Insurance Journal

Asheville’s Dirty Water Warns of Climate Risk to Aging US Infrastructure

Hurricanes Helene and Milton devastated swaths of the southeastern US by bringing too much water. Now, communities are struggling with the opposite problem: too little of it. The North Fork Water Treatment Plant supplies most of the drinking water to...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Florida OIR Extends Order, Barring Policy Cancels or Nonrenews Until Dec. 10

Florida’s insurance commissioner this week issued emergency orders, extending some policyholder cancellation protections in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The orders, seen here and here, are in line with similar actions taken after h...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Sudanese Nationals Accused in ‘Anonymous Sudan’ Cyberattacks

Two Sudanese nationals were indicted by US prosecutors for their alleged participation in a group known as “Anonymous Sudan” that conducted cyberattacks against US government agencies, airports and a major hospital in Los Angeles. The gro...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Oakbridge Adds Alabama’s Hull & Associates to the Lineup

Oakbridge Insurance Agency is expanding again, this time with the addition of Tuscaloosa, Alabama-based Hull & Associates, an agency that has specialized in finding coverage for student housing in and around the home of the University of Alabama....

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

J&J Talc Settlement Holdouts Accuse Company of Buying Votes

People who voted to settle their baby power-related health claims against Johnson & Johnson should have their ballots thrown out because the consumer products giant rigged the tally, according to lawyers for holdout claimants. The company organiz...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

3 Workers Dead, 4 Hurt in Collapse of Bridge Being Demolished in Mississippi

MENDENHALL, Miss. (AP) — Three people were killed and four were seriously injured Wednesday when a bridge in Mississippi that was closed nearly a month ago collapsed while a work crew was prepping it for demolition, authorities said. The bridge &#823...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Big Tobacco Firms Near Deal to Settle Canada Smoking Risk Cases

Three of the world’s biggest tobacco companies are near a possible deal to resolve longstanding claims in Canada that they held back information about the health risks of cigarettes. Under the proposal from a court-appointed mediator, Canadian...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Tesla ‘Full Self-Driving’ Faces Defect Probe After Fatality

The US opened a federal investigation into whether Tesla Inc.’s partial-automation system marketed as Full Self-Driving is defective after a series of crashes, one of which resulted in a fatality. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administrat...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Four Charged In $10 Million No-Fault Insurance Fraud Scheme

Four men have been charged with defrauding New York auto insurers by allegedly submitting more than $10 million in fraudulent claims for psychological services —and then laundering the proceeds of that fraud through a network of illicit check cashers...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Tokio Marine Pauses Sale of $1B Southeast Asia Life Insurance Business, Sources Say

Japanese insurer Tokio Marine has paused the sale of its $1 billion Southeast Asia life insurance business, partly due to a dispute with a Malaysian partner over an expiring products distribution agreement, four sources with knowledge of the matter s...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

People Moves: AXA XL Re Taps Swiss Re’s Schiffer as CEO, N. America, Reinsurance; Specialist Risk Gr...

This edition of International People Moves details appointments at AXA XL Reinsurance and Specialist Risk Group. A summary of these new hires follows here. AXA XL Re Taps Swiss Re’s Schiffer as CEO, North America, Reinsurance AXA XL Reinsurance...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Markets/Coverages: Coalition Launches UK Clawback Service to Recover Money Stolen in Cyber Attacks

Coalition, the San Francisco-based cyber managing general agent and cybersecurity firm, has become the first cyber insurance provider in the UK to launch a service dedicated to recovering funds stolen by cyber attackers. The cyber insurer’s new...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

UK Working to Challenge Russian Shadow Oil Tanker Insurance

The UK said three government bodies are working together to challenge Russian shadow fleet oil tankers if it perceives they have dubious insurance. An announcement from the country’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office didn’t spe...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Insurance Execs See Gen AI Necessary To Compete; Customers Wary

Insurance industry investments in generative AI are expected to surge by over 300 percent from 2023 to 2025 as organizations move from pilots in one or two areas to implementations in multiple functions across business lines. But new research identif...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Coastal Cities Have a Hidden Vulnerability to Storm Surge−Caused by Humans

Centuries ago, estuaries around the world were teeming with birds and turbulent with schools of fish, their marshlands and endless tracts of channels melting into the gray-blue horizon. Fast-forward to today, and in estuaries such as New York Harbor,...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Coastal Cities Have a Hidden Vulnerability to Storm Surge – Caused by Humans

Centuries ago, estuaries around the world were teeming with birds and turbulent with schools of fish, their marshlands and endless tracts of channels melting into the gray-blue horizon. Fast-forward to today, and in estuaries such as New York Harbor,...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

McKinsey to Pay at Least $500 Million in DOJ Opioid Probe

McKinsey & Co. is nearing a deal with US prosecutors to pay at least $500 million to settle federal probes into its past work helping opioid makers boost sales, according to people familiar with the matter. A settlement, which could …

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Maui Wildfire Survivors Will Get An Additional Year of Housing Help From FEMA

Survivors of last year’s deadly wildfire that decimated a historic Maui town will receive an additional year of housing assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Housing has been a major challenge in recovering from the Aug. 8, 2...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Philadelphia Eagles and 76ers Lose Delayed Covid Claim Cases

Two Philadelphia professional sports team have lost their appeals over denied business interruption insurance claims tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. District Judge Michael Baylson this week dismissed lawsuits by the Philadelphia 76ers basketball...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Judge Tosses Philadelphia Eagles and 76ers Covid Loss Cases

Two Philadelphia professional sports team have lost their appeals over denied business interruption insurance claims tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. District Judge Michael Baylson this week dismissed lawsuits by the Philadelphia 76ers basketball...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Worker Injured While Drunk on the Job Wins Claim Approval

A worker injured when he fell from a ladder is entitled to workers’ compensation benefits despite the fact he was intoxicated at the time of the accident. An appellate court in New York has upheld a decision of the Workers’ …

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Wuuii Partnering with IBHS on Wildfire Prepared Home Option for Californians

Wuuii is partnering with the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety to combine IBHS’ Wildfire Prepared Home program and Wuuii’s Madronus Wildfire Defense network to offer an option for California property owners designed to help...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

People Moves: RT Specialty Promotes Kochmer, Jackson and Fagan

RT Specialty, headquartered in Chicago, promoted three team members in its RT Specialty Environmental and Construction Professional (RT ECP) Practice office in Hamilton, New Jersey. Justin Kochmer has been promoted to senior account manager. Kochmer...

Posted: Oct 18, 2024

Moody’s RMS, CoreLogic Add to Modelers’ Take on Milton Insured Losses

Moody’s RMS has pegged private insured losses from Hurricane Milton to between $22 billion and $36 billion, with a best guess of $26 billion. The Newark, California-based catastrophe modeler also narrowed its range for insured losses from hurri...

Posted: Oct 17, 2024

Revolutionizing Submission Automation for MGAs and Wholesalers with AI-Powered Technology: From Emai...

This post is part of a series sponsored by Selectsys. In the fast-paced insurance industry, MGAs and wholesalers are constantly challenged with managing large volumes of submissions from agents. Typically, gatekeepers spend significant time manually...

Posted: Oct 17, 2024