Commercial Insurance Premiums Rise Steadily in Q4 2024: CIAB

Commercial insurance premiums show stability while cyber coverage marks a turning point with declining rates and improved loss ratios.

The commercial property/casualty insurance market closed out 2024 with premium increases averaging 5.4% in the fourth quarter, up only slightly from the 5.1% increase in Q3, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ (CIAB) Commercial Property/Casualty Market Index Q4/2024.

Small accounts those with less than $25,000 in commissions and fees) experienced the smallest increase with an average 3.6% increase in premiums, according to the CIAB’s survey of member firms. This lower rate of increase aligns with the commercial insurance market’s strong appetite for small business risks, the CIAB noted.

As one survey respondent from a large Northwestern brokerage firm noted, “appetite for small business remains strong,” indicating a continued focus on this segment of the market.

Changes in Premiums

While the overall market showed consistency in pricing, individual lines of business painted a more varied picture. Commercial property, a line that has been challenging for insurers, showed signs of stabilization, according to the CIAB. Premium increases for this line averaged 6.0% in Q4, a notable decrease from the 7.9% seen in Q3 and a significant drop from the 11.8% recorded in Q4 2023, CIAB noted.

Commercial auto, on the other hand, bucked the trend of moderation. After seeing shrinking premium increases in the first three quarters of 2024, Q4 witnessed a reversal for this line. Commercial auto premiums experienced an average increase of 8.9% in Q4, up from an 8.5% increase in the previous quarter.

Umbrella liability coverage also experienced renewed premium growth. After reaching a peak average increase of 22.9% in Q3 2020, premiums for this line had moderated to a 7.0% increase in Q1 2024. However, Q4 saw a resurgence, with premiums climbing back up to an 8.7% increase, according to the index.

Market Stability Indicators

Despite these fluctuations in specific lines, the overall market showed signs of stability, the CIAB survey found. Many respondents reported “no material change” in market conditions, with underwriting practices remaining consistent.

However, challenges persist, particularly in property coverage. Insurers continue to push for higher deductibles, especially for properties exposed to fire, wind, and hail risks. Additionally, there’s an increased need to create layered coverage programs to fully insure risks, indicating ongoing complexity in this sector of the market.

Cyber Insurance

The cyber insurance market has witnessed a notable shift, with premiums declining for a third consecutive quarter. The fourth quarter of 2024 saw a record low decrease of 1.8% in cyber insurance premiums. This trend signals a significant turnaround in a sector that had previously experienced sharp increases due to escalating cyber threats, the report noted.

Several key factors are contributing to this positive shift in the cyber insurance landscape, according to the CIAB.

Increased carrier capacity has played a crucial role, with 64% of respondents reporting greater underwriting capacity for cyber insurance products. This expansion in capacity has been accompanied by growing competition in the market, CIAB stated.

In 2023, the number of carriers underwriting cyber insurance in the U.S. increased to 218, up from 214 the previous year. This increased competition has exerted downward pressure on pricing, benefiting businesses seeking cyber coverage.

Access the full CIAB index here. &

The R&I Editorial Team can be reached at [email protected].

Not Your Average Workers’ Compensation and Auto PPO

Here are four reasons why Horizon Casualty Services is a leader in the workers’ comp and auto PPO space.

By: Horizon Casualty Services, Inc. | February 3, 2025

Horizon Casualty Services, Inc. (HCS), an affiliate of Horizon BCBS NJ (Horizon), is the cornerstone in the management of workers’ compensation (WC) and personal injury protection (PIP) services in New Jersey. Headquartered in Newark, NJ, HCS provides a service that each of us may need to access at some point, but only if faced with an injury in the workplace or in an automobile accident – something that we don’t often consider.

HCS is a state approved workers’ compensation managed care organization (WCMCO) that offers a comprehensive suite of administrative, provider network and medical management services. These services are designed to achieve the best possible outcomes for injured individuals and a few examples include:

1) Robust Network and Provider Directory Management: HCS identifies providers with WC and PIP experience and contracts with the services most needed by the injured individual. HCS is contracted with nearly all hospitals and all level 1 and level 2 trauma centers in the State of New Jersey. We identify initial treaters, specialists, physical therapy centers, ambulatory surgical centers, urgent care providers, diagnostic centers and more. Using a proprietary formula, the best providers are highlighted so that clients can rest assured their injured claimants are in the right hands.

2) Referral Services/Appointment Scheduling: HCS facilitates the referral of claimants to in-network providers to ensure they receive the most appropriate care at the most appropriate cost.

3) Utilization Management: When appropriate, HCS Registered Nurses work to summarize claimant discharges from hospitals. This process allows clients to have a clear and concise summary to determine next steps for managing the claim.

4) Monitoring and Evaluating Provider Performance: Registered Nurses continuously monitor and evaluate the performance of providers, as this is crucial to maintaining the quality of care within the network. HCS also offers clients, at no additional cost, access to the Outcomes Focused Network; a highly scrutinized subset of the overall network where each provider is rigorously reviewed by HCS nurses to ensure that they provide quality care, access in-network facilities and provider articulate causation statements.

Jackie Alonso, President of Horizon Casualty Services (HCS)

Jackie Alonso, President of HCS, has stated “HCS offers unparalleled service and an unbeatable PPO product in the NJ workers’ compensation and auto space. Coupled with our proprietary software, highly skilled and WC/PIP savvy team, and a deep understanding of the marketplace, HCS offers its clients an impeccable product with the deepest network discounts. We work lockstep with our Horizon peers and being backed by the largest healthcare carrier in NJ sets us apart and allows HCS to thrive in the community.”

Alonso continued, “this [2024] year, we made a concerted effort to get out into the community and have attended multiple fairs and conferences, as both participants and exhibitors. This shift in how we engage with our clients and prospects has allowed us to think more innovatively about how we evolve our products and services. Listening to the voice and feedback from all of our stakeholders and understanding it is about meeting them where they are at. This is how we maintain our impeccable product and showcase it across the region.”

HCS partners with providers and collaborates with them in the local community which allows clients to experience how a best-in-class WC and Auto PPO should work.

For More Information

For more information, email Jed Hoban, HCS Business Development Executive, at [email protected] or visit or visit https://www.horizonblue.com/horizoncasualty/.

About HCS

HCS, an affiliate of Horizon, in business since 1994, is a leading PPO in New Jersey WC and PIP. HCS has a 100% direct-contracted provider network that includes almost all New Jersey acute care hospitals. The network delivers significant overall savings and, with its deep focus on precision, an extremely low appeals rate. Its PPO results, combined with its Healthcare Value Strategy and Outcomes Focused Network, enable insurers to be the best at delivering quality medical care to claimants at the right cost — clearly a win-win for all. HCS and Horizon are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

This article was produced by the R&I Brand Studio, a unit of the advertising department of Risk & Insurance, in collaboration with Horizon Casualty Services, Inc. The editorial staff of Risk & Insurance had no role in its preparation.

Horizon Casualty Services Inc., an affiliate of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, in business since 1994, is a leading PPO in New Jersey workers' compensation and personal injury protection. The company's 100% direct-contracted provider network includes almost all New Jersey acute care hospitals, significant overall WC savings and, with its deep focus on precision, an extremely low WC appeals rate of 0.2%. Its PPO results, combined with its WC healthcare value and OFN strategy, enables insurers to be the best at delivering quality medical care to claimants at the right cost — clearly a win-win for all.