What is the illegal trade practice called when an insurer makes a malicious statement about another insurance company?

The term that describes the illegal trade practice of making a malicious statement about another insurance company is defamation. Defamation involves the communication of false information that harms the reputation of an individual or entity. In the context of insurance, if one insurer spreads untrue statements about another, it can adversely affect the latter's business and reputation, which constitutes defamation.

Disparagement, while closely related and often used interchangeably with defamation, can imply a more specific context of damaging remarks about a company’s goods or services rather than the company's reputation as a whole. Insider trading refers to the illegal practice of trading on the stock exchange to one's own advantage while having access to confidential information. False advertising relates to misleading consumers about the nature or characteristics of products or services, but does not specifically address statements made about other companies.