Insurance Journal

New Mexico Attorney General Files Suit Against Snapchat

New Mexico’s attorney general has filed a lawsuit against the company behind Snapchat, alleging that site’s design and policies foster the sharing of child sexual abuse material and facilitate child sexual exploitation. Attorney General R...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

Lloyd’s of London Plans to Overhaul ‘Unclear’ Rules on Dealing With Poor Conduct

Lloyd’s of London said on Thursday it plans to overhaul its rules on dealing with poor conduct in the commercial insurance market as its current processes for dealing with bad behavior could be “unclear.” The Lloyd’s of London...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

Firefighters Hope Cooler Weather Will Aid Battle Against 3 Major Southern California Fires

Firefighters battling three major wildfires in the mountains east of Los Angeles took advantage of cooler weather Wednesday as they slowly gained the upper hand, but not before dozens of homes were destroyed and thousands of people were forced to &#8...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

Property Drives E&S Growth of 15% in 2023 to Increase Overall P/C Share

For the sixth straight year, U.S. excess and surplus insurers in 2023 saw double-digit growth in direct written premiums. E&S direct written premiums (DWP) grew 15% last year to increase its share of the total property/casualty market to 9%, acco...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

Hospital to Pay $65M to End Suit Over Cyber Attack That Exposed Patients’ Nude Photos

Lehigh Valley Health Network has agreed to a $65 million settlement of a class action with patients and employees affected by a 2023 ransomware attack that exposed personal and medical information including nude photos of patients. Every settlement c...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

Hospital to Pay $65M to End Suit Over Cyberattack That Exposed Patients’ Nude Photos

Lehigh Valley Health Network has agreed to a $65 million settlement of a class action with patients and employees affected by a 2023 ransomware attack that exposed personal and medical information including nude photos of patients. Every settlement c...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

Pinnacol’s EverPeak Workers’ Comp Coverage Expands Into South Carolina

EverPeak Insurance, a workers’ compensation insurer that specializes in hard-to-place industries and small businesses, has recently expanded into South Carolina. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Vlad Stojanovic said the move will help...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

Canada’s Wildfire Season Ranks Among Worst but Less Severe Than Feared

With summer drawing to a close in Canada, the 2024 wildfire season is shaping up as one of the most destructive on record, largely due to the devastation caused by a blaze that ripped through a tourist town in the …

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

Mastercard Agrees to Buy Cyber-Defense Firm for $2.65 Billion

Mastercard Inc. agreed to buy cyber-defense firm Recorded Future for $2.65 billion to boost its ability to protect the card company’s massive global-payments system. The purchase from private equity firm Insight Partners will expand Mastercard&...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

New York City Cab Crash Sends Rider on ‘Nightmare’ to Get Insurance Money

Carlos Quiles says he was seriously injured in May 2022 when the Uber he was traveling in crashed into two parked cars in Queens — after the driver lost control of his Toyota while trying to clear a fly or …

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

Vermont Lags in Risk Management for Natural Disasters Including Flooding

Vermont has failed to complete many actions in its five-year hazard mitigation plan aimed at reducing the risk from natural disasters such as flooding, according to a new report from the state auditor’s office. The plan is developed by Vermont...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

China Braces for Another Typhoon After Yagi Slammed South Coast

Typhoon Bebinca is forecast to hit the east coast of China early Monday, threatening to bring excessive rainfall that could disrupt oil refineries and LNG import terminals and paralyze transport. The expected landfall of Bebinca, currently more than...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

Thailand Raises Flood Warnings as Deaths Rise After Typhoon Yagi

Thailand warned a new storm may cause more floods and landslides, while death toll from Typhoon Yagi and the monsoon rains continued to rise. More than 40 provinces were placed on alert for possible flash floods as a new tropical …

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

Westfield Bank expands agency banking team through acquisition of top producers

Westfield Center, Ohio – September 5, 2024 – Westfield Bank has announced the addition of three new top producers to its agency banking business vertical. The new hires include Mike Strakhov, serving in the role of SVP, agency banking market …

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

The ABCs of Surety Bonds

This post is part of a series sponsored by Old Republic Surety. What’s the difference between surety bonds and insurance? That’s a question I hear often, and it’s a good starting point for discussion. Knowing those differences helps...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

Swiss Insurer Baloise Targets Higher Returns for Shareholders After Cevian Move

Swiss insurer Baloise said on Thursday it plans to boost return on equity and will consider share buybacks after activist-investor Cevian Capital this week revealed it held more than 9% of the company’s stock, becoming its top stakeholder. Balo...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

Taishin Raises Offer for Shin Kong in What Could Be Taiwan’s Biggest Financial Deal

Taiwan financial conglomerate Taishin said it would raise its offer for peer Shin Kong by 25% to about T$222.4 billion ($7 billion), in a deal that would be Taiwan’s biggest-ever financial services industry merger. Taishin and Shin Kong’s...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

Moody’s, Amwins Expect Continued Cyber Market Growth

Two organizations recently expressed optimism that the softening cyber market that emerged in 2023 will remain favorable into the future. In separate reports, Moody’s Ratings and Amwins Brokerage offered insights on the sector’s landscape...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

Cyberattacks on US Utilities Surged 70% This Year, Says Research Firm

U.S. utilities faced a near 70% jump in cyberattacks this year over the same period in 2023, according to data from Check Point Research, underlining the escalating threat to a critical infrastructure. The utilities and power infrastructure across th...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

Study Stirs Debate on Real Impact of Litigation, Fraud on Property Insurance

An academic paper published in the Journal of Insurance Regulation seems to have rekindled the debate over how much of an impact litigation and fraud have had on property insurance losses and premiums, particularly in Florida. The paper, “The C...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

People Moves: Meister Joins Sertis as SVP, Distribution Partnerships; Alliant Names Mast SVP, Employ...

Meister Joins Sertis as SVP, Distribution Partnerships Sertis, headquartered in Reno, Nevada, appointed Kurt Meister as senior vice president, distribution partnerships. Meister has more than 36 years of experience in the insurance industry, includin...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

State Farm: Catalytic Converter Thefts Drop 74%

For the second year in a row, State Farm auto claims data has revealed a significant drop in catalytic converter theft claims. There was a 74 % drop for the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in …

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

How Social Media Complicates Defamation Claims and How to Handle Them

Five professional models who sued long after a state’s three year statute of limitations expired may pursue their defamation claims against an adult entertainment nightclub for posting their images to the giant social media site Facebook withou...

Posted: Sep 12, 2024

AM Best Downgrades Credit Rating of Michigan’s Wolverine Mutual

AM Best has downgraded the Financial Strength Rating to C++ (Marginal) from B- (Fair) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to “b” (Marginal) from “bb-” (Fair) of Wolverine Mutual Insurance Company, based in Dowagiac, Michiga...

Posted: Sep 11, 2024

Iowa Hotel Worker Charged With Insurance Fraud

An Iowa hotel worker was charged with insurance fraud, the Iowa Insurance Division announced Sept. 10. Jose De Jesus Rodriguez Esparza, age 39, was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud – Presenting False Information (Class D Felony) and Id...

Posted: Sep 11, 2024