Insurance Journal

Consilium Expands its Wholesale Presence in Caribbean With Launch of Jamaican Hub

Consilium, the London-based speciality re/insurance wholesale broker, announced the expansion of its international footprint with the opening of a new hub in Kingston, Jamaica (subject to regulatory approval). Max Pragnell has been appointed as manag...

Posted: Sep 12, 2025

Hurricane Forecasts Are Missing the Mark as the Atlantic Stays Calm — So Far

It’s the statistical peak of Atlantic hurricane season, and there isn’t a storm in sight — for now. September’s second week is usually when the season gets into full swing, as warm ocean waters fuel dangerous winds and coastal commu...

Posted: Sep 12, 2025

US Urges G-7 Sanctions on Russian Oil as Trump Loses Patience

The US will urge its allies in the Group of Seven to impose tariffs as high as 100% on China and India for their purchases of Russian oil in an effort to convince President Vladimir Putin to end his war …

Posted: Sep 12, 2025

Oh, the Places Broadband Won’t Go Under West Virginia Expansion Plan

Last week, Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced that the state had finalized its $1.2 billion plan to bring high-speed broadband to homes and businesses in the state. “We are excited about the opportunity to bring broadband to every corner of our &#...

Posted: Sep 12, 2025

Florida Condo Collapse Probe Zeroes in on Pool Deck Flaws as Preliminary Cause

Federal investigators have zeroed in on flaws in the pool deck as the preliminary cause of the 2021 collapse of a 12-story Florida beachfront condominium that killed 98 people. The National Institute of Standards and Technology said in a report &#823...

Posted: Sep 12, 2025

After Merger Announcement, KBRA Puts Olympus’ Rating on Watch

A day after SageSure announced plans to acquire Florida-based Olympus Insurance, a financial rating firm said it has some concerns. KBRA, the Kroll Bond Rating Agency, issued a notice Thursday that it has placed Olympus’ “BBB+” fina...

Posted: Sep 12, 2025

State Police Shortage Stalls Vermont Program to Protect Highway Workers

Kellen Cloud’s line of work has always been dangerous. For the better part of the past two decades, Cloud has worked at Green Mountain Flagging, a company that stations traffic controllers at construction sites around the state. He recalled whe...

Posted: Sep 12, 2025

Hong Kong Boosts Flood Management as Climate Change Fuels Heavy Rains

Two years ago, extreme rainfall inundated Hong Kong, turning roads into raging rapids, submerging cars and flooding malls, making it one of the city’s most costly weather events ever. When another round of record-breaking rains drenched the cit...

Posted: Sep 12, 2025

75% of Buyers Are Concerned About Rising Homeowners Insurance Costs: Survey

Nearly 75% of recent and prospective buyers believe that homeowners’ insurance could become unaffordable, according to a new Realtor.com survey. Eighty-eight percent of those surveyed believe they will pay more for homeowners’ insurance i...

Posted: Sep 12, 2025

Uber Sued by DOJ Over Passenger Disability Discrimination

Uber Technologies Inc. was sued by the US Justice Department over claims that the ride-sharing giant discriminates against people with physical disabilities in violation of federal law. The department’s civil rights division alleged in a compla...

Posted: Sep 12, 2025

Immigration Raid Disruptions Spread, Casting Pall on Korea Investment

Fallout from last week’s unprecedented immigration raid at a Georgia battery plant run by two South Korean firms is reverberating across the industry, highlighting risks to the billions of dollars the Asian nation has invested in America’...

Posted: Sep 12, 2025

People Moves: Blumhagen Joins Willis as Producer for Upstate New York

Insurance broker Willis has appointed Steve Blumhagen as a producer in the Upstate New York market. Based in the Buffalo office, Blumhagen will report directly to David Lofstrom, Northeast Deputy Leader – New England, and work with Vin Looney and &#8...

