Insurance Journal

Q1 Shows ‘Clear’ Signs of Commercial P/C Softening, Says CIAB

According to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (CIAB) quarterly survey, commercial property/casualty premiums across all account sizes in the first quarter 2025 rose by 4.2%—down 22% from the last three months of 2024 and a “clear&#...

Posted: May 19, 2025

Severe Weather Leaves at Least 27 Dead, Including 18 in Kentucky

At least 27 people have been killed by storms systems that swept across part of the U.S. Midwest and South, with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announcing Saturday that 18 of the deaths came in his state and 10 others were …

Posted: May 19, 2025

Storms, Tornadoes Hit Kentucky and St. Louis as More Weather Approaches

LONDON, Ky. (AP) — More severe storms were expected to roll across the central U.S. this week following the weather-related deaths of more than two dozen people and a devastating Kentucky tornado. The National Weather Service said a “multitude...

Posted: May 19, 2025

Capital One to Pay $425 Million to Settle Claims Over Savings Accounts

Capital One has agreed to pay $425 million to settle nationwide litigation accusing it of cheating savings account depositors out of much higher interest rates by not telling them they could move their money to higher-yielding accounts. A notice desc...

Posted: May 19, 2025

EnergyAustralia Apologizes to Customers After Greenwashing Case

CLP Holdings Ltd.’s EnergyAustralia — one of the nation’s “big three” energy companies — apologized to customers for the marketing of its carbon offsetting products. The apology was part of a settlement with advocacy organizat...

Posted: May 19, 2025

UK’s Anglian Water Fined £1.4 Million Over Drinking Water Failures

Britain’s Anglian Water was fined 1.4 million pounds ($1.9 million) over drinking water contamination, in the latest scandal in an industry which is facing a public backlash over environmental failures and rising bills. The government has launc...

Posted: May 19, 2025

Crypto High-Rollers Go Big on Bodyguards to Deter Kidnappers

Even before Coinbase Global Inc. disclosed that hackers had stolen the home addresses and account balances of its customers, Jethro Pijlman was seeing an uptick in interest from concerned clients with large crypto holdings who were looking for bodygu...

Posted: May 19, 2025

Estonia Says Russia Detained Tanker in Baltic Sea

Russia detained a Greek-owned oil tanker on Sunday after it left an Estonian Baltic Sea port, the Estonian Foreign Ministry said, adding it had alerted NATO allies to the incident. The Liberia-flagged ship Green Admire was leaving Sillamae port using...

Posted: May 19, 2025

Captives to Remain Viable as Market Softens: RIMS Panel

As commercial property insurance rates moderate, the value and relevance of captive insurance companies isn’t expected to fade away. A panel of experts discussed the state and evolution of the captive sphere during a presentation at the RIMS Ri...

Posted: May 19, 2025

Texas Stock Exchange CEO Sees State Muscling In on NYC, Delaware

The head of the upstart Texas Stock Exchange said the state is making a serious play to reshape the US financial landscape, using new pro-business laws and a proposed ban on trading taxes to take on longtime power centers on …

Posted: May 19, 2025

Sedgwick: Number of Recalled Products in US Rose 25% in First Quarter

The total volume of products recalled from key industries surged by 25% in the first quarter, a new report shows. Sedgwick’s report out on Thursday the surge comes amid a marginal decline in U.S. product recall events, shows 775 recalls …

Posted: May 19, 2025

Complaints About Florida Insurers Have More Than Doubled in 5 Years, or Have They?

Consumer complaints about property-casualty insurers in Florida have more than doubled in the last five years and are on track to reach a new high in 2025, according to data provided by Florida regulators. Insurance industry insiders said the numbers...

Posted: May 19, 2025

Maine Lawmakers Thwart Move to Allow Mennonites to Self-Insure

Maine lawmakers last week rejected a measure that would have permitted followers of the Mennonite religion to self-insure for motor vehicle insurance. The Senate vote was 20-14 to detour the bill on May 13, while the House vote the next …

Posted: May 19, 2025

Washington Roofing Company Fined $300K After Worker Falls From Roof

A Snohomish, Washington-based roofing company is facing more than $300,000 in state fines after a worker fell from a two-story home and was hospitalized. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries cited Asset Roofing & Guttering In...

Posted: May 19, 2025

Judge Dismisses LA Sparks Player’s WNBA Suit, But She Can Pursue Claim Against Las Vegas Aces

A federal judge dismissed Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby’s lawsuit against the WNBA, but said her litigation against the Las Vegas Aces over alleged mistreatment because of her pregnancy could continue. Hamby filed the suit in August...

Posted: May 19, 2025

Judge Scraps LA Sparks Player’s WNBA Suit; Can Pursue Claim Against Las Vegas Aces

A federal judge dismissed Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby’s lawsuit against the WNBA, but said her litigation against the Las Vegas Aces over alleged mistreatment because of her pregnancy could continue. Hamby filed the suit in August...

Posted: May 19, 2025

Mexican Navy Ship Hits Brooklyn Bridge, Killing Two on Crew

A Mexican naval vessel carrying 277 people scraped the bottom of the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday evening, leaving two crew members dead. The tall ship Cuauhtémoc “lost power and crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge,” New York City Mayor Eric...

Posted: May 18, 2025

Pairing Parametric and Standard Insurance Will Become More Common: East Carolina University Students

By Allen Laman Parametric insurance experts don’t see the coverage replacing traditional insurance. But how are the specialized products currently used–and how could their adoption expand in the future? Ten East Carolina students research...

Posted: May 18, 2025

Trouble Brewing? 6 New Risks for Winery and Brewery Clients

As consumers embark on a non-stop quest to find those perfect, Instagram-able moments, wineries and breweries are responding. Today, beer and wine tourists can step out of the taproom and sip Chardonnay by the pool, listen to live music, and …

Posted: May 18, 2025

Perpetuation Planning – Part Two

Last month’s column discussed the reasons to perpetuate a firm, the four common techniques to transfer ownership, pros and cons, and some options for internal perpetuation. This month we conclude with the remaining most popular options used by...

Posted: May 18, 2025

Diversification, Risk Modeling Top of Mind for Carriers as Cyber Liability Market Softens

By Elizabeth Blosfield As cyber insurance rates have begun to stabilize, insurance carriers are seeking more diversification to fuel their underwriting and growth strategies, according to panelists at this year’s PLUS Cyber Symposium in New Yor...

Posted: May 18, 2025

Lights, Camera, Action: New Risks Emerge as Hollywood Goes Virtual, Hunts Tax Credits

Technology is playing a bigger role in entertainment than ever before. Today’s film and television industry is becoming more digitized in production, in particular, with physical risks being replaced by digital risks. “We’re seeing...

Posted: May 18, 2025

An Agent’s Guide to Expanding into Commercial Lines

Too many insurance agents lose out on lucrative opportunities by quoting only half of the business available to them. For the typical new agency owner, focusing on personal lines makes sense because it’s easier and more familiar. However, ignor...

Posted: May 18, 2025

Navigating the Landscape of Agency Agreements

The relationship between insurance agents, brokers, and carriers is vital to the successful operation of the insurance industry. At its core, this partnership rests on the agency agreement, trust, and clear communication. The Agency Agreement: Defini...

Posted: May 18, 2025

When Harassment Follows You Home: Managing Employment Practices Liability Risk in a Remote Work Era

The boundaries between work and home have never been blurrier. The shift to remote and hybrid environments brought flexibility, but for insurers and employers alike, it also introduced a new exposure: harassment claims in the virtual workplace. Accor...

Posted: May 18, 2025