Data security

Many of us are trying hard to see positive trends for the coming year, but employment remains the only meaningful bellwether of change.

Private U.S. property and casualty insurers’ net income after taxes rose to $16.2 billion through nine-months 2009, partially recovering from the 91.2 decline to $4.4 billion through nine-months 2008 from $49.6 billion through nine-months 2007. Insurers’ overall profitability as measured by their annualized rate of return on average policyholders’ surplus (or statutory net worth) increased to 4.5 in the first nine months of 2009, having previously fallen to 1.2 in the first nine months of 2008 from 13.1 in the first nine months of 2007.

With the program set to expire at year’s end, President Obama has signed the latest in a series of temporary extensions to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) into law.

OK, so some prominent global warming acolytes have been rigging the numbers; let’s just pretend that didn’t happen.

Agency says detection and warning capabilities have grown since 2004.

Liberty Mutual Updated its RISKTRAC to provide buyers and intermediaries with a single system for more effectively managing property/casualty insurance, disability and leave programs.

S&P withdraws its “A-“ counterparty credit rating on CNA Insurance Co. Ltd., and A.M. Best affirms the FSR of “A” and ICR of “a+” of Swiss Reinsurance Co. Ltd. and its subsidiaries.

A panel of insurance technology experts share tips and tricks for putting innovation into play.

Sandeep Malik will be based in Hong Kong, and report to Bernard S.Y. Fung, chairman and CEO of Aon Asia Pacific.

House leaders had to make significant concessions for the reform bill to be passed, and it likely will have to be watered down even further to get out of the Senate.

The “Thinking Outside the Black Box” service is designed to help insurers examine how best to use cat models.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Goldman Sachs Group Inc. was a key player in AIG's trades, even in the ones involving other banks.

Given social media's rise in popularity among older demographic groups, it's now become a serious data security risk for insurers as attackers target their less tech-savvy customers.

Industry endorses federal insurance office created by sweeping bill, but insurers are unhappy with their inclusion in a new dissolution fund.

The bill could significantly impact the way insurers do business, given it paves the way for the creation of a consumer financial protection agency, and establishes a framework to minimize systemic risk.

The Committee of European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Supervisors predicts Europe’s insurers will feel pressure from low rates and H1N1 flu.

The House approved dozens of changes late Thursday to the financial regulatory reform bill, including measures to enhance the Federal Reserve Board's power to break up large, complex firms.

With the proliferation of security devices and software, you would think that virus infections are decreasing, but exactly the opposite is true. The question is—why?

Industry technology executives admit that adopting the changes required to innovate is no longer an option: CIO Insurance Summit report.

A.M. Best affirms Progressive and CUNA Mutual’s ratings, and S&P assigns a negative outlook to White Mountains Insurance Group.