt across all industry sectors and, depending on the class of business and its location, much more so than others. Susan DeCarlo, Vice President – Product Manager, Distinguished – provides us with a high-level…