Bâloise-HoldingBasel, Switzerland

Climate to Change Insurance Business - Insurance carriers will be forced to deal with the impacts of climate change on all types of insurance policies, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). An NAIC report confirms that state regulators nationwide are working on how to factor climate change's impacts into insurance products. As climate change worsens, policies ranging from health to homeowners insurance will eventually be affected.

New Market Opening in Massachusetts - Auto insurance companies, such as American International Group (AIG), are moving into Massachusetts following the state's decision to open its market through deregulation. Massachusetts officials deregulated the market by relaxing controls on policy types and prices; the state's government and consumers have welcomed several new insurance companies willing to offer auto policies to consumers. Industry experts predict that more companies will follow the initial push once consumers, regulators, and carriers get comfortable with Massachusetts' new regulatory environment.

New Flood Insurance Program Proposed - Currently, flood insurance is available only through the US government, but some insurance carriers are trying to change that. Chief among advocates for a new private flood insurance program is Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, which has submitted a formal proposal to Congress. Other major carriers have similar proposals, all with the goal of finding a better way to handle major disasters such as the destructive hurricanes that struck the Gulf Coast in 2005 and caused problems for several insurance carriers.