Latest News & Insights

People Moves: DUAL Hires Chief Risk Officer, Actuarial Lead; Allianz Nabs Chubb COO to Head N.A. Financial Lines

DUAL Hires Chief Risk Officer and Actuarial Lead DUAL North America, Inc., based in Naples, Florida, has hired Ranjit Jaswal as chief risk officer and Luke Wolmer as senior vice president of actuarial and data analytics. Jaswal brings over 25 …

People Moves: Beavers promoted to VP of Client Solutions at RYZE Claim Solutions; Alera Appoints Midwest Regional Managing Director

RYZE Claim Solutions Names Beavers Vice President of Client Solutions Teresa Beavers has been promoted to vice president of client solutions at RYZE Claim Solutions. Beavers, who has 33 years of experience in the claims industry, joined RYZE in 2001 …

Police Settle La. Suit Over 2020 Beating of Black Man

SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) – A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit filed by a Black man who said police officers in a Louisiana city threw him to the ground, slammed his face into the sidewalk and detained him in …

Texas Winter Storm Cancels Flights, Keeps Thousands Without Power

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – A mess of ice, sleet and snow lingered across much of the southern U.S. on Thursday as thousands in Texas endured freezing temperatures with no power, including many in the state capital of Austin, but a …

Illinois Supreme Ct.: 5-Year Statute of Limitations Applies to Biometric Privacy Claims

Plaintiffs have five years to file claims to allege violations of the Illinois Biometric Privacy Act, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday, rejecting arguments by business advocates that a one-year statute of limitations should apply. In a 5-0 decision, the …

FedEx Loses Bid to Undo $366M Racial Bias Verdict, Files Appeal

A U.S. judge rejected FedEx Corp’s request to throw out or reduce a jury’s $366 million damages award to a Black former employee who said the package delivery company fired her after she complained about racial discrimination. FedEx appealed the …

Family of Ugandan Awarded $10.5M for Utah Park Death

Family members of a Ugandan human rights activist killed in an accident at Arches National Park will get more than $10 million in damages, a federal judge ruled. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family …

PG&E to Face Manslaughter Trial Over Deadly California Fire

Pacific Gas & Electric will face trial for manslaughter over its role in a 2020 wildfire in Northern California that killed four people, a judge ruled Wednesday. The judge in Shasta County ruled after a preliminary hearing that there was …

Securities Fraud Trial Over Elon Musk’s 2018 Tweets Draws to a Close

A lawyer for Tesla Inc. shareholders who claim Elon Musk deceived them when he tweeted that he had secured funding to take his electric car company private is expected to make closing arguments to a San Francisco jury on Friday. …

Ethics Panel Recommends Georgia Appeals Court Judge Be Removed From Office

Georgia’s Supreme Court should permanently remove a state appeals court judge accused of ethical misconduct, a judicial discipline panel recommended in a report released Monday. The three-member state panel said Christian Coomer flouted ethics rules on how a lawyer should …

North Carolina Rate Bureau Files for 28% Increase in Auto Insurance Rates

The North Carolina Rate Bureau is asking for a 28% increase in auto insurance rates for the state, an increase that will likely be slashed significantly by the state Department of Insurance. The average statewide increase for private passenger auto …

Global Commercial Insurance Rates Rise 4% in Q4, Continuing Moderating Trend: Marsh

Global commercial insurance prices increased 4% in the fourth quarter of 2022, down from a 6% increase in Q3 and a 9% increase in Q2, which is a continuation of a trend of moderating increases that began in Q1 2021, …

Judge Allows New Jersey Town’s Suit to Recover $21M Spent on Beach Restoration

A New Jersey beach town that defied state environmental authorities and fixed its dunes that were seriously eroded by a storm can proceed with a lawsuit seeking to recover $21 million it spent bulking up its shoreline, but cannot build …

Mississippi Pet Insurance Bill Fur Real This Time, Senators Say

More Mississippi dogs, cats, reptiles and birds may soon be insured against costly medical bills thanks to legislation that passed in the state Senate Wednesday. Senate Bill 2228, by Sen. Walter Michel, a Republican from Ridgeland, would create “a comprehensive …

Kentucky Tornado Relief Payments Come Under Scrutiny

Some people unaffected by tornadoes that ravaged Kentucky in late 2021 were mistakenly sent payments from a relief fund funneling private donations into the region, the state treasurer’s office said Wednesday. State Treasurer Allison Ball’s office said it canceled payment …

