Insurance Journal

Britain’s ‘Quiet Quitters’ Are Costing the Economy £257 Billion

The UK economy lost more than £257 billion ($327 billion) in potential output because of demotivated workers last year, adding to a productivity crisis that’s left the country falling behind other wealthy nations. Just one in 10 UK workers were...

Posted: Jun 14, 2024

Marsh: Cyber Extortion Reached Record High in US and Canada in 2023

Multiple companies in the U.S. and Canada experienced a record number of cyber extortion events in 2023 and unprecedented demands, a new report from Marsh shows. The report, Ransomware: A persistent challenge in cyber insurance claims, also showed an...

Posted: Jun 14, 2024

Snowflake to Close Probe Into Cyberattack Targeting Clients

Snowflake Inc. plans to close its own investigation this week into a hacking campaign that ensnared as many as 165 of its customers. The cloud data and analytics company hasn’t detected any unauthorized access into customer accounts since early...

Posted: Jun 14, 2024

Analysis: Underwriting Loss Estimates Highlight Continued Challenges for US P/C Industry

The U.S. property/casualty market sustained an estimated $21.1 billion in underwriting losses in 2023, highlighting the challenges the industry faces as a result of natural catastrophes and inflation. According to joint analysis by global data analyt...

Posted: Jun 14, 2024

Analysis: Underwriting Loss Estimates Highlight Ongoing Challenges for US P/C Industry

The U.S. property/casualty market sustained an estimated $21.1 billion in underwriting losses in 2023, highlighting the challenges the industry faces as a result of natural catastrophes and inflation. According to joint analysis by global data analyt...

Posted: Jun 14, 2024

California Labor Commissioner Reaches $658K Settlement with Residential Care Facility

The California Labor Commissioner’s Office reached a $658,948 settlement with a Los Angeles residential care facility. The settlement was to compensate 34 workers who were reportedly not paid for all hours worked. The LCO began investigating re...

Posted: Jun 14, 2024

Poor Maintenance, Pilot Error Cited in Fatal New Hampshire Plane Crash

Improper maintenance and the pilot’s failure to abort takeoff likely caused a small plane to crash into a building in New Hampshire in 2022, killing both people on board and sparking a fire, the National Transportation Safety Board said in &#82...

Posted: Jun 14, 2024

People Moves: Lara Appoints New Members to California Insurance Diversity Task Force

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara appointed Alycia Anderson, Kelly Huang and Marquita Thomas to the state’s Insurance Diversity Task Force. The task force oversees the department’s insurance diversity initiative, which encour...

Posted: Jun 14, 2024

SEC Charges AI Recruitment Startup With ‘Old School Fraud Using New School Buzzwords’

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) this week charged Ilit Raz, CEO and founder of the failed artificial intelligence recruitment startup Joonko, with defrauding investors of at least $21 million. According to the SEC, Raz gave investors fal...

Posted: Jun 14, 2024

SEC Charges AI-Based Startup With ‘Old School Fraud Using New School Buzzwords’

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) this week charged Ilit Raz, CEO and founder of the failed artificial intelligence recruitment startup Joonko, with defrauding investors of at least $21 million. According to the SEC, Raz gave investors fal...

Posted: Jun 14, 2024

OSHA Cites Contractor 32 Times in 4 Months for Alleged Deadly Fall Hazards

Federal officials say a New Jersey construction contractor with a history of ignoring federal fall safety standards has again been found exposing employees to potentially deadly fall hazards in eight work site inspections. The federal Occupational Sa...

Posted: Jun 14, 2024

Calling All Top Agencies & Agency Partnerships: Enter to Be Recognized Now

It’s that time again! We hope you will consider entering your agency for Insurance Journal’s 2024 Top 100 independent agencies listing and Top Agency Partnerships listing. There are four ways to qualify: Top 100 Independent P/C Agencies T...

Posted: Jun 13, 2024

Former Iowa Insurance Agent Sentenced 19 Years for Defrauding the Elderly

A former Iowa insurance agent and annuity salesman was sentenced to 19 years in prison for defrauding elderly individuals out of their retirement savings. A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced Zach Flaherty, age 47, of Clive, to 222 months for &#823...

