A new survey finds a majority of insurance carriers view the market as hardening.The industry survey, by FirstBest Systems, Inc a provider of insurance software solutions for global insurance companies, found most insurers believe they are now in a position to be more selective about the risks they underwrite, so that they can increase their premiums and grow their business to turn a greater profit.FirstBest surveyed insurers over the last few months to learn how they felt about the business climate. Eighty-five percent of the group indicated that they work with commercial lines of insurance, with remaining respondents serving personal lines.When asked “At what stage do you find the market?” 71 percent of respondents felt the market was beginning to harden, 18 percent felt the market was already hard and only 11 percent felt the market was still soft.The research in recent months has been split. In September 2012, MarketScout reported that commercial lines rates were up five percent and personal rates rose three percent.A panel of insurance executives stated at the October 2012 Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers (CIAB) Insurance Leadership Forum in Colorado that the industry is not experiencing a hard market just yet. The group said that, while P&C rates are higher on average and there have been fewer catastrophes, there are areas where rates are increasing dramatically and others where rate increases are negligible.