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Commercial property/casualty prices expected to increase: KBW

Posted On: Oct. 10, 2012 12:00 AM CST

Commercial property/casualty prices will continue to increase, according to a third-quarter insurer earnings preview issued Wednesday by Keefe Bruyette & Woods Inc.

“We expect pricing pressures will remain modestly upward,” said KBW analysts in the preview, “Better than Feared.” It said U.S. commercial lines appear to be up 6% to 7%.

“In reinsurance, our expectation for Jan. 1 is generally flat, including catastrophe lines, despite what is shaping up to be a cat-free year,” KBW analysts said.

The KBW analysts also said they expect reserve releases to continue to slow.

“A year ago in (third quarter 2011), we saw 5.3% of reserve release benefit, and we expect at least a point of deterioration from that level,” they said.