Business Insurance

Woodruff & Sawyer names Barrengos chairman

Woodruff Sawyer & Co. said Thursday that CEO Andy Barrengos has assumed the added title of chairman, while chairman Stan Loar has become chairman emeritus.

Posted: May 21, 2020

Firefighter’s cumulative hearing loss not compensable

A firefighter’s hearing loss is not covered by workers compensation because it was cumulative and not triggered by a single incident, an appellate court held Wednesday.

Posted: May 21, 2020

Age discrimination case against HP can proceed

A U.S. District Court judge in San Jose, California, has refused to dismiss age discrimination claims in a class-action lawsuit filed against HP Inc. and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. by former employees, stating they had provided sufficient evidenc...

Posted: May 21, 2020

Generali sees lower operating profit due to COVID crisis

Italy's biggest insurer, Generali, expects its operating profit to be “resilient” this year, but to fall short of last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it said on Thursday.

Posted: May 21, 2020

VIG's premiums rise more than 7%

Austria-based Vienna Insurance Group AG's insurance premiums grew more than 7% to surpass €3 billion ($3.3 billion) in the first quarter, driven by strong demand in Austria and Poland during the first two months.

Posted: May 21, 2020

VW agrees to pay fine, suit against CEO, chairman ends

A German court has ended proceedings against the chairman and chief executive of Volkswagen AG after the carmaker agreed to pay a fine of €9 million ($10 million) over the diesel emissions scandal.

Posted: May 21, 2020

Cyclone causes devastation in India, Bangladesh

Cyclone Amphan, which hit India and Bangladesh on May 20, has killed at least 14 people and caused widespread damage.

Posted: May 21, 2020

Hospitality firms to sue against Aviva, QBE

A group of hospitality firms in the United Kingdom plan to sue insurers Aviva PLC and QBE Insurance Ltd. after failing to secure payouts following business interruption due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Posted: May 21, 2020

Australian logistics firm's data leaked online

Hackers who delivered a ransomware attack on Australian logistics firm Toll Holdings Ltd. in January have leaked corporate data online as the company refused to give in to ransom demands.

Posted: May 21, 2020

Pandemic hits India's real estate sector hard

A report by U.S.-based accounting firm KPMG LLP predicted that India's real estate sector will lose 1 trillion Indian rupees ($13.3 billion) in the year ending March 31, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Posted: May 21, 2020

PRIMA honors top risk managers

The Public Risk Management Association on Tuesday named Jessica Lyons, risk manager for the city of Henderson, Nevada, its Public Risk Manager of the Year.

Posted: May 20, 2020

Cyber insurer Coalition raises $90M in equity capital

Cyber insurer and security company Coalition Inc. said Wednesday it has raised $90 million in additional equity capital.

Posted: May 20, 2020

Alliant adds private-equity cybersecurity product

Alliant Insurance Services Inc. said Wednesday it is partnering with a cybersecurity firm to offer a product for private-equity managers and their portfolios.

Posted: May 20, 2020

Arizona comp commission issues warning on COVID claims

Workers compensation insurers, self-insured employers, the Special Fund and authorized claims processing representatives administering Arizona workers compensation claims may not deny COVID-19 claims without justification, according to a policy state...

Posted: May 20, 2020

California COVID presumption could cost up to $1.8B

California’s rebuttable presumption for COVID-19 acquisition for 16 categories of essential workers may likely cost the state $1 billion, but far less than earlier projections, according to a presentation of the California Workers Compensation Insura...

Posted: May 20, 2020

Legal malpractice insurers see increase in claims: Report

Most legal malpractice insurers report the number of claims filed in 2019 was either the same or higher than in 2018, a broker report says.

Posted: May 20, 2020

The Dark Tower?

More news from the apocalypse: The Chicago skyline on Tuesday night looked “downright ominous,” reported the Chicago Tribune on Wednesday as the famed Willis Tower continued to suffer power loss.

Posted: May 20, 2020

Worker with COVID-19 sues Utah employer

A nutritional supplement company worker who became ill with COVID-19 along with her disabled daughter and roommate has filed suit against the company, charging she was threatened with termination when she complained about the company’s safety procedu...

Posted: May 20, 2020

Two states aim to improve comp for first responders

Lawmakers in two states this week are aiming to improve workers compensation benefits for first responders, in line with a nationwide trend focusing on injuries suffered by those who work as police officers and firefighters.

Posted: May 20, 2020

OSHA releases updated guidance on recording COVID cases

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued revised enforcement guidance to help employers evaluate whether a workplace case of COVID-19 is recordable.

Posted: May 20, 2020

Liberty Mutual names chief underwriting officer

Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. on Wednesday named David Perez chief underwriting officer for Global Risk Solutions, Liberty Mutual’s global commercial and specialty lines insurer and reinsurer.

Posted: May 20, 2020

Lockton Re names chairman of marine, energy

Lockton Global Re on Wednesday said it named Martin Stephenson to the newly created position of chairman of marine and energy, effective in July.

Posted: May 20, 2020

Policyholder pulls COVID-19 suit against broker, insurer

A legal services firm that sued its broker and insurer last week in a claims dispute over coronavirus-related business interruption losses is withdrawing the lawsuit.

Posted: May 20, 2020

CAC Specialty names Eric Joost EVP for technology, global markets

Brokerage CAC Specialty named Eric Joost, longtime senior executive at Willis Towers Watson PLC, as executive vice president and chief technology & global markets officer.

Posted: May 20, 2020

Workers hit McDonald's with class action over COVID-19 safety

Five McDonald's workers in Chicago filed a class-action lawsuit against the fast-food chain on Tuesday, accusing it of failing to adopt government safety guidance on COVID-19 and endangering employees and their families.

Posted: May 20, 2020