Insurance Journal

Florida Citizens’ Brass Tired of ‘Clickbait’ News on its Hurricane Claims Denials

Officials with Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp. took issue Thursday with a number of national and Florida news reports that have suggested that the insurer has the “worst rate” on paying claims after recent hurricanes. &#...

Posted: Nov 22, 2024

Forget Driverless Cars. Here Come Unmanned Helicopters for Firefighting, Crop Protection.

When Hector Xu was learning to fly a helicopter in college, he recalled having a few “nasty experiences” while trying to navigate at night. The heart-stopping flights led to his research of unmanned aircraft systems while getting his doct...

Posted: Nov 22, 2024

Forget Driverless Cars. Here Come Unmanned Copters for Firefighting, Crop Protection.

When Hector Xu was learning to fly a helicopter in college, he recalled having a few “nasty experiences” while trying to navigate at night. The heart-stopping flights led to his research of unmanned aircraft systems while getting his doct...

Posted: Nov 22, 2024

New ‘Revolution’ in Firefighting, Crop Protection: Unmanned Helicopters?

When Hector Xu was learning to fly a helicopter in college, he recalled having a few “nasty experiences” while trying to navigate at night. The heart-stopping flights led to his research of unmanned aircraft systems while getting his doct...

Posted: Nov 22, 2024

Commercial Lines Profit Growth: Execution Matters More Than Portfolio Mix

It is “how” commercial lines carriers execute their underwriting strategies, not “what” lines they write that is key to profitable growth for top performers, according to new research from McKinsey. A section of the consulting...

Posted: Nov 22, 2024

New Jersey Bakery Fined $385K After OSHA Says Workers Still Exposed to Hazards

A New Jersey commercial baker in Paterson faces $385,221 in federal penalties after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation found the employer failed to correct workplace safety hazards identified in 2023. The department’s Occupational Safety...

Posted: Nov 22, 2024

NFP Acquires AnchorGroup in Upstate New York

Global insurance broker NFP announced it has acquired certain assets of EBA Services LLC, which does business as AnchorGroup, an employee benefits brokerage and consultancy located in Skaneateles, New York. AnchorGroup’s Kiehl Hutchings will jo...

Posted: Nov 22, 2024

Clergy Abuse Victim Whose Parents Kicked Him Out Will Use Settlement to Help Others

Duane Gray says the priest at his Connecticut parish began sexually abusing him around 1974, when he was 12 years old. He told his parents, but they didn’t believe it and beat him repeatedly. Then they kicked him out of …

Posted: Nov 22, 2024

Colorado Department of Transportation Report Shows Decline in Dangerous Driving Habits

Highway safety officials in Colorado are seeing a slight decline in a number of dangerous driving practices, such as driving while intoxicated, failing to use seat belts and speeding. A poll by the Colorado Department of Transportation assessed the o...

Posted: Nov 22, 2024

Colorado Department of Transportation Report: Decline in Dangerous Driving Habits

Highway safety officials in Colorado are seeing a slight decline in a number of dangerous driving practices, such as driving while intoxicated, failing to use seat belts and speeding. A poll by the Colorado Department of Transportation assessed the o...

Posted: Nov 22, 2024

Washington Woman Wanted After Failing to Appear in Court for Insurance Fraud Charges

A Federal Way, Washington, woman is on Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s insurance fraud most wanted list after she failed to appear at her arraignment. Yelena Gruy faces a felony charge for filing a false insurance claim. A warrant was is...

Posted: Nov 22, 2024

Second Teen Charged in New Jersey Forest Fire; New York Hopes Rain Douses Blaze

A second teenager was charged with intentionally setting a wildfire in a New Jersey suburb of Philadelphia as “significant” rainfall was expected to help douse a stubborn wildfire burning on the New Jersey-New York border Wednesday. Many...

