Business Insurance

Beecher Carlson hires two former Willis executives

Beecher Carlson Insurance Services LLC, a unit of Brown & Brown Inc., said Thursday it has hired two former Willis Towers Watson PLC executives as senior managing directors for its energy practice.

Posted: Aug 12, 2021

Zurich profit leaps as European insurers rebound from COVID-19

Zurich Insurance Group on Thursday joined other big European insurers in reporting a strong rebound in earnings as the impact from COVID-19 on their businesses eased.

Posted: Aug 12, 2021

U.S. employers get religion with vaccine mandates

As coronavirus infections rise again, U.S. companies mandating vaccinations are confronting an uncomfortable question rarely asked by an employer – what is an employee’s religious belief?

Posted: Aug 12, 2021

Gallagher acquires majority stake in Turkish broker

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co said Thursday it has acquired a majority stake in Turkey-based specialty broker BH Sigorta ve Reasürans Brokerligi A.S., which does business as Brokers’ House.

Posted: Aug 12, 2021

Shell settles 1970 oil spill case for over nearly $112 million

Royal Dutch Shell PLC has agreed to settle the 1970 Nigerian oil spill case with the local communities for around €95 million ($111.6 million).

Posted: Aug 12, 2021

Wildfires devour almost 100,000 hectares of forest in Greece

The European Forest Fire Information System said that the recent wildfires in Greece have burnt down nearly 100,000 hectares of forests and farmland in two weeks.

Posted: Aug 12, 2021

Croatian insurers’ premiums grow by more than 12%

Data from the Croatian Insurance Bureau said that Croatian insurers’ gross written premiums increased by more than 12% year-on-year to 7.4 billion Croatian kuna ($1.15 billion) in the seven months through July.

Posted: Aug 12, 2021

Africa Specialty Risks to expand into six African nations

Reinsurer Africa Specialty Risks Group plans to further expand its footprint in Africa by establishing business development hubs in six African countries.

Posted: Aug 12, 2021

Talanx’s net income jumps 68% despite COVID-19 impacts

German insurer Talanx AG’s net income jumped 68% year-on-year to €546 million ($642 million) in the first half of the year, despite some impact from COVID-19 claims.

Posted: Aug 12, 2021

Extreme weather highlights protection gap in China

China is looking for better insurance cover against natural disasters after witnessing substantial devastation from recent floods in the underinsured Henan province, where losses accounted for almost 5% of its first-half gross domestic product.

Posted: Aug 12, 2021

Cyber insurance segment records rapid growth in Brazil

U.S.-based Fitch Ratings Inc. said that property and casualty insurers in Brazil are seeing rapid direct written premium growth associated with cyber insurance amid a surge in the frequency and severity of cyberattacks.

Posted: Aug 12, 2021

Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance’s net profit jumps 72%

South Korea-based insurer Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Co. Ltd.’s net profit jumped 72% year-on-year to almost 744 billion South Korean won ($649.3 million) in the first half.

Posted: Aug 12, 2021

14 elephants x 800 miles = $771,000

How many elephants does it take to do some $771,000 in property damage? Roughly 14, judging by the months-long trek of a wayward band of pachyderms now on their way home to a preserve in China.

Posted: Aug 11, 2021

FedEx worker entitled to pay for military leave: Court

A federal appeals court overturned a lower court Tuesday and ruled a Federal Express Corp. worker is entitled to be paid for his military reserve leave.

Posted: Aug 11, 2021

Alliant hires top executive from McGriff

Alliant Insurance Services Inc. said Wednesday it has hired Rick Ulmer, former president and CEO of McGriff, the commercial insurance brokerage unit of Truist Insurance Holdings Inc.

Posted: Aug 11, 2021

Air taxi maker Archer seeks $1B in damages from rival

Flying taxi developer Archer Aviation is seeking $1 billion in damages from Wisk Aero, a rival backed by Boeing and Google co-founder Larry Page's Kitty Hawk Corp., according to a court filing.

Posted: Aug 11, 2021

Lockton launches automated reinsurance quoting system

Lockton Re, the reinsurance business of Lockton Cos. LLC, said Wednesday it has partnered with Bermuda-based Nephila Holdings Ltd. to launch Lockton Re SageLink Automated Placement Solutions, an automated reinsurance quoting system.

Posted: Aug 11, 2021

Beazley open to using Lloyd’s ILS structure for third-party capital

Adrian Cox, CEO at U.K.-based specialty insurer Beazley PLC, said that the insurer is open to sourcing third-party capital via Lloyd’s new London Bridge Risk PCC insurance-linked securities structure.

Posted: Aug 11, 2021

Floods cause nearly $40 million in economic losses

Heavy rains and floods in the Chinese province of Sichuan since July 6 have caused an estimated 250 million Chinese yuan ($38.6 million) in economic losses.

Posted: Aug 11, 2021

Amazon, Walmart face antitrust investigation in India

The Supreme Court of India has anti-trust investigations into Amazon and Walmart Inc.’s Indian e-commerce subsidiary Flipkart.

Posted: Aug 11, 2021

Aston Lark buys film and visual arts insurance specialist

Insurance broker Aston Lark Ltd. has acquired U.K.-based Essex Insurance Brokers Ltd., which specializes in film and visual arts insurance.

Posted: Aug 11, 2021

Tokio Marine’s international profits up by 213%

Japanese insurer Tokio Marine Holdings Inc.’s international operations saw 213% year-on-year growth in total profits to $526 million in the fiscal first quarter ended June 30, 2021.

Posted: Aug 11, 2021

COVID-19 BI claims, customer refunds drive IAG into red

Insurance Australia Group Ltd. reported a net loss of 427 million Australian ($313.8 million) in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021, after posting a profit of AUD435 million in the year-ago period.

Posted: Aug 11, 2021

German insurer faces nearly $900 million loss from Storm Bernd

German insurer Provinzial Holding AG estimates €761 million ($895 million) in loss exposure from the severe rainfall and floods caused by Storm Bernd in Germany in July.

Posted: Aug 11, 2021

Long haul for complicated workers comp COVID-19 claims

Long-term health issues following a COVID-19 diagnosis will likely affect the workers compensation industry indefinitely now it is considered a disability by the federal government, experts say.

Posted: Aug 11, 2021