best Insurance Stocks to buy for 2012

best Insurance Stocks to buy for 2012 ; Fitch Ratings forecasts a stable outlook for U.S. life insurers in 2012, reflecting the industry's strong balance sheet fundamentals, which could ease the current challenging macroeconomic conditions to an extent. The credit rating agency forecasts a 94% stable rating for U.S. insurers.

Further, the prospects for earnings and revenue growth for U.S. insurance brokers in 2012 will likely match or exceed levels reported for the first nine months of 2011. Healthier premium growth and pricing are expected to improve underwriting performance and boost U.S. property/casualty insurers' profits in 2012, Fitch reports.

Global reinsurer Swiss Re expects life insurance premiums to grow by 4.4% in Asia-Pacific in 2012 and estimates catastrophe-related economic loss of nearly $350 billion to the global economy in 2011 -- the highest in history. Claims from natural calamities alone reached $103 billion in 2011, compared to $43 billion in the prior year.

As economic conditions improve through 2013, the real premium growth rate will accelerate from about 1% in 2011 to 3% in 2013 in developed markets, while emerging markets will achieve real premium growth of 7% to 9%, according to Swiss Re.

Based on average estimates of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg, these five stocks have upsides ranging from 13% to 58%. Among analysts covering these stocks, an average of 76% recommend a buy.

The stocks are listed in ascending order of upside potential.

Marsh & McLennan Companies(MMC) is the parent company of risk experts and specialty consultants including Marsh, Guy Carpenter, Mercer and Oliver Wyman group. It operates through two business segments: Risk and Insurance Services, and Consulting. Read More..

MetLife(MET) is a provider of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs, serving 90 million customers in over 50 countries. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife holds leading market positions in the U.S., Japan, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. Read More..

Prudential Financial(PRU) is a financial services provider with approximately $871 billion assets under management, as of Sept. 30, 2011. The company has operations in the U.S., Asia, Europe, and Latin America. In Nov. 2011, it acquired an office building in downtown Chicago's Central Loop for $183.5 million. Read More..

ACE Limited (ACE) provides insurance and reinsurance products to clients in more than 170 countries. Of the 25 analysts covering the stock, 80% recommend a buy and 12% rate a hold. The stock's average 12-month price target is $77.02, or 16.2% higher than the current price, according to a Bloomberg consensus. Read More..

Aon Corporation(AON) is a provider of risk management services, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, human resource solutions and outsourcing in over 120 countries. Of the 21 analysts covering the stock, 62% recommend a buy and 33% suggest a hold. The stock's average 12-month price target is $54.17, or 21.5% higher than the current price, according to a Bloomberg consensus. Read More.. For the latest updates PRESS CTR + D or visit Stock Market news Today

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