Westfield Completes Acquisition of Lloyd’s of London Syndicate 1200

Westfield has completed the acquisition of Lloyd’s of London Syndicate 1200 from Argo Group International Holdings Ltd. for about $125 million. The deal was first announced in September 2022. Westfield said this strategic acquisition establishes the company as a global …

Ransomware Attack Closes Nantucket Schools

Public schools on the Massachusetts island of Nantucket remained closed on Wednesday a day after a ransomware attack targeted the district’s computer system and prompted officials to send students home early. “Together with outside data security experts, our Information Technology …

Amwins Global Risks Acquires UK Broker Roberts Armytage & Partners

Amwins Global Risks, the London-based international arm of global specialty insurance broker Amwins, announced the acquisition of Roberts Armytage & Partners (RAP), the specialist, energy and marine-focused London broker. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. As the energy …

Airbus and Qatar Airways Settle Bitter Dispute Over Grounded A350 Jets

Airbus and Qatar Airways have settled a dispute over grounded A350 jets, the companies said on Wednesday, averting a potentially damaging UK court trial after a blistering 18-month feud that tore the lid off the global jet market. The “amicable …

Hackers of ION Trading Also Hit UK Postal Service, Canada Hospital, U.S. Local Agencies

The hacking group behind a cyberattack against the software firm ION Trading UK has recently conducted a series of breaches throughout the world, with its victims including the UK’s postal service and local government agencies in the US. The gang, …

Crypto Thefts Hit Record $3.8B in 2022 on Surge in North Korea Hacking: Report

Thieves stole a record $3.8 billion worth of cryptocurrency in 2022 as sanctions on North Korea drove a surge in suspected hacking by the Asian nation. Overall crypto losses increased from $3.3 billion stolen in 2021, blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis …

U.S. CFTC Traders Report Delayed by Ransomware Attack on Data Firm ION

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission said on Thursday that as a result of the ransomware attack on ION Trading UK the CFTC’s weekly Commitments of Traders report will be delayed until all trades can be reported. ION Group, the …

Workers Comp Insurtech Pie Transitions to Full-Stack Carrier

Small-business workers compensation provider Pie Insurance has completed its transition to a full-stack carrier. Effective Jan. 1, the company said it acquired nationally licensed insurance company The American Insurance Company, while also touting the news that the Pie Insurance Group …

Amazon Fined for Worker Safety Violations in Three States

US federal workplace safety regulators fined Amazon.com Inc. more than $60,000 for putting warehouse employees at risk for lower back injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration discovered the violations last year during inspections of Amazon …

Washington Insurance Commissioner Fines Producers, Insurers

Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued fines in January totaling $11,000 against insurance companies, producers, brokers, and individuals who violated state insurance laws and regulations. Following are the entities fined, and how much they were fined: Unauthorized Insurers DNProtect, Epik …

Insurer, Tech Services Firm Settle Claim for Business Lost While Helping Clients Recover From Breach

A technology and cybersecurity services firm and its insurer have settled a business interruption claim linked to a data breach one month after a federal judge denied the insurer’s bid to have the claim dismissed. The claim involved business losses …

California Climate Bills Requiring Broad Disclosures Have National Implications

A pair of California bills requiring large companies to report emissions from across their supply chains and creating more stringent reporting of climate-related impacts could have implications nationwide. Two Legislators from the Golden State this week introduced Senate Bill 253 …

The Hanover Reports $11M Q4 Loss

The Hanover Insurance Group reported a fourth quarter 2022 loss of $11.6 million, driven by widespread catastrophic losses from Winter Storm Elliott. Results were in comparison to net income of $163.5 million in the prior-year quarter. The Hanover experienced catastrophe …

General Motors Files to Trademark ‘GM Financial Insurance Company’ Name

General Motors has filed to trademark “GM Financial Insurance Company,” according to a record found with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The filing was made on Jan. 24, 2022. GM Financial is the auto financing arm of General Motors. …

Judge Stays New Jersey Law Allowing AG Lawsuits Against Gun Industry

A federal judge has halted a New Jersey law allowing the state attorney general to bring civil lawsuits against the gun industry in that state. U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi granted a preliminary injunction against enforcement of the law …