The market for real estate casualty coverage is tightening significantly both for primary and excess with fewer standard markets willing to provide coverage. Rates, retentions and deductibles are all heading higher as claims costs and jury verdicts rise, particularly for habitability claims in California and action-over claims in New York City. To avoid those kinds of claims, underwriters are putting much greater scrutiny on submissions, particularly in litigation-prone areas. In such a fluid market, communication ahead of renewals is critical to manage client expectations. As placements become more challenging, working with experienced wholesale brokers is the key to finding the best coverage options.

The REDY Index leverages CRC Group’s collection of actionable data – the wholesale industry’s largest. It provides critical pricing analysis on a monthly basis giving you a snapshot of the marketplace. The REDY Index generates instant intelligence on pricing trends by industry or coverage, enabling our retail partners to set accurate data driven expectations with their clients. Removing the guesswork empowers CRC team members to negotiate competitively, consistently producing better outcomes, better deliverables, and better results.

The excess casualty market faces a rough road ahead. After a difficult 2020, the market is likely to remain hard at least through 2021 and possibly into the following year. Carriers continue to reduce limits and increase premiums as they grapple with the aftereffects of underpricing in the soft market. Much of the hardening is being driven by losses in auto, and also where social inflation is leading to more so-called ‘nuclear’ verdicts. Along with auto fleets, construction, real estate, habitational and hotels stand among the more difficult markets.

As a coverage line, directors and officers liability was already hardening before the coronavirus pandemic emerged in 2020. COVID-19 has accelerated tightening in the D&O marketplace, which has become much more challenging for both public companies as well as private organizations.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, employers moved quickly to develop and implement remote work-from-home protocols to protect employees. Almost a year since it all began, employers are starting to develop return to work plans.