Short Takes: West, Southwest Good For Property/Casualty

The West and Southwest hold the most promise for property/casualty insurance sales, according to a report by Conning & Co., Hartford, Conn.

Among the states that fared the best are Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas. Florida and Minnesota also scored well in the study, titled "State Market Analysis for Property/Casualty Insurance: the Good, the Bad, and the In-between."

Most of the states that did poorly in the study are in the Northeast and the central part of the country.

The study showed that California is poised for a big turnaround in commercial insurance as the state's economy continues to improve.

Expectations for commercial lines are improving in general, and personal lines continue their strong showing despite some hints of deterioration.

The study, based on industry results and trends from 1992 through 1996, weighed factors like market size, growth, and profitability levels for property/casualty products. It also looked at general economic and regulatory climates in each state.

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