Insurance Journal

Insurance Research Council: Home Insurance Spend Outpaces Household Income Growth

According to the Insurance Research Council (IRS), the average homeowners insurance expenditure has become less affordable for U.S. consumers over time. Looking at the the years 2001 to 2021—the latest year in which relevant data is available—homeown...

Posted: May 15, 2024

Insurance Research Council: Home Insurance Spend Tops Household Income Growth

According to the Insurance Research Council (IRC), the average homeowners insurance expenditure has become less affordable for U.S. consumers over time. Looking at the the years 2001 to 2021—the latest year in which relevant data is available—homeown...

Posted: May 15, 2024

US Workers’ Comp Line Still Showing Strong Profits, Lower Claim Frequency

Net written premium in the U.S. workers’ compensation insurance market grew by just 1% from 2022 to 2023, a far smaller percentage than most other property/casualty lines. However, the workers’ compensation line remains the most profitabl...

Posted: May 15, 2024

The Surprising Force Stalling Climate Progress: California Restaurants

In the fight to ratchet down climate emissions and soothe the most dangerous effects of an overheating planet, one of the most withering setbacks in recent memory wasn’t delivered by the oil industry or coal excavators, but, rather, a group &#8...

Posted: May 15, 2024

High Court: E-Scooter Rider Hit by Car Not Eligible for No-Fault PIP Benefits

A man injured when he was hit by a car while he was operating a low speed Segway electric scooter is not entitled to personal injury protection (PIP) benefits under New Jersey’s no-fault auto insurance law, the state’s Supreme Court &#823...

Posted: May 15, 2024

Exxon Is Hit With $726 Million Verdict Over Benzene and Cancer

A jury in Philadelphia found Exxon Mobil Corp. liable for $725.5 million in damages due a former mechanic who claimed its petroleum products exposed him to benzene that caused his cancer, according to his lawyers. The jury found that the …

Posted: May 15, 2024

After Maui, Hawaii Lawmakers Budget Funds for Firefighting Equipment and a State Fire Marshal

Hawaii lawmakers appropriated funds for more firefighting equipment and a state fire marshal after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century ripped through the historic Maui town of Lahaina and exposed shortcomings in the state’s readi...

Posted: May 15, 2024

Farmers to Resume Offering Key Lines of Business Insurance in California

Farmers Insurance says it will resume accepting new business commercial multi-peril applications for auto service & repair, habitational, manufacturing, real estate and wholesale distribution policies in California. The action follows the insurer...

Posted: May 14, 2024

Governor Signs Strengthen Oklahoma Homes Act Into Law

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has signed into law Monday a bill, which aims to provide financial grants to construct or retrofit homes, making them more resilient against the destructive forces of tornadoes, windstorms and hail. Under the new law, kn...

Posted: May 14, 2024

Teen Awarded $185K in Lawsuit Over Interference With Recording of Mother’s Arrest

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A teenager who video-recorded his mother’s forceful arrest by Louisiana sheriff’s deputies in 2020 has been awarded $185,000 by a federal jury in a lawsuit filed over one deputy’s attempt to interfere with the rec...

Posted: May 14, 2024

Michigan Study Shows Potential for Real-Time Traffic Light Adjustments

As cars and trucks get smarter and more connected, the humble lights that have controlled the flow of traffic for more than a century could also be on the cusp of a major transformation. Researchers are exploring ways to use …

Posted: May 14, 2024

Kansas Schools Turn to AI to Spot Guns

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas could soon offer up to $5 million in grants for schools to outfit surveillance cameras with artificial intelligence systems that can spot people carrying guns. But the governor needs to approve the expenditures and the &#82...

Posted: May 14, 2024

18 States Sue Over EEOC’s Policy on Transgender Workers

A group of Republican-led U.S. states filed a lawsuit seeking to block the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from enforcing broad legal protections for transgender workers. The 18 states filed the complaint in federal court in Knoxville, T...

Posted: May 14, 2024

Alphabet’s Waymo Probed by US After Autonomous Car Incidents

The top US auto-safety regulator opened an investigation into Waymo, the autonomous-vehicle subsidiary of subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., after 22 incidents in which the company’s cars were involved in collisions or may have violated traffic laws....

Posted: May 14, 2024

Santander Flags Data Breach Hitting Some Clients, All Staff

Banco Santander SA said data managed by an external party was accessed without authorization, affecting information of clients and staff. “We recently became aware of an unauthorized access to a Santander database hosted by a third-party provid...

Posted: May 14, 2024

Hospital Operator Ascension ‘Making Progress’ to Restore Systems After Cyberattack

Hospital operator Ascension said on Monday that it “worked around the clocked” over the weekend to handle a recent ransomware attack that disrupted operations. “We are focused on restoring systems safely. We are making progress, how...

Posted: May 14, 2024

Sica Fletcher: Broker M&A Down Slightly in Q1 as Some Buyers Take ‘Strategic Pause’

The 22 acquirers that make up the Sica Fletcher Index were involved in 111 agent-broker deals in the first quarter 2024, totaling $284 million in revenue. That is a 21% drop in revenue from what was acquired during the same …

Posted: May 14, 2024

People Moves: AXA XL Reinsurance Names Sawyer to Expanded Role of Head of London Casualty, Reinsuran...

This edition of International People Moves details appointments at AXA XL Reinsurance and Fusion Specialty. A summary of these new hires follows here. AXA XL Reinsurance Names Sawyer to Expanded Role of Head of London Casualty, Reinsurance AXA XL Rei...

Posted: May 14, 2024

UK Broking and Underwriting Group, Jensten, Announces Strategic Restructuring

Jensten, the London-based independent insurance broking and underwriting group, announced a reorganization that aims to drive growth, bolster continued acquisitions, and expedite the integration of future acquisitions. This move closely follows the r...

Posted: May 14, 2024

VC Firm Accel Raises $650M to Invest in AI, Cybersecurity Startups in Europe, Israel

Venture capital firm Accel said on Tuesday it has raised a $650 million fund to invest in early-stage companies in Europe and Israel with a focus on artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. The new fund will be Accel’s eighth since opening &#...

Posted: May 14, 2024

EU Countries Approve Law to Slash Trucks’ CO2 Emissions

European Union countries gave their final approval on Monday to a law to cut carbon dioxide emissions from trucks, which will require most new heavy-duty vehicles sold in the EU from 2040 to be emissions-free. The law will enforce a …

Posted: May 14, 2024

Everest Insurance Launches in Australia, Expanding Its Asia-Pacific Business

Everest launched its Australian Insurance operations after receiving approval from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority. The business will operate under the name Everest Insurance Australia with offices in Sydney and Melbourne. Christian Co...

Posted: May 14, 2024

Markets/Coverages: WTW Launches Facility for Cargo and War-on-Land Risks in Ukraine

Insurance broker WTW announced a partnership with Ukrainian insurer, VUSO, to provide a London-market-backed facility covering cargo and, crucially, war-on-land risks. This exclusive facility – which WTW describes as a market first – provides prearra...

Posted: May 14, 2024

Canadian Crews Battle Wildfire Threatening Remote Western Town

Firefighters on Monday battled a large wildfire heading towards a remote western Canadian town as winds and tinder dry conditions threatened to spread the flames further, a provincial minister said. The largely evacuated town of Fort Nelson in Britis...

Posted: May 14, 2024

Tesla Settles Factory Worker’s Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

Tesla has settled a lawsuit by a former factory employee who says she was fired for complaining about severe sexual harassment, as the electric carmaker faces a series of sex and race discrimination lawsuits. U.S. District Judge William Orrick in &#8...

Posted: May 14, 2024