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.

A luncheon with a collection of insurance agents in the Washington, D.C., area recently put two important news stories in a new context.

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

The marina and boat dealer’s insurance market appears to be hardening after insurers suffered increased losses in 2011, according to early indicators.

Insurers will struggle to find growth and profits because of ongoing challenges caused by the global economy, according to a new forecast.

Not only do property-casualty insurance industry leaders believe the financial crisis is behind them, but they also believe rates are hardening, a new study finds.

A plurality of insurance agencies expect their revenue for 2011 to mirror that of the prior year, according to the latest IFAwebnews.com poll.

The Lockton Monthly Update, which tries to forecast the property-casualty market’s pricing, has suggested twice in the last month that commercial insurance rates, at least in some sectors, are starting to harden.

The insurance market for construction firms, architects and engineers appears to be hardening, according to the latest Lockton Market Update.

The casualty market might be providing initial indications of a long-awaited hardening, although an expert warns not to read too much in to the latest report.