Seeds of change

Property issues have become hot news in the US in recent months, largely as a result of the sub-prime crisis. However, in the insurance world, it has not been the financial markets that have rocked the boat but catastrophes - in the US, at least.

According to a survey by the US-based Risk and Insurance Management Society, the commercial property sector worldwide is bucking the general property trend by becoming the only segment of the market to enjoy rising premiums. This is, in part, due to