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Global Disease Resurgence in 2024 Shows Rising Health Threat

Insurance Journal

Some infectious diseases saw a huge surge in 2024, with the spread attributed in part to climate change, declining vaccination rates and the advent of new pathogen variants. The findings, part of a preliminary analysis by London-based disease forecas...

Posted: Dec 27, 2024

Oregon OSHA Fines Contractor $135K for Repeated Fall Hazard Violations

Insurance Journal

The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division fined a Newberg contractor $135,407 for repeatedly failing to protect employees from work-related hazards. In one of the violations, View Top Construction LLC reportedly did not ensure workers were p...

Posted: Dec 27, 2024

3rd-Party Litigation Funding, Federal Regs Among Insurance Trades’ Priorities for 2024

Insurance Journal

Insurance trade organizations are always working for the industry so Insurance Journal asked them: What are the top priorities and/or challenges heading into 2025? Here are the responses we received: David A. Sampson, president and CEO, American Prop...

Posted: Dec 27, 2024

Ex-Citigroup Trader Wins Unfair Dismissal Case in Hong Kong

Insurance Journal

An Asia equity sales trader who was fired from Citigroup Inc. in 2019 won an employment suit against the US bank, Hong Kong’s Labour Tribunal ruled on Monday. Citigroup failed to justify its “summary dismissal” of former employee Ci...

Posted: Dec 27, 2024

Consumer Bureau Accuses Rocket Homes of Illegal Kickbacks in Mortgage Scheme

Insurance Journal

The top U.S. watchdog agency for consumer finance on Monday accused Rocket Homes, a unit of Rocket Companies, and The Jason Mitchell Group of real estate brokerages of an illegal kickback scheme to steer mortgage applications back to Rocket. Accordin...

Posted: Dec 27, 2024

New Hampshire Police Investigating Case of Man Found Dead at Insurance Department

Insurance Journal

The New Hampshire State Police reported that troopers are investigating the death of an adult male found dead at the New Hampshire Insurance Department (NHID). Investigators said they do not believe the death is suspicious and there was no public &#8...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Texas Contractor Faces $107K Fine for Exposing Workers to Trench Collapse

Insurance Journal

A U.S. Department of Labor workplace safety investigation has found a Frisco, Texas contractor repeatedly exposed workers to serious hazards by sending them into unprotected trenches without providing a means of escape. The department’s Occupat...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Former New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board Employee Arrested for Workers’ Comp Fraud

Insurance Journal

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s Louisiana Bureau of Investigation Special Agents arrested a former employee with the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans on December 20 for allegedly committing workers’ compensation fraud. O...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Former New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board Employee Arrested for Comp Fraud

Insurance Journal

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s Louisiana Bureau of Investigation Special Agents arrested a former employee with the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans on December 20 for allegedly committing workers’ compensation fraud. O...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Nebraska AG Sues Change Healthcare Over Data Breach

Insurance Journal

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers filed a lawsuit last week in Lancaster County District Court against Change Healthcare alleging violations of the state’s Consumer Protection and Data Security Laws. The complaint stems from a February dat...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Acquires Illinois’ Afina Insurance

Insurance Journal

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced the acquisition of Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois-based Afina Insurance Advisors Inc. (Afina Insurance). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Afina Insurance is a property/casualty insurance broker serving...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

People Moves: B. F. Saul Hires Horcher; Maryland Auto Appoints Brown

Insurance Journal

B.F. Saul Insurance, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, appointed John Horcher, Jr. as a commercial lines producer. Horcher is based in Philadelphia. Horcher’s previous roles include vice president positions at Marsh, HUB International and Ar...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Lawsuit Targets Universities for Allegedly Favoring Wealthy in Admissions

Insurance Journal

Children of the wealthy and connected get special admissions consideration at some elite U.S. universities, according to new filings in a class-action lawsuit originally brought against 17 schools. Georgetown’s then-president, for example, list...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Preconstruction Work to Begin in January to Rebuild Collapsed Baltimore Bridge

Insurance Journal

Preconstruction work to collect data to design a new Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore is scheduled to begin in January, according to Maryland officials. The Baltimore Sun reports that work is scheduled to include topographic and underwater surve...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

