Insurance Journal

Florida’s Universal Profits Are Up as Carrier Sheds Policies, Feels Impact of Reforms

Efforts by Universal Insurance Holdings, the publicly traded parent company of one of Florida’s largest property and casualty insurers, to shed policies, spread risk and raise rates appears to have paid off so far in 2023. And recent legislativ...

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Markets/Coverages: QBE North America, Converge Launch New Cyber Program

QBE North America and new managing general agency, Converge, teamed up to launch a cyber insurance program, which will be broken down into two separate distribution structures, each with a distinct revenue focus and cyber security data access formati...

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Mother Punched While She Held Her Baby Sues Los Angeles Sheriff`s Department

A woman who was punched in the face by a deputy as she held her baby sued the Los Angeles County Sheriff`s Department, alleging excessive force and wrongful arrest. Yeayo Russell filed a federal lawsuit last week against the department …

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Michael Jackson’s Employees Were Not Legally Obligated to Prevent Sex Abuse, Lawyer Argues in Court

Workers for corporations owned by Michael Jackson had no legal obligation to protect children from the pop star, an attorney told an appeals court. Jackson estate lawyer Jonathan Steinsapir pushed back against a tentative decision by California&#8217...

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Clear Group Acquires UK Specialist MGA, Profile Risk Solutions

The Clear Group, the London-based independent broker, announced the acquisition of a specialist commercial lines managing general agent, Profile Risk Solutions Ltd. This represents the Clear Group’s third MGA deal and is a continuation of its s...

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Teen`s Death in Poultry Plant Shows Child Labor Remains a Problem, Feds Say

The death of a 16-year-old in a Mississippi poultry plant earlier this month offered another reminder that children remain vulnerable to exploitation in the workplace in the United States, senior Labor Department officials said Wednesday. Duvan Perez...

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Global Natural Disasters Cost Insurers $43B in H1, Surpassing 10-Yr Average: Munich Re

Natural disasters during the first half of 2023 cost insurers an estimated US$43 billion with an overall economic price tag of $110 billion, according to Munich Re. These insured losses were slightly lower than the US$47 billion reported for the &#82...

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Kraft Heinz Defeats Lawsuit Over Mac & Cheese Preparation Time

A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit accusing Kraft Heinz & Co of misleading consumers by promising it takes only 3-1/2 minutes to prepare a cup of microwavable Velveeta macaroni and cheese. U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom in Miami &#82...

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

As E-Bikes Proliferate, So Do Deadly Fires Blamed on Exploding Batteries

The explosion early on a June morning ignited a blaze that engulfed a New York City shop filled with motorized bicycles and their volatile lithium-ion batteries. Billowing smoke quickly killed four people asleep in apartments above the burning store....

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Typhoon Doksuri Destroys Power Lines, Closes Factories as It Rips Into China

Typhoon Doksuri swept into China’s southeastern Fujian province on Friday, unleashing heavy rain and violent gusts of wind that whipped power lines sparking fires, uprooted trees and forced factories and shopping malls to shut. The second stron...

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Update: Typhoon Doksuri Roars Into China, Destroying Power Lines, Closing Factories

Typhoon Doksuri swept into southern China on Friday, unleashing heavy rain and violent gusts of wind that whipped power lines and sparked fires, uprooted trees, and ripped off part of a stadium roof. The typhoon is the most powerful to …

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

NAIC Releases Highly-Anticipated Draft Model Bulletin on Insurers’ AI Use

On July 17, 2023, the Innovation, Cybersecurity and Technology (H) Committee of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) released for comment a highly anticipated model bulletin (Model Bulletin) on regulatory expectations for the us...

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

NAIC Releases Highly Anticipated Draft Model Bulletin on Insurers’ AI Use

On July 17, 2023, the Innovation, Cybersecurity and Technology (H) Committee of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) released for comment a highly anticipated model bulletin (Model Bulletin) on regulatory expectations for the us...

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Ship Carrying BMWs and Mercedes Ablaze Off Dutch Coast Could Burn for Days

A cargo ship carrying almost 3,800 cars and construction vehicles is likely to continue burning for days, according to the Dutch coast guard, which is leading efforts to contain the blaze. BMW AG and Mercedes-Benz Group AG each have several …

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Barclays Banker Fired Over Sexual Harassment Loses $770,000 Employment Suit

A former Barclays director who was fired for sexual harassment has lost an employment lawsuit against the British bank in which he sought nearly 600,000 pounds ($770,000) in compensation, a London tribunal announced on Thursday. Robert Record, once a...

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Study: Motor Vehicle Thefts Soar in First Half of 2023

During the first half of 2023, vehicle thefts soared while most other crimes declined, according to a new study of crime trends in 37 cities released this week by the Council on Criminal Justice. Continuing an upward trajectory, motor vehicle …

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Inside EU, No Clear Financial Options Exist to Reduce Ukraine Grain Transport Costs

The European Commission has no immediate money in the budget and no clear way to help finance the extra transport costs Ukrainian grain exports will face with the end of the Black Sea deal, sources told Reuters, leaving an opportunity …

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Ocean Temperatures Hit 90 Degrees, Fueling Weather Disasters

Heat searing enough to knock out mobile phones. Wildfire smoke that turns the skies an apocalyptic orange. Flash floods submerging towns in upstate New York and Vermont. This grim procession of recent disasters is being driven in part by climate &#82...

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Judge Affirms Letting Coach Flores’ Racial Bias Claims Against NFL Proceed to Trial

A federal judge said Tuesday that she’s not changing her decision to let NFL coach Brian Flores put the league and three of its teams on trial over his claims that he and other Black coaches face discrimination. Judge Valerie …

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Alfa Insurance Agent in Alabama Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Defraud Elderly Victims

A former Alfa insurance agent in Alabama has pleaded guilty to defrauding people, most of them elderly, of more than $862,286 in life insurance. The plea agreement for Bret Chappell, 44, of Warrior, comes six months after the agent was …

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Rochester Diocese Abuse Fund at $126M as 2 More Insurers Settle, But 1 Remains a Holdout

The Catholic Diocese of Rochester and sexual abuse survivors have reached settlements with additional insurers to cover abuse claims, bringing the total amount now available to survivor claimants to $126.35 million. The latest settlements are with in...

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Rochester Diocese Claims Fund at $126M as 2 More Insurers Settle, 1 Holds Out

The Catholic Diocese of Rochester and sexual abuse survivors have reached settlements with additional insurers on amounts available to cover abuse claims, bringing the total fund now available to survivor claimants to $126.35 million. The latest sett...

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Rochester Diocese Claims Fund Reaches $126M as 2 More Insurers Settle, 1 Holds Out

The Catholic Diocese of Rochester and sexual abuse survivors have reached settlements with additional insurers on amounts available to cover abuse claims, bringing the total fund now available to survivor claimants to $126.35 million. The latest sett...

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Connecticut Chief Expects Further Federal Probes Into False Traffic Stop Data

Connecticut`s public safety commissioner on Wednesday told state lawmakers to expect a federal investigation into a recent audit`s findings, which showed hundreds of state troopers submitted false information from 2014 to 2021 on at least 26,000 traf...

Posted: Jul 28, 2023

Cigna Health Giant Accused of Improper Violation of California Law

A federal lawsuit alleges that health insurance giant Cigna used a computer algorithm to automatically reject hundreds of thousands of patient claims without examining them individually as required by California law. The class-action lawsuit, filed M...

Posted: Jul 27, 2023