Printed from BusinessInsurance.com

P/C rates decline 9% from year ago: MarketScout

Posted On: Nov. 6, 2006 12:00 AM CST

Property/casualty insurance rates dropped by an average of 9% in October compared with levels of a year earlier, Dallas-based insurance exchange MarketScout reported Monday.

The largest drops were experienced by general liability and workers compensation lines of coverage. But even commercial property dropped 2%. In general, larger accounts experienced greater proportional decreases than smaller ones.

"As predicted, the absence of hurricane activity has extended the soft market," said Richard Kerr, chief executive officer of MarketScout, in a commentary accompanying the data. "Rates in the energy sector, including offshore exposures, are stabilizing. Coastal property is still tough, but rate increases are easing."