Latest News & Insights

Progressive Approved for Personal Auto Rate Decreases in Louisiana

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple has approved Progressive Security Insurance Company’s request for a 6.6% average rate decrease on its over 270,000 private passenger auto insurance policyholders and Progressive Paloverde Insurance Company’s request for a 4% average decrease on its …

Blenheim Partnerships Launches Specialty Trade-Related MGA

Blenheim Partnerships, part of the White Bear Group, today announces the launch of its specialty trade-related managing general agency. The MGA is backed by Blenheim Underwriting alongside other well-known markets, including some Lloyd’s syndicates. The launch follows the appointment of …

Octave Ventures’ Statera Gets Approval to Be Lloyd’s Managing Agent

Statera Managing Agency Ltd. announced it has received regulatory approval to act as a Lloyd’s managing agent. Statera will manage Syndicates 4242 and 1416, which currently underwrite specialty risks produced through its strategic relationship with Octave Ventures, a division of …

Intruder Causes $28K in Damage at Vice President Vance’s Ohio Home

A man who broke windows at Vice President JD Vance’s Ohio home and caused other property damage was detained early Monday, the U.S. Secret Service said. William D. DeFoor, 26, is facing federal charges for allegedly damaging government property, engaging …

German Minister Says EU Must Take Legal Steps to Stop Grok’s Sexualized AI Photos

The EU Commission must take legal action to stop the “industrialization of sexual harassment” taking place on Elon Musk’s social media platform X, Germany’s media minister, Wolfram Weimer, told Reuters on Tuesday. With his comments, Weimer joins a chorus of …

Australian State Faces Catastrophic Fire Risk From Heat Wave

Australia is bracing for catastrophic fire risk in parts of Victoria on Friday as the country swelters through its worst heat wave since the Black Summer bushfires in the summer of 2019 and 2020. Temperatures rose above 45C (113F) in …

Tesla Door Design Is Targeted by New US Automotive Safety Bill

A US lawmaker is proposing legislation that would require manual door releases in new cars, a move to address growing safety concerns with the type of electrically powered handles popularized by Tesla Inc. The measure from Representative Robin Kelly, an …

Nestle Infant Formula Recall Widens to Africa, the Americas and Asia

Nestle’s recall of some batches of infant nutrition products has widened beyond Europe to Africa, the Americas and Asia, including Brazil, China and South Africa, a tally from the company and national food safety statements show. No illnesses have yet …

German Dentists’ Fund Sues Advisers Over €1.1 Billion Loss

A German pension fund whose foray into private markets led to losses that totaled half of the fund’s assets has begun legal proceedings against its former auditor, an adviser and its own managers to recover the damages. The fund known …

People Moves: Roxborough Named 2026 CHSWC Chair

The California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation elected CHSWC Commissioner Nicholas Roxborough as the chair of the commission for 2026. Roxborough is the managing partner of Roxborough, Pomerance, Nye & Adreani, LLP. He specializes in representing insured …

4 Injured in Nursing Home Explosion File Negligence Lawsuit

Four people hurt when an explosion ripped through a Pennsylvania nursing home two weeks ago sued the facility and a natural gas utility this week, claiming their negligence was to blame. Two workers at Bristol Health & Rehab Center LLC, …

Orsted’s NY Wind Project Challenges US Suspension of Lease

Orsted A/S filed a legal challenge to the Trump administration’s order to halt construction of its offshore wind project near New York. In a complaint filed Tuesday in federal court in Washington, Orsted’s Sunrise Wind unit is seeking a preliminary …

Berkshire Hathaway Raises New CEO Abel’s Salary to $25 Million

Berkshire Hathaway said Jan. 6 that it raised the salary of new Chief Executive Greg Abel to $25 million, far exceeding the $100,000 annual salary that his predecessor Warren Buffett accepted for more than four decades. Abel, 63, became chief …

Germania Insurance Places First Cat Bond Through Handshake Re

Germania Insurance announced the placement of its first catastrophe bond, issued through Handshake ReLtd., as part of the company’s broader reinsurance and capital management strategy. The transaction became effective Jan. 1, 2026. The catastrophe bond provides $100 million of per …

The MEMIC Group Closes Acquisition of The Dakota Group

The MEMIC Group announced the successful closing of its acquisition of The Dakota Group, including Risk Administration Services, Inc. and its affiliated service companies. The strategic combination positions MEMIC as the third-largest multi-state workers’ compensation specialist in the United States, …

