According to Richard Kerr, CEO of MarketScout, "The December composite rate increase further supports our findings that the soft market cycle has ended. There will continue to be micro markets where rates decline, however, on a composite basis the trend is clearly towards rate increases. In January 2011, the composite rate decreased 5 percent. Rates slowly moderated until September when the market was officially flat, meaning the overall composite rate was the same as the prior year. In November, we started the market turn with a rate increase of 1 percent, the same as in December."
By Coverage class, workers’ compensation rates increased the most at plus 3 percent. Commercial property and general liability were next at plus 2 percent. There were no rate decreases in any coverage classification.
Jumbo accounts were flat while small accounts were hit with an average 2 percent rate increase.
When measuring rates by industry class, all sectors were up 1 percent except for habitational which was flat.
The National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research conducted pricing surveys used in MarketScout's analysis of market conditions. These surveys help to further corroborate MarketScout's actual findings, mathematically driven by new and renewal placements across the United States.