--- title: Broken Records and Better Underwriting description: Underwriters should not be intimidated or scared by these headlines – it’s all part-and-parcel of insurance. image: http://www.intermap.com/hubfs/Blog/record_player.jpg --- [Investors](https://www.intermap.com/investors-2018-0) |[ Partners](https://www.intermap.com/partners-2018-0) |  [WebStore](https://store.intermap.com/MapShop.aspx?GeoLocation=World) [![Intermap Technologies Inc.](https://www.intermap.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Intermap%20Logo%202019%20-%20White.png?width=1656&height=277&name=Intermap%20Logo%202019%20-%20White.png "Intermap Technologies Inc.")](http://intermap.com) # [The Risks of Hazard](https://www.intermap.com/risks-of-hazard-blog) ## [Broken Records and Better Underwriting](https://www.intermap.com/risks-of-hazard-blog/2016/09/broken-records-and-better-underwriting) Posted by [Ivan Maddox](https://www.intermap.com/risks-of-hazard-blog/author/ivan-maddox) on Sep 22, 2016 7:00:00 AM Find me on: [LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/in/ivanmaddox) [Twitter ](https://twitter.com/IvanHazMaps) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) As the analysis of insurer’s [first half results](http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2016/09/19/426815.htm) come in, there are a few consistent refrains. In fact, they sound like broken records. The first is that cat losses were up in the first half. No surprise here, as hail and flooding in the US has been severe so far this year, and these losses have been making [headlines](https://www.intermap.com/risks-of-hazard-blog/2016/04/hail-revisited-navigating-grapefruits-and-wall-street) since May. The second is that investment returns are low. Sound familiar? Expect it change soon? Thought so… The third is that the importance of underwriting profitability continues to increase. In a system where cat losses are growing and investment returns are shrinking, underwriting is the key to success. [Here](http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2016/08/30/424675.htm) is an IJ piece based on Fitch’s look, and here is [another look](https://www.intermap.com/risks-of-hazard-blog/2016/08/how-to-overcome-cat-and-investment-losses-good-underwriting), and [another](https://www.intermap.com/risks-of-hazard-blog/2016/07/good-underwriting-is-good-for-insurance), and [another](https://www.intermap.com/risks-of-hazard-blog/2015/09/napslo-and-profitable-underwriting), and [another](https://www.intermap.com/risks-of-hazard-blog/2015/09/napslo-and-profitable-underwriting). ![record_player.jpg](http://www.intermap.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/record_player.jpg?width=483&name=record_player.jpg) Underwriters should not be intimidated or scared by these headlines – it’s all part-and-parcel of insurance. However, underwriters should be looking for ways to take advantage of the conditions, because opportunity continues to grow – particularly in the [protection gap](https://www.intermap.com/risks-of-hazard-blog/2016/08/a-homeowners-view-of-the-protection-gap) and [private flood](https://www.intermap.com/risks-of-hazard-blog/2016/03/the-butterfly-effect-and-insuring-flood-risk). But if, with all the doom and gloom, you do need a bit of mirth, [here](https://www.intermap.com/risks-of-hazard-blog/2015/10/new-peril-mars-flood) is a post from last autumn that might still be worth a look. 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