Commercial US insurance premiums during the second quarter of the year were “flat to slightly lower” compared with the corresponding period last year, according to the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS).

Its benchmark survey shows premiums for directors’ and officers’ insurance dropped 3.5% over the quarter, with small and medium-sized businesses benefiting from the cuts.

Average property insurance premiums were largely unchanged, with policies for hurricane regions being the exception. Policies for Florida and the Gulf Coast states experienced large increases after last year’s hurricane season. The mid-Atlantic states have also been hit with higher premiums.

“Forecasting services are predicting another active hurricane season,” RIMS board member Joseph Restoule said.

“Risk managers are generally benefiting from softer rates but companies in natural catastrophe exposed regions aren’t likely to see property insurance pricing conditions improve any time soon.”

As predicted during the first quarter, general liability premiums continued to trend downward, falling by 1.2%. Workers’ compensation premiums are generally unchanged.