FAA Probes Holiday Drone Show Accident that Injured Florida Boy

Insurance Journal

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that it has launched an investigation into why several drones collided and fell from the sky during a holiday show over the weekend in downtown Orlando, Florida, injuring a 7-year-o...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Hockey Player Involved in Deadly Collision Seeks Donations for Legal Costs

Insurance Journal

Matt PetgHockey player Matt Petgrave has called the death of Adam Johnson “a tragic accident” in a public appeal for donations to his legal costs amid a police investigation. Johnson, who had briefly played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, di...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Investigation Continues After South Florida Boat Explosion Kills 1, Injures 6

Insurance Journal

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A boat explosion at a South Florida marina has left one person dead and six others injured, officials said. The explosion occurred Monday night about 6 p.m. at the Lauderdale Marina, Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue …

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

The Top 5 Ways To Make Sure Clients Are Prepped For Winter

Rough Notes

 Let them know what to expect and assure them that you are available to assist them Every year seems to bring with it some new iteration of “Snowpocalypse” or “Snowmageddon.” Make sure your clients protect themselves, their families, and, if applicab...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Japan Plane Crash Probe Points to Coast Guard Crew Confusion

Insurance Journal

Cockpit voice recordings released Wednesday indicate Japanese coast guard pilots wrongly thought they could enter an active runway minutes before being struck by a Japan Airlines Co. jet. The recordings, in a report tabled by the Japan Transport Safe...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Rescuers Retrieve 38 Bodies and Recorders From Azeri Plane Crash

Insurance Journal

Kazakh authorities said that a rescue team has recovered 38 bodies at the crash site of Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer SA 190 aircraft as clean-up efforts continue. As many as 29 people survived the crash and are in the hospital, while …

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

INSIGHT-Airline Pilots, Crews Voice Concerns About Middle East Routes

Insurance Journal

In late September, an experienced pilot at low-cost European airline Wizz Air felt anxious after learning his plane would fly over Iraq at night amid mounting tensions between nearby Iran and Israel. He decided to query the decision since just &#8230...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Catastrophe-Bond Issuance Pushes Overall Market to Almost $50 Billion

Insurance Journal

Catastrophe-bond issuance rose to a record this year, increasing the overall market to almost $50 billion, as insurers transferred more risk from costly climate disasters to private investors. Sales of bonds earmarked for supplemental coverage of lar...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Claims Satisfaction Leaders Reveal Secrets to Success

Insurance Journal

What is the secret to an insurance claims experience that satisfies customers? For years, J.D. Power has conducted surveys and curated lists recognizing insurers that succeed at providing satisfactory claims experiences. Carrier Management recently a...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

What Changes Should Small Businesses Be Aware of for 2025?

Insurance Journal

For small businesses, the biggest change in the new year will be the arrival of a presumably more business-friendly administration in Washington. But there are other shifts owners should keep on their radar. Among them: changes to state-level overtim...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Five Collision Claim Trends to Watch in 2025

Insurance Journal

The auto insurance industry has weathered its share of storms in recent years. Despite fewer claims in early 2024, carriers still face headwinds when it comes to vehicle complexity and its effect on severity and cycle time. Following are the …

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Allied World Policy Doesn’t Cover Troubled Sperm Bank’s Lawsuits, Court Says

Insurance Journal

At what point does a demand from an injured party constitute an insurance claim? In the case of a Georgia-based sperm bank, it’s when the injured party sends the letter – a date that came before the clearly worded policy …

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Acquires Durham & Bates in Oregon

Insurance Journal

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. acquired Portland, Oregon-based Durham & Bates Agencies Inc. Jeremy Andersen, Sean McCarthy, Christen Picot, Stephanie Murphy, David Hearns and their team will remain in their current location under the direction of...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Losses From Crypto Hacks Jump to $2.2 Billion in 2024, Report Says

Insurance Journal

Funds stolen by hacking cryptocurrency platforms surged 21% from a year ago to $2.2 billion in 2024, a report from blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis showed on Thursday. The hacking amount exceeded $1 billion for the fourth straight year and the &#...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

