Property-casualty insurers should report “improved” operating results this year, after being hurt by heavy catastrophe-related losses and weak earnings in 2011, according to Fitch Ratings.

Annuity sales in 2011 grew 7.7%, fueled in large part by a 28% increase in net variable-annuity sales during the year.

Nearly half of the people who bought individual critical illness insurance policies last year were younger than age 45, according to a new report.

The composite commercial insurance rate index rose 2% in February, according to MarketScout, which does a monthly analysis of various lines.

USAA beat State Farm in the “good” customer service category in a new ranking of insurers, according to the Temkin Group.

States that undertake regulatory rate reform of their auto insurance markets appear to see “long-term positive effects,” according to an Insurance Research Council study.

January’s application activity for individually underwritten life insurance showed an 8.3% increase compared to January 2011 and additional growth from the 5.8% rise in December 2011.

Health care services paid by commercial insurance and Medicare programs cost 5.28% for the year ending Dec. 31, 2011, according to the S&P Indices.

Few employers think their workers understand their benefit packages, which can be corrected by one-to-one benefits counseling sessions during enrollment, a new survey says.

Nearly half (49%) of 401(k) plan sponsors are offering features to automatically increase participants’ contributions as they seek to improve their employees’ preparation for retirement, a new Deloitte study finds.