Business Insurance

AssuredPartners buys Seattle brokerage

AssuredPartners Inc. has acquired Seattle-based Mainstreet Financial Services Inc., AssuredPartners said in a statement Monday.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

Insurance rate hikes accelerate in second quarter

Average commercial insurance rate increases hit double digits in the second quarter, with large accounts seeing the biggest rise, according to the latest pricing survey released by the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers on Monday.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

Securities class-action tech filings increase: Cornerstone

The number of securities class-action filings involving tech companies increased for the fourth consecutive year, in line with the trend in overall filings, says a report issued Monday.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

ADA suit of fired worker with Tourette’s syndrome reinstated

A federal appeals court has reinstated Americans with Disabilities Act litigation filed by a fired auto parts store manager who suffers from Tourette’s syndrome, citing incorrect instructions given by the judge to the jury, which went on to rule agai...

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

Zoom says service restored after US users hit by outage

Video-conferencing company Zoom Video Communications Inc. said on Monday it had restored service to its U.S. users after a partial outage left many unable to log in to work meetings or attend school classes remotely.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

KFC cautions licking your fingers not safe in pandemic

Kentucky Friday Chicken says it is dropping its famous “Finger Lickin’ Good” catchphrase in several of its markets worldwide, as the practice of licking one’s fingers is too risky due to COVID-19.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

CopperPoint hires former Blackboard distribution head

CopperPoint Insurance Co. has hired Kathleen Ziegler to take over the newly created role of senior vice president, operations, the insurer announced in a statement Monday.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

Broker pleads guilty in college entrance test scandal

A broker whose firm will be acquired by Brown & Brown Inc. has pleaded guilty in connection with the Varsity Blues scandal, charged with using fraud and bribery to boost his daughter’s college entrance test results.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

OSHA, FDA create food processing checklist for COVID-19

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have released a checklist to help food manufacturers keep their employees safe during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, OSHA announced in a statement.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

Ohio approves 10% comp cut for public employers

The board of the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation approved a 10% workers compensation rate cut for public employers, the bureau announced in a statement Friday.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

Report analyzes retirement choices for injured federal workers

Federal workers who retire after being injured may not be informed of the best options under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act, the Government Accountability Office said in a report released Friday.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

MS Amlin names former Everest Re exec chief underwriter

MS Amlin Underwriting Ltd. named former Everest Re executive Andrew Carrier chief underwriting officer to review and reposition its business, the Lloyd’s of London insurer and reinsurer said Monday.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

SEC proposes scaling back personal information from trading database

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday said it would remove some personal information from a controversial trading database, bowing to pressure from the brokerage industry, which has long warned the project would be vulnerable to hacks...

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

EU needs more proactive climate change adaptation plans: Insurers

The European Union’s strategy to adapt to the risks of climate change needs to be much more proactive and ambitious in order to reduce the risk of natural disasters such as flooding, insurers said in response to a consultation on the issue.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

ICICI Lombard to acquire Bharti Axa

India-based ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. will acquire Bharti Axa General Insurance Co. Ltd. to create the country's third largest general insurer.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

Suncorp to stop insuring oil and gas industry

Australia-based Suncorp Group Ltd. plans to stop insuring the oil and gas industry by 2025.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

PICC Property and Casualty's profit falls 22%

Chinese insurer PICC Property and Casualty Co. Ltd.'s net profit fell 22% year-over-year to nearly 13.2 billion Chinese yuan ($1.9 billion) in the first six months.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

Insurance bodies call for pandemic insurance cover

The German association of risk and insurance managers and the federal association of German insurance brokers have come together to pursue the creation of a state-backed pandemic insurance cover.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

Australian bushfire claims total $1.7 billion

Data from the Insurance Council of Australia showed that bushfire-related claims totaled $2.4 billion Australia ($1.7 billion), making it one of the top five costliest natural disasters in terms of claims.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

Tunisia, Egypt pose most risk to insurers

A report by U.S.-based A.M. Best Co. Inc. said that Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon and Algeria pose the most risk to an insurer's financial stability, strength and performance.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

Storm batters Haiti and Dominican Republic

Storm Laura hit Haiti and the Dominican Republic during the weekend and caused widespread damage.

Posted: Aug 24, 2020

Firm to pay $1.25M to eight Black former employees in EEOC case

A San Jose, California-based electrical company has agreed to pay $1.25 million to eight Black former employees to settle racial harassment litigation filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Posted: Aug 21, 2020

Wood floor maker fined for willful violations

A small New York hardwood flooring manufacturer was ordered to pay more than $160,000 for a number of willful violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Posted: Aug 21, 2020

Suit reinstated against policyholder who settled case on its own

A federal appeals court on Thursday reinstated litigation filed by an insurer against a policyholder for settling a case without its permission.

Posted: Aug 21, 2020

Cal/OSHA reminds employers to protect workers from wildfire smoke

California employers need to ensure they are taking steps to protect their workers from wildfire smoke, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health reminded employers in a statement Thursday.

Posted: Aug 21, 2020