Business Insurance

Board creates guidance for employers to cover COVID-19 testing

Under emergency, the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board on Tuesday adopted a new rule that applies to employers whose employees test positive for COVID-19.

Posted: Aug 19, 2020

Health department orders measures for nursing home workers

The secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health on Tuesday directed nursing homes to implement measures for use and distribution of personal protective equipment to protect workers.

Posted: Aug 19, 2020

Oregon OSHA proposes workplace rules for COVID-19

Oregon’s Department of Consumer and Business Services is proposing a temporary rule that would combat the spread of coronavirus in all workplaces by requiring employers to implement risk-reducing measures.

Posted: Aug 19, 2020

Lawmakers call on OSHA to update ammonium nitrate standard

Three U.S. lawmakers are calling on the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration to update its ammonium nitrate standard in the wake of the deadly Beirut explosion earlier this month.

Posted: Aug 19, 2020

Citigroup sues two more Revlon lenders in $900M fight

Citigroup Inc. is suing HPS Investment Partners LLC and Symphony Asset Management LLC for allegedly refusing to return a combined $237 million, escalating a legal dispute between the bank and Revlon Inc.’s lenders over a loan payment error.

Posted: Aug 19, 2020

United States Oil Fund gets Wells notice from SEC

The United States Oil Fund LP, the country's largest crude exchange-traded fund, said on Wednesday it received a Wells notice from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Posted: Aug 19, 2020

Shkreli fails to end FTC suit over Daraprim price hikes

A federal judge on Tuesday rejected Martin Shkreli’s effort to dismiss a lawsuit accusing the imprisoned former pharmaceutical executive of trying to monopolize the lifesaving drug Daraprim, whose price he raised more than 4,000% in one day.

Posted: Aug 19, 2020

Taiwan says China behind cyberattacks

Taiwan said Wednesday that hacking groups linked to the Chinese government had attacked at least 10 government agencies and some 6,000 email accounts of government officials in an “infiltration” to steal important data.

Posted: Aug 19, 2020

M&A activities likely to wane due to pandemic

A report by U.K.-based law firm Clyde & Co. LLP’s predicts a decline in global insurance merger and acquisition activities in the second half of the year due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Posted: Aug 19, 2020

Entire country suffers power outage

An unspecified technical problem at Sri Lanka-based electricity company Ceylon Electricity Board’s Kerewalapitiya power complex caused a country-wide power outage on Aug. 17.

Posted: Aug 19, 2020

Sichuan issues highest level flood emergency alert

Authorities in Chinese province of Sichuan issued Level 1 emergency alert on Aug. 18, as the Qingyi River and its tributaries breached warning levels.

Posted: Aug 19, 2020

Strong quakes jolt Indonesian island of Sumatra

The U.S. Geological Survey said that Bengkulu province on the Indonesian island of Sumatra was jolted by twin earthquakes on Aug. 19.

Posted: Aug 19, 2020

UK insurance broker acquires specialist MGA

U.K.-based insurance broker The Ardonagh Group Ltd. has acquired Thames Underwriting Ltd. for undisclosed amount.

Posted: Aug 19, 2020

Tawuniya reports more than 150% rise in pre-tax profit

Saudi Arabia-based insurer The Company for Cooperative Insurance (Tawuniya) reported 153.5% year-on-year increase in net profit before zakat and tax to 295.2 million Saudi riyal ($78.7 million) in the first half of the year.

Posted: Aug 19, 2020

Moldovan insurers post 20% drop in premiums

According to Moldova's National Commission of Financial Market, insurers generated 577.17 million Moldovan leu ($34.18 million) in gross written premiums from general insurance policies in the first half of 2020, a 20.3% year-on-year decrease.

Posted: Aug 19, 2020

Employers, regulators look for workarounds amid mask shortage

Potential and actual shortages of personal protective equipment for health care workers has led to modified safety guidelines from regulators and put pressure on employers to find alternative solutions to keep staff and patients safe.

Posted: Aug 19, 2020

Nationwide E&S executive to retire at end of 2020

Tom Clark, excess and surplus/specialty leader for Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co., plans to retire from the organization at the end of the year, the insurer said Tuesday.

Posted: Aug 18, 2020

Swiss insurer on hook for $4.5M of Wyoming refinery fire

A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court decision against a Swiss insurer, and ruled it is liable to contribute $4.5 million in connection with a 2013 Wyoming refinery fire.

Posted: Aug 18, 2020

Travelers wins fuel storage dispute in reversal

A federal appeals court has reversed a lower court decision and ruled in favor of a Travelers Cos. Inc. unit in a dispute over damages associated with an underground fuel storage tank.

Posted: Aug 18, 2020

Origami Risk, LineSlip launch P/C data management tool

Origami Risk LLC and LineSlip Solutions Inc. have teamed to bring LineSlip Risk Manager, a property/casualty data management tool, to Origami clients, the companies said in a statement Tuesday.

Posted: Aug 18, 2020

If you build this ukulele, you will stay

Companies have long introduced workplace perks such as lunch treats and parties as a way to attract and retain talent, and the pandemic has prompted employers to get even more creative.

Posted: Aug 18, 2020

Transport firm ordered to reinstate employee fired for whistleblowing

A prisoner transport company has been ordered to reinstate an employee who was allegedly terminated for complaining about the unsafe actions of a co-worker.

Posted: Aug 18, 2020

Virginia introduces COVID-19 presumption bill

A Virginia lawmaker prefiled legislation on Monday to make it easier for first responder, front-line health care workers and teachers to obtain workers compensation if they contract COVID-19 on the job.

Posted: Aug 18, 2020

Comp benchmarking study seeks claims leaders to comment

Now in its eighth year, a popular annual claims management survey is underway and seeking claims experts to weigh in on new industry trends especially dealing with the pandemic response, Chicago-based Rising Medical Solutions announced Tuesday.

Posted: Aug 18, 2020

Tower MSA launches Medicare secondary payer dashboard

Tower MSA has launched a dashboard to help clients comply with Medicare secondary payer requirements and avoid penalties, the Delray Beach, Florida-based compliance firm announced in a statement Tuesday.

Posted: Aug 18, 2020