Business Insurance

Property/casualty insurers average retention rate rises

Data from Egypt's Financial Regulatory Authority showed that the average retention rate of property/casualty insurers increased 2.5 percentage points year-over-year to nearly 60% in the financial year ended June 30, 2019.

Posted: Apr 01, 2020

Australian firm to help businesses address coronavirus effects

Australia-based risk and reputation consulting firm First Light Consulting has formed a crisis response team to help businesses address the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak.

Posted: Apr 01, 2020

FBD appoints Paul D'Alton as interim CEO

Ireland-based insurer FBD Holdings PLC has appointed Paul D'Alton as its interim chief executive.

Posted: Apr 01, 2020

Magnitude 4.4 quake shakes Eastern Caribbean

A 4.4-magnitude earthquake hit the Eastern Caribbean region on March 31.

Posted: Apr 01, 2020

Travelers units must indemnify city in wrongful conviction case

A federal appeals court, overturning a lower court ruling, held that Travelers Cos. units must indemnify a Kentucky city in connection with its wrongful conviction of a man for murder.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Most employers say they did not have a COVID-19 plan: Survey

Seventy-one percent of employers surveyed recently say they did not have a pre-existing pandemic management plan or emergency management plan activated in response to COVID-19, according to a report released Monday by the employment law firm BlankRom...

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Marriott reports another data breach

Marriott International Inc. said Tuesday that data on about 5.2 million of its guests may have been hacked.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Buyers, insurers call for 9/11-type fund to relieve COVID-19 impact

More than 30 policyholder groups from retail and other sectors hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic on Tuesday joined with major insurance organizations to call on the Trump administration and Congress to create a federal recovery fund to provide liquid...

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Wanna avoid the risk of poor publicity? Skip April Fools

Added to the list of corporate cancellations in light of COVID-19: April Fools’ Day. For the first time in history, Google Inc. plans to cancel its annual April Fools’ Day spoofs due to COVID-19, according to Reuters.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

EU states step in where trade credit insurers fear to tread

European Union states are giving guarantees to credit insurers in a bid to keep coronavirus-hit companies afloat, as some firms cut cover for trade involving bloc members such as Italy and Spain, sources said.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

States begin tallying coronavirus-related comp claims

Single-payer state workers compensation systems have started seeing claim activity related to COVID-19, although initial reports show that some of the applicants may not qualify, according to at least two states.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Alaska introduces presumption bill for comp, coronavirus

Lawmakers in Alaska have fast-tracked a comprehensive coronavirus-related bill that would in part grant workers compensation benefits to first responders and health care providers presumably exposed to COVID-19.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Ruling in favor of Munich Re in beach ball injury affirmed

A Munich Re unit is not obligated to defend or indemnify two organizers of a rum and reggae festival that were sued by an attendee who was injured at the event by an extra-large beach ball, said a federal appeals court Monday, in affirming a lower co...

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Chicago restaurants, theaters sue for coronavirus coverage

A group of Chicago-based restaurants and movie theaters sued their insurer in federal court Friday seeking coverage for lost revenue due to forced closures during the coronavirus pandemic.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Amarin loses patent lawsuit on main drug, shares tumble

Shares of Amarin Corp. plunged nearly 70% on Tuesday after the drugmaker lost a major U.S. patent battle for its heart drug Vascepa, opening the door for generic competition to its main revenue contributor.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Willis Re names head of specialty-North America

Willis Re, the reinsurance division of Willis Towers Watson PLC, has named Charles Rumball to the new role of head of specialty-North America, effective April 1, Willis Re said in a statement Tuesday.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Brokers, buyers, insurers renew policies while sheltering in place

Insurers, brokers and commercial buyers are adapting to the challenge of negotiating and completing insurance policy renewals while working remotely and avoiding close contact amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Workers’ comp carriers told to prepare for coronavirus claims

Under Australia's WorkSafe ACT, insurers need to make arrangements for workers’ compensation claims should employees contract coronavirus while on the job.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Lloyd's of London's premiums rise slightly

Lloyd's of London's gross written premiums increased slightly to nearly £36 billion ($45 billion) last year from £35.5 billion in 2018.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Virgin Media could pay more than $5.5 billion for data breach

U.K.-based telecommunication firm Virgin Media Ltd. could pay up to £4.5 billion ($5.6 billion) in compensation to customers affected in a cyber breach that exposed the personal details of around 900,000 people.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Storm claims surpass $400 million

The Insurance Council of Australia expects claims related to storms that hit the country's east coast in February to have reached $677 million Australia ($416 million).

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

PICC's premiums rise more than 11%

The People's Insurance Company (Group) of China Ltd.'s premiums grew more than 11% year-over-year to nearly $78 billion in 2019.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Saudi Re's premiums rise 10%

Saudi Reinsurance Co.'s gross written premiums grew 10% year-on-year to 792 million Saudi riyal ($210 million) in 2019.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Property/casualty insurers pay coronavirus compensation

The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission's Shanghai unit said than 36 property/casualty insurers have paid compensation of nearly 9 million Chinese yuan ($1.3 million) to 271 corporate customers affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020

Marine insurance premiums fall 10%

Data from the Jordan Insurance Federation showed that marine insurance premiums declined nearly 10% year-over-year to around 18 million Jordanian dinar ($25 million) in 2019 from nearly JOD 20 million in 2018.

Posted: Mar 31, 2020