California’s Lemon Law is Changing and Car Buyers Have Fewer Protections in the New Year

Insurance Journal

The year 2025 is shaping up to be a confusing one for Californians unlucky enough to buy a new or used car that turns out to be a clunker. Starting Jan. 1, car buyers who purchase a faulty vehicle will …

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Trump’s Lawyers Take Broad Approach in Suits Against Media

Insurance Journal

President-elect Donald Trump is adopting a wide-ranging legal strategy in suing media companies over what he describes as false or misleading coverage about him, filing cases under civil anti-fraud laws in addition to defamation lawsuits. Some legal...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Cal/OSHA Cites Animal Services Center $563K After Worker Mauled

Insurance Journal

An animal services center has been fined for several worker safety violations, including one in which an employee’s leg was mauled by a dog, requiring hospitalization. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health issued $563,250 in...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Bar Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Policy Upheld on Appeal

Insurance Journal

A New Jersey appeals court has ruled that the state bar association’s diversity policy of setting aside a certain number of its governance seats for members of under-represented minority groups is a legal exercise of the association’s Fir...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Insurance Clusters Explained: Is Joining One a Smart Move

Insurance Journal

This post is part of a series sponsored by Darkhorse Insurance. The insurance industry presents a range of challenges. From competing with other agents to managing client expectations and navigating relationships with carriers, it can feel like a con...

Posted: Dec 26, 2024

Waymo shows 90% fewer claims than advanced human-driven vehicles: Swiss Re

Reinsurance News

According to a recent Swiss Re study, the Waymo Driver is safer than both the general driving population and the latest human-driven vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The study compared Waymo’s liability claims to b...

Posted: Dec 24, 2024

Industry veteran Brian Simpson appointed Equisoft’s VP, Insurance Solutions

Reinsurance News

Equisoft, a global provider of digital business solutions for the insurance and wealth industries, has appointed Brian Simpson as Vice President, Insurance Solutions, USA. With over three decades of experience in the life, health, and annuity sect...

Posted: Dec 24, 2024

Insurers still benefit from higher yields, but impact is fading: RBC Capital Markets

Reinsurance News

The insurance industry is still reaping the rewards of higher investment yields, although the effect is gradually diminishing, analysts at RBC Capital Markets have highlighted in a recent report. Property and casualty (P&C) insurers typically...

Posted: Dec 24, 2024

ICEYE to provide more SAR-imaging opportunities at middle latitudes with new satellites launch

Reinsurance News

ICEYE, a provider of satellite-based disaster management solutions, has expanded its Earth Observation capabilities with the launch of two new SAR satellites. With these new satellites, ICEYE aims to expand its availability imaging technology to d...

Posted: Dec 24, 2024

Bermuda’s P&C re/insurance sector saw improved CoR and net income in 2023: BMA

Reinsurance News

Bermuda’s international Property and Casualty (P&C) re/insurance sector saw significant improvements in combined ratio and net income in 2023, driven by continued price improvements, stricter terms and conditions, limit and aggregation managem...

Posted: Dec 24, 2024

EigenRisk names Rebecca Morris as Vice President of Customer Success

Reinsurance News

EigenRisk, Inc., a provider of catastrophe risk management solutions, has appointed Rebecca Morris as Vice President of Customer Success. Headquartered in Minneapolis, EigenRisk specialises in delivering cloud-based tools for managing property/cas...

Posted: Dec 24, 2024

Private insurers uniquely positioned to close US flood coverage gap: Neptune Flood

Reinsurance News

In a new report analysing the U.S. residential flood insurance market, Neptune Flood has underlined the critical role private insurers can play in addressing the nation’s growing flood coverage gap. According to the firm’s research, more tha...

Posted: Dec 24, 2024

Enstar completes $75m legacy reinsurance agreement with James River

Reinsurance News

The previously announced $75 million adverse development cover (ADC) reinsurance agreement between a wholly owned subsidiary of legacy player Enstar Group and certain subsidiaries of Bermuda-domiciled insurance holding company, James River Group H...

Posted: Dec 24, 2024