Business Insurance

Judge ordered to review benefits denial for longshoreman

A longshoreman will have another chance to prove he was unable to work after surveillance video led an administrative law judge to question his credibility, an appellate court ruled Friday.

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

OSHA issues final beryllium rule

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration published a final rule Friday revising the beryllium standards for construction and shipyards. The final rule clarifies the standards to improve compliance, the agency said in a statement.

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

State Fund announces $75M midyear dividend

California’s State Compensation Insurance Fund will distribute a $75 million midyear dividend to policyholders, which represents about 10% of the fund’s estimated annual reported premium between Jan. 1, 2020, and Aug. 26, 2020, the insurer announced...

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

Travelers scores victory in COVID-19 business interruption case

A unit of Travelers Cos. Inc. won the dismissal of a coronavirus-related business interruption suit on Friday, adding to the growing list of court decisions finding business disruptions stemming from the pandemic don’t constitute property loss or dam...

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

Kansas high court rules widow entitled to survivor benefits

The widow of a worker with a staffing agency who fell to his death and was later found to have marijuana in his system can still collect workers compensation survivor benefits because testimony indicated there were no signs that the worker was impair...

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

Palin can sue New York Times for defamation: Judge

A federal judge on Friday rejected the New York Times’ bid to dismiss Sarah Palin's defamation lawsuit over a 2017 editorial she said falsely linked her to a mass shooting.

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

Hurricane Laura insured losses estimated at close to $9 billion

Insured losses from Hurricane Laura will be close to $9 billion, according to Boston-based catastrophe modeler Karen Clark & Co.

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

New Zealand stock market hit by cyberattack, keeps trading

The New Zealand stock market was hit by a fifth day of cyberattacks on Monday, crashing its website, but maintained trading after switching to a contingency plan for the release of market announcements.

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

Car insurance discount joins sweatpants as work-from-home perk

The pandemic has been driving down the costs of car insurance as many insurers have been offering premium refunds since March. Yet one insurance company is going the extra mile by offering a future discount to customers who can check the box: telecom...

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

European reinsurers' COVID-19 bill reaches $6 billion

U.S.-based S&P Global Inc. said that Europe's four biggest reinsurers racked up nearly €3.5 billion ($4.1 billion) of coronavirus claims and reserves in the second quarter of the year.

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

Ageas to buy 25% stake in Hong Kong reinsurer

Belgian insurer Ageas SA/NV has agreed to buy a 25% stake in Taiping Reinsurance Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based China Taiping Insurance Holdings Co. Ltd., for $3.1 billion Hong Kong ($400 million).

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

Asian insurers, reinsurers reposition after cat losses

A report by U.S.-based Fitch Ratings Inc. said Asian reinsurers are focusing on building their capital to buffer against a potential increase in claims and investment losses following significant catastrophe losses.

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

Typhoon likely to hit South Korea

Typhoon Maysak is expected to hit South Korea on Sep. 2 and cause widespread disruption.

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

Premiums rise nearly 10% in Egypt

A report by Egypt's Financial Regulatory Authority said that local insurers' premiums increased 9.6% year-on-year to 15.2 billion Egyptian pounds ($958 million) in the first five months of the year.

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

Travel industry could lose $29 billion

The World Travel & Tourism Council expects that the United Kingdom will lose around £22 billion ($29 billion) this year due to the coronavirus pandemic-induced decline in global travel.

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

Insurers get approval to cover licensed drones

The Saudi financial regulator has moved to allow insurers to cover licensed drones.

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

Train derails, spills 750 tons of diesel

A freight train derailed and spilled up to 750 tons of diesel into the Loughor Estuary in the U.K.'s Carmarthenshire county on Aug. 26.

Posted: Aug 31, 2020

Couple hurt at murder scene can’t claim damages

A middle-aged couple severely injured when they went to check on a neighbor at the request of a law enforcement officer should not be awarded damages other than workers compensation benefits, even though they were not employed by the local authority,...

Posted: Aug 28, 2020

Herbalife to pay $123.1M to resolve China bribery case

Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. will pay $123.1 million to settle criminal and civil charges it bribed Chinese officials in government agencies and media outlets to boost its business in China, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Friday.

Posted: Aug 28, 2020

Insurers lose ruling in bar assault case

Insurers are obligated to defend a bar in a situation where a woman was first given suspicious drinks, then assaulted, despite an assault exclusion in its coverage, said a federal appeals court Thursday, in affirming a lower court ruling.

Posted: Aug 28, 2020

Ohio employers have right to directly observe workers’ urine screens

Ohio employers have a right to observe their employees provide a urine sample for drug testing, the Ohio Supreme Court held Wednesday in a 4-3 decision.

Posted: Aug 28, 2020

Audrey Rampinelli joins Mastercard as risk management leader

Longtime risk manager Audrey Rampinelli has joined Mastercard Inc. as senior vice president risk management and insurance services.

Posted: Aug 28, 2020

New Jersey assembly votes to raise burial expenses in comp

New Jersey lawmakers on Thursday passed legislation to increase burial expense allowances for workers compensation claimants and clarify benefits payments.

Posted: Aug 28, 2020

Allianz loses ruling against apartment management firm

An Allianz unit that waited 18 months after a complaint was filed to reserve its right to disclaim coverage for punitive damages is obligated to pay a $1.95 million punitive damages award, in a case involving a young woman who was injured by a malfun...

Posted: Aug 28, 2020

Pilot’s widow can collect full survivor benefits

The widow of an airline pilot who was killed crossing a road to his hotel while away for work travel can collect full survivor benefits, an appeals court in Colorado ruled Thursday, denying the employer’s arguments that the pilot was intoxicated at t...

Posted: Aug 28, 2020