Business Insurance

Webinar: Back to work in a time of COVID-19

Business Insurance will be continuing its workers compensation webinar series May 21 with a panel discussion on what employers need to know about getting workers back on the job as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold.

Posted: May 12, 2020

Allianz solvency ratio may drop below target amid pandemic

German insurer Allianz said Tuesday that a key measure of capital may fall below the company's target floor level as it faces claims for disruption caused by the coronavirus crisis.

Posted: May 12, 2020

AIG faces shareholder vote on executive pay

American International Group Inc. faces a crucial test Wednesday, when shareholders are to vote on whether the board of directors has adequately addressed their concerns about executive pay.

Posted: May 12, 2020

Bringing select workers back carries litigation risks: Experts

Employers that are inviting select employees to return to work after COVID-19 shutdowns must tread carefully to avoid potential discrimination claims, experts say.

Posted: May 12, 2020

Suncorp expects challenges in securing reinsurance coverage

Australian insurer Suncorp Group Ltd. expects challenges in placing its aggregate reinsurance covers given that losses from natural catastrophes over the last year have already eroded a significant amount of its protection in recent months.

Posted: May 12, 2020

Public liability insurance in limelight after gas leak

Insurance experts have said that the gas leak at South Korean chemicals firm LG Chem Ltd.'s polymer plant in the Indian city of Visakhapatnam on May 7 has brought back the focus on public liability insurance.

Posted: May 12, 2020

Train maker suffers cyber attack, data 'most likely' leaked

Switzerland-based train manufacturer Stadler Rail AG suffered a cyber attack which has "most likely" led to a data leak.

Posted: May 12, 2020

China bars beef from Australia as trade tensions simmer

China has suspended exports from four Australian beef plants amid rising trade tensions.

Posted: May 12, 2020

Pandemic costs fashion and textile industry nearly $4 billion

Research by Italian federation Confindustria Moda found that the COVID-19 pandemic cost the local fashion and textile industry more than €3.5 billion ($3.8 billion) in revenue in the first quarter.

Posted: May 12, 2020

Oil tanker bursts into flames, injures 22 people

An Indonesia-flagged crude oil tanker burst into flames on May 11 while docked for repairs at North Sumatra's Belawan port, injuring at least 22 people.

Posted: May 12, 2020

Hyundai recalls 100,000 cars in Australia

South Korea-based Hyundai Motor Co. has recalled around 100,000 cars in Australia due to fire risk.

Posted: May 12, 2020

Pandemic cuts deep at Fiat Chrysler

U.K.-based Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV reported a loss of nearly $2 billion in the first quarter, compared with a profit of $679 million in the first quarter of last year, due to a steep decline in car sales during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Posted: May 12, 2020

Treasury signals concerns over COVID-19 coverage legislation

The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Friday said officials have concerns about proposals to compel insurers to pay business interruption losses arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Posted: May 11, 2020

WeWork directors seek to preserve right to sue owner

A special committee of WeWork board members filed a motion in Delaware on Monday to prevent it from being disbanded, as it pursues legal action against majority owner SoftBank Group Corp. over an abandoned $3 billion tender offer for the office space...

Posted: May 11, 2020

Insurance pricing up sharply in Q1: Marsh

Commercial insurance pricing increased 14% in the United States during the first quarter, compared with the year-earlier period, according to a report released Monday by Marsh LLC.

Posted: May 11, 2020

Aon, Willis Towers Watson deal followed lengthy courtship: Filings

Aon PLC’s bid to buy rival brokerage Willis Towers Watson PLC will have been more than two years in the making if it is completed as scheduled next year, regulatory filings show.

Posted: May 11, 2020

Nurse’s back injuries not compensable

A nurse’s back injuries she said began when she felt a “pop” while pushing a medicine cart are not compensable, the Mississippi Supreme Court held Thursday.

Posted: May 11, 2020

FTC seeks comments on health-care vendor notification rule

The Federal Trade Commission is seeking comments as to whether changes should be made to a rule that requires when health care vendors notify individuals and others that a data breach has occurred.

Posted: May 11, 2020

Travelers, Arch units need not defend construction firm

Travelers Cos. Inc. and Arch Capital Group Ltd. units are not obligated to defend and indemnify a Louisiana construction company because the “intentional and malicious” behavior alleged in the underlying lawsuit was not an occurrence under their cove...

Posted: May 11, 2020

Pre-surgery impairment determines function: Court

An injured firefighter’s 74% loss-of-use of his hip will be applied when factoring his permanent disability and not the functional improvement experienced following hip surgery that led to an 11% loss-of-use determination, the Supreme Court of Virgin...

Posted: May 11, 2020

Similarities out of this world

There’s a not-so-wholesome twist in American Girl’s 2018 “Girl of the Year.” Silky-haired brunette Luciana Vega, a starry-eyed 11-year-old interested in going to Space Camp and becoming the first Mars astronaut, aiming to encourage little girls every...

Posted: May 11, 2020

Hub buys New York brokerage

Brokerage Hub International Ltd. said Monday that its affiliate, Hub International Northeast Ltd., has acquired the assets of The B&G Group Inc. of Plainview, New York.

Posted: May 11, 2020

Aon forms MGA for intellectual property risks

Aon PLC said Monday it has formed a managing general agent offering primary limits of up to $100 million for intellectual property risks and targeting businesses in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and parts of Asia.

Posted: May 11, 2020

Commercial insurance price hikes speed up in April: Report

Commercial insurance rate increases accelerated in most lines last month, but workers compensation rates continue to fall, according to a report by insurance exchange Ivans Insurance Services.

Posted: May 11, 2020