Business Insurance

Rising economic uncertainty hurts insurance industry

A report by U.S.-based insurance rating agency A.M. Best Co. Inc. said that economic uncertainty has negatively affected the Lebanese insurance market's credit quality.

Posted: Mar 09, 2020

Hostile work environment claims against Marriott reinstated

A federal appeals court overturned a lower court Friday and reinstated hostile work environment and retaliation claims filed by a former Marriot International Inc. worker who was terminated after complaining about how he was treated by hotel official...

Posted: Mar 06, 2020

Early care can help mitigate mental issues tied to workplace injuries

BOSTON — Workplace injuries often can lead to mental health issues, including opioid use and even suicide, experts said during a panel discussion Friday at the Workers Compensation Research Institute’s 36th Annual Issues & Research Conference.

Posted: Mar 06, 2020

Detox tea marketers in hot water with Federal Trade Commission

Admitting to sensational, unproven claims that their detox teas would help one lose weight, fight cancer, clear clogged arteries, decrease migraines, treat and prevent flus, and treat colds, the marketers of “detox” drinking teas have settled with th...

Posted: Mar 06, 2020

Texas’ Surplus Lines Stamping Office names executive director

The board of directors of Texas’ Surplus Lines Stamping Office has named former risk manager Greg Brandon as its executive director, effective Monday.

Posted: Mar 06, 2020

Cannabis risk retention group launches

A Nevada-domiciled risk retention group aimed at the cannabis sector launched Thursday.

Posted: Mar 06, 2020

Virgin Media reports database breach

(Reuters) — Virgin Media, owned by Liberty Global, on Thursday reported a breach that allowed unauthorized access to the cable company's database that contained personal information of about 900,000 customers.

Posted: Mar 06, 2020

AFL-CIO calls on OSHA to create temp standard for pandemics

The AFL-CIO is calling on the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration to create an emergency temporary standard to protect workers from the potential coronavirus pandemic and future infectious agents.

Posted: Mar 06, 2020

Washington approves comp for quarantined health, safety workers

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday announced immediate changes to the state’s workers compensation rules to provide comp coverage for health care workers and first responders who are quarantined following exposure to the coronavirus.

Posted: Mar 06, 2020

The BI Top 10: Week of March 2, 2020

Coronavirus dominated this week's news, accounting for five stories in the Business Insurance Top 10. The most highly read story, though, focused on the acceleration in commercial insurance rate hikes in February.

Posted: Mar 06, 2020

Reinsurers look to hedge risks as riot claims rise

U.S.-based Property Claim Services Inc. said that reinsurers are likely to look for hedging solutions, including insurance-linked securities, following a rise in claims from the riots that took place in Chile last year.

Posted: Mar 06, 2020

Outbreak costs Middle East airlines nearly $100 million

The International Air Transport Association said that the coronavirus outbreak has cost the Middle East airlines nearly $100 million in lost revenue.

Posted: Mar 06, 2020

Cyclone risk increases

Insurance Australia Group Ltd. has said that the chances of a category four cyclone hitting Brisbane, the Gold Coast and northern New South Wales, and causing tens of billions of dollars in damage, is higher than ever.

Posted: Mar 06, 2020

Latin American reinsurance market to grow: AM Best

U.S.-based insurance rating agency A.M. Best Co. Inc. expects strong growth in the Latin American reinsurance market this year.

Posted: Mar 06, 2020

Austrian insurer to acquire North Macedonian insurer

Austrian insurer Grazer Wechselseitige Versicherung (GRAWE) has received approval from North Macedonia's Insurance Supervision Agency to acquire a more than 75% stake in local insurer Eurolink Osiguruvanje AD for an undisclosed amount.

Posted: Mar 06, 2020

Insurance sector might be entering a soft market cycle

According to Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Research, the local insurance sector might be entering a soft market cycle as insurers' premiums and earnings experienced tapering growth or a decline in the fourth quarter of last year.

Posted: Mar 06, 2020

Weather-related damage payouts to increase by 9%-25%

Ilan Noy, chairman in the Economics of Disasters at Victoria University of Wellington, has said that New Zealand's Earthquake Commission should expect to pay up to 25% more for future weather-related damage claims as climate change exacerbates storm...

Posted: Mar 06, 2020

Insurance industry reacts to coronavirus spread

Insurers, brokers and others say they are cautiously monitoring the situation with regards to the coronavirus, with some imposing limited travel restrictions and canceling events.

Posted: Mar 05, 2020

Comp costs continue to rise with age: WCRI

BOSTON —The increasing number of people remaining in the workforce past traditional retirement age presents challenging questions for the workers compensation industry, according to research presented Thursday at the Workers Compensation Research Ins...

Posted: Mar 05, 2020

Excess, surplus market seeing more insurance submissions

The excess and surplus lines market is seeing a strong flow of insurance submissions as standard markets cut back on coverage, said attendees at the Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association’s underwriting summit earlier this week.

Posted: Mar 05, 2020

Dollar Tree facing more safety violations

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Tuesday announced it has again cited Dollar Tree Stores Inc. for exit and storage hazards — this time at a store in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, tallying $296,861 in penalties.

Posted: Mar 05, 2020

ECB tells banks to review coronavirus continuity plans

(Reuters) — The European Central Bank has asked euro zone banks to review their business continuity plans and the actions they can take to prepare for and minimize the potential adverse effects of the coronavirus, a letter seen by Reuters shows.

Posted: Mar 05, 2020

Judge: Nationwide apparently not on plaintiff’s side

When Nationwide told customers in commercials it would be on their side it’s doubtful the insurer thought such marketing language would help a federal judge make a point and rule against the company for not living up to its promise.

Posted: Mar 05, 2020

New MGA to cover nonprofit sector

Josh Lamberg, founder and CEO of Lamb Insurance Services, has formed a New Jersey-based managing general agency focused on nonprofit and social service organizations.

Posted: Mar 05, 2020