Posted: Jun 13, 2024

Study Finds Higher Levels of Dangerous Chemical Than Expected in SE Louisiana

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Researchers using high-tech air monitoring equipment rolled through an industrialized stretch of southeast Louisiana in mobile labs and found levels of a carcinogen in concentrations as much as 20 times higher than previously estim...

Posted: Jun 13, 2024

Texas Ranchers Face Growing Risk as Abandoned Oil Wells Gush Gassy Water

In recent years, Schuyler Wight has noticed a growing number of abandoned oil wells coming back to life, gurgling fluids on the surface of his West Texas ranch. Last week he found the biggest one yet. Gassy water was gushing …

Posted: Jun 13, 2024

Four Tops Singer Sues Detroit-Area Hospital for Racial Discrimination

WARREN, Mich. (AP) — The lead singer of the Four Tops said a Detroit-area hospital restrained him and ordered a psychological exam after refusing to believe that he was part of the Motown music group. Alexander Morris, who is Black, …

Posted: Jun 13, 2024

People Moves: Hamilton Insurance DAC Promotes Reynolds as CEO; Dale Underwriting Partners Names Brid...

This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Hamilton Insurance DAC, the Irish subsidiary of Hamilton Insurance Group, and Dale Underwriting Partners in London. A summary of these new hires follows here. Hamilton Insurance DAC P...

Posted: Jun 13, 2024

Thousands of Amazon Drivers File Arbitration Claims for Unpaid Wages, Other Losses

Thousands of delivery drivers filed legal claims against Amazon, alleging the company’s classification of them as independent contractors instead of employees has led to unpaid wages and other financial losses. Two law firms spearheading the ac...

Posted: Jun 13, 2024

UK Puts First Sanctions on Russia’s Shadow-Fleet Oil Tankers

The UK announced wide-ranging sanctions on Russia, including a first attempt to clamp down on a shadow-fleet of tankers transporting the Kremlin’s oil and a key Moscow-based insurance company.The measures target four oil tankers out of a fleet...

Posted: Jun 13, 2024

NC Bill to Make Manufacturers Pay for ‘Forever Chemicals’ Advances in House

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s top environmental regulator could order manufacturers of “forever chemicals” to help pay for water system cleanup upgrades whenever they are found responsible for discharges that contaminate dri...

Posted: Jun 13, 2024

Overnight Fire Damaged or Destroyed 15 Boats at Nevada Marina

Authorities are trying to determine the cause of a fire that damaged or destroyed about 15 boats at a Lake Mead National Recreation Area marina in Nevada. National Park Service officials said the fire began around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday …

Posted: Jun 13, 2024

Florida Jury Says Chiquita Brands Must Pay $38M for Colombia Deaths

Banana giant Chiquita Brands must pay $38.3 million to 16 family members of people killed during Colombia’s long civil war by a violent right-wing paramilitary group funded by the company, a federal jury in Florida decided. The verdict Monday b...

Posted: Jun 13, 2024

Solar Risk Assessment Shines Light on Key Industry Challenges

Extreme weather, operational and battery risks — insuring the growing solar industry brings insurance companies, agents and brokers face-to-face with evolving challenges. “We’re seeing burgeoning growth in solar, wind, and battery storage...

Posted: Jun 13, 2024

R&Q Warns Its Financial Stresses Could Hit Business Stability and Lead to Liquidation

R&Q Insurance Holdings Ltd. warns it is facing growing financial difficulties, which could affect the “company’s stability as a business” and ultimately lead to liquidation. In a June 13 statement, R&Q acknowledges it has be...

Posted: Jun 13, 2024

Survey: US Business Owners Seek More Insurance Coverage as AI, Election Risks Loom

Artificial intelligence and U.S. election have emerged as significant risks to businesses this year with an overwhelming 80% of owners worried their insurance will not cover a specific loss, a survey by insurance brokerage Gallagher showed on Wednesd...

Posted: Jun 13, 2024