Latest News & Insights

Passengers Safely Evacuated When Fire Engulfs Train in Philadelphia

Federal officials will investigate a commuter train fire in Philadelphia this week in which more than 300 passengers were safely evacuated. The National Transportation Safety Board announced Friday that it will look into the blaze, which was reported about 6 …

UMass Pays Out $10K After Tiff With Insurer Over Student’s Prize for Half-Court Shot

UMass said it would pay a student the $10,000 prize for a halftime promotion at a women’s basketball game after a dispute with an insurance company over whether he stepped over the line when he made a half-court shot. Noah …

AccuWeather: Elevated Risk of Mudslides at LA Wildfire Burn Scars From Coming Storm

Meteorologists are warning of an elevated risk of dangerous debris flows and destructive mudslides in Southern California next week in areas scorched by destructive Los Angeles wildfires. AccuWeather meteorologists expect between 2 inches and 4 inches of rain near the …

Crest Acquires Texas’ Horizon Insurance Services

Crest Insurance announced the acquisition Horizon Insurance Services, a full-service insurance agency based in Houston, Texas. The move marks Crest’s 20th office nationwide and its second in the state of Texas. With the addition of the Houston office, Crest continues …

Hub Acquires Indiana’s Mayfield

Hub International announced that it has acquired the assets of Mayfield Insurance, Inc. (Mayfield Insurance). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Based in Mooresville, Indiana, Mayfield Insurance is an independent insurance agency offering comprehensive commercial and personal insurance, including …

Ackman Backs Doctor as His Fight With UnitedHealth Escalates

Billionaire investor Bill Ackman pledged to cover the legal fees for a Texas doctor in a dispute with UnitedHealth Group Inc. over her claims that the company asked her to scrub out of an operation to justify a patient’s care. …

Third-Party Attack Vectors Responsible for 59% of Insurance Breaches

A new report highlights how cybersecurity gaps threaten critical services and policyholder trust, according to SecurityScorecard. Of the top 150 insurance companies involved in third-party attack vectors, 59% exposed critical vulnerabilities in the sector’s supply chain, more than double the …

Allstate to ‘Lean Into’ Turnaround in Auto Business, and Grow

Allstate’s plan to correct its auto insurance business has “restored profitability back to target levels,” said the insurer’s head of personal insurance. During an earnings call with analysts, Mario Rizzo, president of property-liability, said recent financial results reflect “successful execution” …

Advisory Firm ISS Urges Apple Investors to Vote Against Scrapping Diversity Policies

Influential proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services recommended on Friday that Apple investors vote against a proposal to consider eliminating the iPhone maker’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Apple’s disclosures offer shareholders sufficient information about its DEI policies and there …

People Moves: Willis Promotes Easton to Global Head of ART and Head of Western Europe, Risk & Analytics; Arch Insurance UK Division Promotes 4 Senior Leaders

This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Willis and Arch Insurance UK. A summary of these new hires follows here. Willis Promotes Easton to Global Head of ART and Head of Western Europe, Risk & Analytics Willis, a …

Britain’s L&G Sells US Protection Unit to Japanese Insurer for $2.3 Billion

Legal & General said on Friday it would sell its U.S. protection business to Japan’s Meiji Yasuda for $2.3 billion in cash and said the Japanese firm would take a 5% stake in the British insurer, in the biggest strategic …

North Carolina Lawmakers Pitch Much Smaller Helene Recovery Package

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republican lawmakers this week unveiled their initial attempt this year to provide recovery funding for Hurricane Helene’s historic flooding, proposing new spending that totals less than half of what new Democratic Gov. Josh Stein …

Ahoy! Expands Boat Insurance to Boat-Filled Florida Market

Ahoy! Insurance, calling itself an insurance company built by boaters for boaters, has expanded into Florida, one of the world’s largest recreational boating markets. The excess and surplus lines broker was founded in 2021 by Amit Nisenbaum, a former Israeli …

Russia Faces Impending Oil Tanker Crisis as Sanctions Pile Up: Bloomberg Oil Strategist

Russia appears to be on the cusp of a debilitating oil-freight transportation problem because of US sanctions, writes Bloomberg oil strategist Julian Lee. On Jan. 10, the US Treasury sanctioned 161 oil tankers for their role in moving Russian oil. …

Valencia Floods Prompt Race for Funds to Boost Spain’s Climate Resilience

Spain is seeking European approval to repurpose more than a billion euros of post-pandemic recovery funds to make Valencia more resilient against climate change after the Mediterranean region suffered catastrophic heavy rains last year. The talks started a few weeks …