California Bill Would Require Insurer Claims Handling Plans, And Double Penalties

A bill that promises legislative reform in California to speed up disaster recovery for homeowners and renters through improved insurance coverage and expanded consumer protections was introduced on the anniversary of the Los Angeles wildfires. The Disaster Recovery Reform Act, …

Update: US Seizes Russian-Flagged Tanker and Another Tied to Venezuela

The U.S. seized two Venezuela-linked oil tankers in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday, one sailing under Russia’s flag, as part of President Donald Trump’s aggressive push to dictate oil flows in the Americas and force Venezuela’s socialist government to become …

Neglect, Abuse Common at Michigan Nursing Homes, Report Finds

The plea was desperate: Help! Lorena Brown gasped for air on Sept. 12, 2022, turning blue, at the SKLD Muskegon nursing home. Her roommate called for help from a nurse. The response: “Mind your own business.” Using a washcloth, the …

Texas Insurance Commissioner Brown Retiring

Texas Insurance Commissioner Cassie Brown is retiring on Feb. 2 after more than four years overseeing the Texas Department of Insurance. Appointed by the governor, the Texas insurance commissioner oversees the regulation of the $293 billion Texas insurance market, the …

Trump Aims Bumper Aid at US Rice Farmers Facing Bleakest Outlook

The new year may mark the last time Texas farmer LG Raun plants a rice crop. “I guess I’m going to be the one that’s going to screw up the tradition of growing Raun family rice,” said the third-generation producer, …

After Merger with CAC, Baldwin Names Lynch, Two Others to Leadership Roles

The Baldwin Group, formerly Baldwin Risk Partners and based in Tampa, has named new leadership for its insurance advisory solutions section that handles retail property-casualty and benefits brokerage. Publicly traded Baldwin, which just closed a merger with CAC Group, announced …

Three Atlanta Firms Merge, Offering Range of Insurance and Financial Services

Three Atlanta-based firms have merged, expanding insurance and financial services for small and medium-sized businesses, with growth plans for 2026. Partners Risk Services, an independent insurance brokerage in property/casualty, benefits and life products and formerly known as BWT Risk Advisors, …

NRA Sues Charity Arm After Alleged Takeover by LaPierre Allies

The National Rifle Association has sued its charity affiliate, alleging a “disgruntled faction of former NRA directors” has seized the affiliate to turn it into a competitor and misused nearly $160 million in NRA funds. The NRA’s lawsuit against the …

US Wants Venezuelan Oil Flowing Again With Revenues in US Accounts, Wright Says

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Wednesday the United States government wants to get Venezuelan oil flowing again, deposit money into U.S.-controlled accounts and create conditions for U.S. oil companies to enter the country. Wright said he was speaking to …

Good Times for US P/C Insurers May Not Last; Auto Challenges Ahead

In their latest report on the U.S. auto insurance market, analysts from S&P Global Market Intelligence predict the strongest overall U.S. property/casualty insurance underwriting results in 18 years for 2025, driven by favorable private passenger auto outcomes. Still, while their …

Trump Won’t Rule Out Military Force to Acquire Greenland

President Donald Trump won’t rule out the use of military force to acquire Greenland, the White House said, escalating tension with Denmark, a fellow NATO member, over a dispute that’s surged back into public view following the ouster of Venezuelan …

Arctic Freeze Deepens Europe’s Travel and Power Strains

A wave of Arctic air blanketed Europe with frigid weather and intense snowfall, snarling travel and triggering power outages in some areas. Northerly winds driven by high pressure systems in the Atlantic and Arctic caused temperatures to plummet Monday and …

Governments, Regulators Increase Scrutiny of Chinese AI Startup DeepSeek

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, which said in January it had developed an AI model to rival ChatGPT at much lower cost, has come under scrutiny in some countries for its security policies and privacy practices. According to its own privacy …

Nestle Recalls Infant Formula Batches in 25 Countries Over Toxin Risk

Nestle said it was recalling some batches of its infant nutrition products, including SMA, BEBA and NAN formulas, mostly in Europe, due to possible contamination with a toxin that can cause nausea and vomiting. The recall, which began on a …

Viewpoint: The Convergence of Autonomy and Intelligence Is Reshaping Insurance

The adoption of AI in insurance is a mixed bag, marked by ambitious experimentation on one hand and structural hesitation on the other. The intent to deploy AI is high, and the expectations are rising just as quickly. Recent industry …