Business Insurance

Construction firm fined $92,000 for multiple safety citations

The Washington Department of Labor & Industries levied a $92,000 fine against a construction company with a history of safety problems, the department announced in a statement Tuesday.

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

Decline in surgeries causes steep drop in Calif. comp hospitalizations

The 36.2 % drop in the number of inpatient hospitalizations involving California injured workers over the past decade was largely due to the ongoing decline in spinal fusions and a more recent decline in lower extremity joint surgeries, according to...

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

October catastrophe losses top $10 billion: Aon

Wildfires and hurricanes caused billions of dollars in insured losses during October, according to a report Wednesday from Aon PLC.

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

Whole Foods and Progressive to serve a side of Thanksgiving insurance

As the pandemic calls for smaller gatherings, those unused to cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year will quickly learn the No. 1 lesson in bird roasting: The big bird is easy to screw up.

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

Texas report shows most COVID-19 comp claims denied

Of the 12,305 COVID-19 workers compensation claims filed by workers in Texas since a statewide disaster was declared on March 13, only 35% included claimants who tested positive for the virus and 38% of those were denied, according to a report releas...

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

Insurers set to recover quickly from COVID-19 hit: Swiss Re

The global nonlife insurance sector will see a swift recovery in premium growth next year, driven by strong and broad-based rate hardening in commercial lines, Swiss Re Ltd. said Wednesday in a report.

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

Gallagher buys California wholesaler

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has bought San Diego-based Arrowhead Wholesale Insurance Services LLC, the brokerage announced Wednesday.

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

Recently launched E&S insurer gets rating

Private-equity backed fronting insurer Obsidian Insurance Holdings Inc. said Wednesday that its recently formed excess and surplus lines insurance unit has received an A- rating from A.M. Best Co. Inc.

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

NCCI annual symposium to be virtual in 2021

The National Council on Compensation insurance on Tuesday announced that its 2021 Annual Issues Symposium will take place online.

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

Australian insurers' earnings under pressure: Fitch

A report by U.S.-based Fitch Ratings Inc. said that Australian nonlife insurers' earnings are likely to fall due to sluggish premium growth and weaker investment revenue.

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

UAE insurers in price war as competition heats up

George Ashkar, managing director at U.A.E.-based Gateway International Assurance LLC, said that more than 90% of insurers have reduced premiums as they compete for business.

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

Heavy rains, floods cause chaos in Greek island

Heavy rains have caused severe floods at the Greek island of Crete, turning roads into rivers, uprooting trees, damaging hundreds of homes and businesses, and sweeping away cars into the sea.

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

Indian state loses $3 billion due to suspension of trains

Sunder Sham Arora, India's Punjab industries and commerce minister, said that industries in Punjab state have lost 220 billion Indian rupees ($3 billion) because of the suspension of goods trains.

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

Crawford sets up cyber incident response hub

U.S.-based claims management firm Crawford & Co. has established a cyber incident response hub for Central and Eastern Europe.

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

Insurance regulator establishes disciplinary panel

Hong Kong's Insurance Authority has formed the Disciplinary Panel Pool as part of its new monitoring mechanism for authorized insurers and licensed brokers.

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

Hurricane damages 8,000 hectares of banana plantations

Hurricane Eta hit Honduras last week and damaged around 8,000 hectares of banana plantations, which accounts for around 50% of the total banana production area.

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

Cyber analysis firm relaunches as program manager backed by Intact

Cyber analysis company Arceo.ai has relaunched as Resilience Cyber Insurance Solutions and will offer insurance coverage as a program manager supported by Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions.

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

Drug legalization trend continues; safety advocates wary

Election day saw another wave of marijuana legalization, with voters in four states joining the ranks of the 11 states that had already approved recreational marijuana and voters in two states approving medical marijuana.

Posted: Nov 11, 2020

Documentation crucial in E&O coverage suits: Experts

Documentation is essential for insurance brokers to protect themselves in errors and omissions lawsuits as policyholders who have been largely unsuccessful in obtaining business interruption coverage from their insurers eventually turn to them for co...

Posted: Nov 10, 2020

Liberty Mutual app aims to help prevent overexertion injuries

Liberty Mutual Holding Co. Inc. released an app to help policyholders protect workers from the most expensive workplace injuries, the Boston-based insurer announced Tuesday.

Posted: Nov 10, 2020

In-network costs lower except for back, shoulder comp injuries

The average medical costs paid per claim are higher in-network for back and shoulder injuries compared with out-of-network claims, though lower for all other injuries, according to a study released Tuesday by the National Council on Compensation Insu...

Posted: Nov 10, 2020

RPS unveils commercial crime fraud product

Risk Placement Services Inc. is using its online platform to launch a commercial crime insurance product covering losses resulting from fraud committed by internal and external parties, the Rolling Meadows, Illinois-based wholesale broker and managin...

Posted: Nov 10, 2020

Travelers offers policy to cover comp, evacuation of workers abroad

Travelers Cos. Inc. has launched a global property/casualty policy for U.S. companies with foreign exposures, the insurer announced Tuesday.

Posted: Nov 10, 2020

Nikola discloses grand jury subpoenas from DOJ

Nikola Corp. and its founder Trevor Milton received grand jury subpoenas from the U.S. Department of Justice in September in connection to allegations of fraud by short-seller Hindenburg, the electric-truck maker said in a regulatory filing late on M...

Posted: Nov 10, 2020

More than half of disposable gowns miss standards

More than half of disposable gowns used to protect health care workers from COVID-19 and other exposures fail to meet necessary protection standards, according to a study released Tuesday by nonprofit Emergency Care Resource Institute.

Posted: Nov 10, 2020