Posted: Nov 21, 2024

Ninety One Joins Rush of Asset Managers Chasing Insurer Deals

South African asset manager Ninety One Ltd. has agreed to sell a stake to Sanlam Ltd., joining a raft of investment firms that have been tapping the deep pockets of insurers through such deals. Sanlam, the country’s biggest insurer by …

Posted: Nov 21, 2024

People Moves: Omaha National Appoints Klucarich as Chief Actuary

Omaha National Group, Inc. announced the appointment of Joan Klucarich as its Chief Actuary. Ms. Klucarich is joining Omaha National after working as Actuarial Manager with Risk & Regulatory Consulting, a national professional services firm. Ms....

Posted: Nov 21, 2024

Risk Strategies Acquires Ohio’s Cornerstone

Risk Strategies announced it has acquired the assets of Ohio-based employee benefits specialty organization Cornerstone Broker Insurance Services Agency, Inc., an Ohio-based national provider of employee benefits solutions. The sale also included the...

Posted: Nov 21, 2024

CSB: 27,000 Pounds of Toxic Gas Released in Texas Hydrogen Sulfide Release

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board released an investigation update into a fatal hydrogen sulfide release at PEMEX Deer Park Refinery in Texas. The incident occurred on October 10, 2024, and killed two workers and injured 13 others. CSB’s investiga...

Posted: Nov 21, 2024

New Orleans to Pay $20M to School District to Settle Long-Running Suit

The New Orleans City Council and Orleans Parish School Board announced Monday that they have found a partial solution to the NOLA Public Schools district’s estimated $36 million budget gap. The school board will agree to dismiss a 5-year-old la...

Posted: Nov 21, 2024

Connecticut Approves 6% Workers’ Compensation Rate Decrease for 2025

The trend of decreasing rates in Connecticut workers’ compensation insurance will continue as the state’s insurance regulator has approved an industry proposed 6% rate decrease beginning January 1, 2025. The now-approved rate filing submi...

Posted: Nov 21, 2024

NSA Director Wants Industry to Disclose Details of Telecom Hacks

The director of the National Security Agency on Wednesday urged the private sector to take swift, collective action to share key details about breaches they have suffered at the hands of Chinese hackers who have infiltrated US telecommunications. Gen...

Posted: Nov 21, 2024

Miami Insurance Agent Pleads Guilty to Keeping $6M in Premium Finance Loans

A Miami insurance agent has pleaded guilty to defrauding a Georgia credit union by obtaining loans for condominium associations’ premium financing then using the $6 million for personal gain. Heleonel Gonzalez, known as Leo, is set for sentenci...

Posted: Nov 21, 2024

Two Hospitalized After Small Plane Hits Another at Pennsylvania Airport

Two people were taken to hospitals after a small plane struck an unoccupied plane at an eastern Pennsylvania airport, authorities said. Police in Bucks County’s Buckingham Township said first responders were sent to Doylestown Airport shortly b...

Posted: Nov 21, 2024

Allstate October Catastrophe Losses of $286M Include Milton, Helene

Allstate today said it estimated pretax catastrophe losses of $286 million for the month of October. Losses during October included $102 million, pretax, from Hurricane Milton as well as $144 million in unfavorable reserve reestimates from Hurricane...

Posted: Nov 21, 2024

Musk, Ramaswamy Will Lean on Supreme Court Rulings to Cut US Agencies

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy said the government efficiency panel that President-elect Donald Trump has named them to lead will follow recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings that they say can be used to take power away from federal agencies and …

Posted: Nov 21, 2024

Tampa Bay Rays Say New St. Pete Stadium Unlikely to Be Ready for 2028 Season

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A combination of severe hurricane damage to Tropicana Field and political delays on financing means it is highly unlikely the Tampa Bay Rays’ planned new stadium will be ready for the 2028 season, if at …

Posted: Nov 21, 2024

Biden Requests Funds to Rebuild Collapsed Baltimore Bridge

President Joe Biden’s pending request for nearly $100 billion in emergency disaster aid includes money to rebuild Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed under the impact of a massive container ship that lost power and veere...

Posted: Nov 21, 2024