Posted: Sep 12, 2025

New Jersey’s Ban on Guns in Sensitive Places Upheld; Insurance Mandate Nixed Again

A federal appeals court on Wednesday upheld a New Jersey law that barred carrying firearms in so-called sensitive places like schools and public gatherings. The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 139-page opinion, recounted a longstanding history in...

Posted: Sep 12, 2025

California Court Rules LA Retailer Illegally Sold Credit Insurance

The California Second District Court of Appeals found that a retail store chain illegally sold credit insurance to its customers. The California Department of Justice charged Adir International LLC (dba Curacao), and its owner Ron Azarkman of unlawfu...

Posted: Sep 12, 2025

This California Town Was Ravaged by A Wildfire. Seven Years Later, Schools Are Still Recovering

Nearly seven years after Paradise was ravaged by wildfire, the foothill town smells like pine trees again. New homes are sprouting up on once-scorched lots. Construction trucks rumble through neighborhoods. An ice cream shop recently opened around th...

Posted: Sep 12, 2025

Massachusetts Settles Asbestos Claims With Abatement Firm, Supermarket

The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has reached an agreement with Compass Restoration Services, a Ludlow-based asbestos and lead abatement company, to resolve allegations that the company violated the Massachusetts Clean Air Act a...

Posted: Sep 12, 2025

7 Years of Double-Digit Growth; New Players on Top 25 E&S Insurers List

[no_auto_dropcap]2024 marked the 7th straight year of double-digit growth for the U.S. excess and surplus lines market, but the top 25 players no longer command 70 percent of the pie, according to a new report. AM Best’s latest report on &#8230...

Posted: Sep 11, 2025

America’s New EU Ambassador Vows to Fight Red Tape for US Companies

The US will defend American companies from digital and environmental regulations taking effect in the European Union that may unfairly target them, according to the new US ambassador to the EU. Concerns include the digital services and the digital ma...

Posted: Sep 11, 2025

How Europe Lost an Area the Size of Cyprus to Wildfires This Year

Patricia Lamela was driving back to the Galician town of Larouco in northwest Spain when she got the call. It was Aug. 13, just before 7 p.m., and a neighbor told her there was a fire in the forest. Lamela, …

Posted: Sep 11, 2025

New York Expands Drought Watch to 30 Counties

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced a drought watch is being expanded by 30 counties, bringing the total to 50 counties under a watch across the state. Governor Kathy Hochul said the action was taken after consulting...

Posted: Sep 11, 2025

New York State Drought Watch Now in Effect in 50 Counties

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced a drought watch is being expanded by 30 counties, bringing the total to 50 counties under a watch across the state. Governor Kathy Hochul said the action was taken after consulting...

Posted: Sep 11, 2025

Oklahoma Insurance Department to Host 3rd Annual Insurance Day

The Oklahoma Insurance Department announced it will host the third annual Oklahoma Insurance Day on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, at the Sheraton Oklahoma City Downtown Hotel. This event aims to bring together key players in the insurance sector to discu...

Posted: Sep 11, 2025

Brotherhood Works Unveils Solutions Suite for Ministry Staff and Volunteers

Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, a provider of property and casualty insurance for Christian ministries, has launched a new brand – Brotherhood Works – to unify and expand the company’s suite of existing products and services designed to s...

Posted: Sep 11, 2025

Indiana Construction Company Fined for Alleged Lead Paint Renovation Violations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice reached a $10,000 settlement with Homeworks Construction Inc. to resolve alleged lead paint renovation violations in South Bend, Indiana. EPA alleged that beginning in 2018,...

Posted: Sep 11, 2025

Rhode Island Requiring All School Buses to Have Video Systems

Rhode Island is on the road to requiring that all school buses have video systems to help monitor traffic violations and keep students, aides, and bus drivers safe. Governor Dan McKee ceremonially signed the legislation (S0568A/H5421Aaa) into law at...

Posted: Sep 11, 2025