Underwriting in the current environment remains challenging.
- Marine underwriters that are requiring premium increases for claim inflation (personal injury and increases in raw material cost) and cost of reinsurance are increasing.
- Excess liability underwriters are reducing capacity and requiring ventilation between layers requiring quota share placements and additional market capacity.
- Due to increase in claim costs in the primary/working layer, excess liability attachment points between $2 million and $5 million are becoming more prevalent.
- Due to political unrest globally and specifically for the situation in Ukraine/Russia, we expect significant adverse developments in hull war market in carrier capacity, appetite and terms/conditions.
- Underwriters are seeking additional retentions on U.S. Gulf area hull risks due to consistent NATCAT losses.
International group P&I clubs
- For the February 2023 renewal, IG P&I clubs asked for average minimum general increases of +10%.
- The North and Standard officially merged February 20, 2023 (NorthStandard), which reduces the amount of available P&I club options from 13 to 12.
- With continuing deteriorating levels of large pool claims, high average market combined ratio and lower investment returns, there is nothing to suggest the February 2024 renewal will show much improvement, but it is premature to predict at this time.
Burdens are increasing on both sides of the negotiating table.
- Underwriters require substantial amounts of data, including loss control engagements.
- Underwriters remain under scrutiny to deliver profits despite fewer investment returns and an increase in claim costs in the current environment, which is negatively impacted from the buyer’s perspective. Underwriters remain under scrutiny by their senior management, who have become much more involved in the process. This negatively impacts the renewal process from the buyer’s perspective.
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