Carrier Management’s Top Feature of 2014: Fireman’s Fund’s Decline

December 28, 2014

2014 year in review - text in letterpress wood type on a digitalA story about Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co.’s long decline was the top Carrier Management feature in 2014.

The October 15 story by contributor Russ Banham looked at the company’s struggles up to that point, which included five CEOs in seven years and the frequently changing roster of its senior leadership.

As the story noted, Fireman’s Fund owner Allianz decided in October to absorb its commercial lines business. Ominously, Allianz also said it was considering strategic options for Fireman’s Fund’s personal lines insurance business, which focuses on high-net-worth individuals.

Adding a hint of optimism, the feature pointed out that Fireman’s Fund has a long history of coming back from extreme setbacks, including costs associated with the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 and the 1906 earthquake.

A comeback isn’t in the cards this time.

Barely two months after that October feature, ACE Group disclosed it will buy Fireman’s Fund’s high-net-worth personal lines business in the U.S. from Allianz for $365 million.

Beyond Fireman’s Fund, other well-read Carrier Management features from the year included stories about how to elevate a P/C carrier’s performance, gender bias in the insurance industry, talent risks and the top 10 commercial auto insurers based on data from 2009-2013.

Carrier Management‘s top five features and links to the stories are listed below.

1. Putting Out the Fire at Fireman’s Fund

2. Executive Insight: How to Elevate a P/C Carrier From ‘Good to Great’

3. Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Knitting and Gender Bias in the Insurance Industry

4. Talent Risk, a Killer Torpedo

5. Top 10 Commercial Auto Insurers: Five-Year Underwriting Performance 2009-2013