Update: Avolon, BOC Settle Lawsuit Against Insurers Over Stranded Russian Jets

Avolon and BOC Aviation, two of the world’s largest aircraft lessors, have settled lawsuits in the Irish courts against insurers over jets stranded in Russia following Western sanctions in 2022, they said on Friday. A spokesperson for SMBC Aviation Capital …

Wisconsin Couple Sues Over Son’s Death Linked to $500 Surge in Asthma Meds

A Wisconsin couple is suing Walgreens and a pharmacy benefits management company, alleging that their son died because he couldn’t afford a sudden $500 spike in his asthma medication. Shanon and William Schmidtknecht, of Poynette, filed their lawsuit in federal …

Texas Crisis Communications Specialist Sues Film Star Blake Lively for Defamation

A Texas crisis communications specialist has sued Blake Lively for defamation after the actor pulled him into her legal fight with co-star and director Justin Baldoni over their film, “It Ends With Us.” Jed Wallace and his company, Street Relations, …

People Moves: Hiscox Appoints Baldwin US Media Practice Leader; Willis Names Kyriacou Head of Contingent Risk Solutions

Hiscox Appoints Baldwin US Media Practice Leader Hiscox, headquartered in Atlanta, appointed Karen Baldwin as vice president, media practice leader. Baldwin leads Hiscox USA’s media liability practice. Baldwin has over 30 years of media underwriting and leadership experience, most recently …

UAE Turns to Satellites to Shield Region’s Only Nuclear Plant From Climate Risks

The United Arab Emirates, which operates the Gulf’s only commercial nuclear power station, is for the first time taking special measures to protect the project from the devastating impact of climate change. Since September, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation …

Climate Risks Again Top List of Risk Manager Worries

Climate risks, disruptive technology and geopolitical instability are what worry risk managers most, according to a joint survey from the Casualty Actuarial Society and the Society of Actuaries. The 18th Annual Emerging Risk Survey is an online questionnaire prompting risk …

OpenAI’s Stargate AI Venture Is Scouting for US Data Center Sites

ChatGPT maker OpenAI said on Thursday it is evaluating U.S. states as potential artificial intelligence data center locations for its massive Stargate venture, framing the project as a matter of urgency for the United States to beat China in the …

In Wake of Mass Shootings, Alabama Lawmakers Eye Ban on Glock Switches

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — After a violent year marked by multiple mass shootings in Alabama, Republican Gov. Kay Ivey and many lawmakers from both parties are backing a proposed ban on so-called Glock switches and other conversion devices that make …

AM Best Downgrades Title Insurer’s Ratings

AM Best has downgraded Connecticut Attorneys Title Insurance Co. (CATIC) of Essex Junction, Vermont. The company’s Financial Strength Rating has been downgraded to to B (Fair) from B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to “bb” (Fair) from “bbb” …

‘Old School’ Job Search Benefits Injured Worker in Lost Wages Claim

A manufacturer and its workers compensation insurer thought an injured 60-year old service technician employee did not work hard enough to find a suitable replacement job as required to qualify for wage loss benefits. Among other things, he did not …

Prospect Medical Signs Temporary Deal to Avert Hospital Closures

Bankrupt health system Prospect Medical Holdings Inc. won court approval to hand operations of its Pennsylvania hospitals to a state-backed receiver, a last minute deal that averts potential closures of critical health centers. The agreement approved Thursday by Judge Stacey …

Edison Probing Retired Power Line as Possible Start of LA Eaton Fire

Edison International’s utility is looking at whether a power line retired in 1971 started the Eaton wildfire as part of a probe into the cause of the blaze that razed more than 9,000 structures. Southern California Edison found evidence of …

LA Neighbors See Different Post-Wildfire Rebuilding Options Due to Insurance Crisis

Before a wildfire ravaged their street in northwest Altadena, Louise Hamlin and Chris Wilson lived next door to each other in nearly identical houses. “I chose an old home in an old neighborhood because it has soul,” said Hamlin, a …

Contractor Fined for Misclassifying 192 Workers as Independent Contractors

A Pittsburgh-based construction business will pay a fine of $144,000 for misclassifying 192 workers in violation of Pennsylvania law. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) announced it has reached a settlement agreement with Romero Remodeling Co. for violating …

Judge Blocks Sandy Hook Families’ Settlement in Alex Jones’ Bankruptcy

A U.S. bankruptcy judge on Wednesday blocked a settlement between families who have sued Alex Jones over his false claims about the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting, saying their attempt to divide the bankrupt conspiracy theorist’s assets exceeded …