Insurance Journal

Crypto Ransomware Attacks Rise in First Half of 2023: Chainalysis

Crypto crime fell overall in the first six months of 2023, but the volume of payments to ransomware attackers surged and is on track for its second-biggest annual total on record, blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis said on Wednesday [July 12]. &#8...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

Evertree Closes 3 Colorado Deals and Establishes Mountain Region

Evertree Insurance Services LLC has acquired 1st American Insurance in Longmont, Colorado, Alliance Insurance Services in Arvada, Colorado, and The Banks Agency in Golden, Colorado. The transactions were closed on July 7, and establish Evertree&#8217...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

Workers’ Compensation Remains Profit Engine for U.S. P/C Insurers: AM Best

Workers’ compensation insurers’ underwriting results continued to outpace the rest of the U.S. property/casualty (P/C) commercial sector in 2022, as they benefited from the long-term decline in workplace accidents and a reduction in fraud...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

Insurers to Pay $15M to Settle Murdaugh Fatal Boat Crash Claims

Insurers for the convenience store that sold beer to Paul Murdaugh have agreed to pay $15 million to settle the wrongful death suit stemming from the 2019 boat crash involving Murdaugh in which teenager Mallory Beach was killed. The convenience &#823...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

Tesla Sues Australia’s Cap-XX Over EV Battery Technology Patents

Tesla sued Australian company Cap-XX in Texas federal court on Friday, claiming its supercapacitors used for storing energy in electric-vehicle batteries infringe two U.S. patents owned by a Tesla subsidiary. Tesla CEO Elon Musk pledged in 2014 not t...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

People Moves: Fred C. Church Promotes Burbine; Rodriguez Reappointed Chair of New York Workers’ Comp

Fred C. Church Insurance Promotes Burbine to SVP, Sales Leader Fred C. Church Insurance, headquartered in Lowell, Mass., promoted Bill Burbine to senior vice president, sales leader. Burbine’s insurance career began in 2002 with Banknorth Insur...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

Claims Insurtech Tractable AI Raises $65M in Funding Led by SoftBank

⁠Tractable, the London-based insurtech that uses artificial intelligence (AI) for visual claims assessments and disaster recovery, announced a $65M Series E investment led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2. Existing investors Insight Partners and Georgian pa...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

People Moves: Munich Re Names Parhelion’s Richardson as CUO of Green Solutions Portfolio; BHSI Names...

This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Munich Re Specialty Group and Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance. A summary of these new hires follows here. Munich Re Specialty Group Names Richardson as CUO of Green Solutions P...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

AXA Fund to Invest $49 Million in Brazil Reforestation Projects

An alternative investment vehicle controlled by French insurer AXA said on Tuesday it will inject $49 million into reforestation projects in Brazil led by local startup Mombak. AXA IM Alts, which has over 185 billion euros ($208 billion) under manage...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

People Moves: AXA XL Insurance Names CNA’s Smith as Head of US Mid-Market Business; Miller Expands U...

AXA XL Insurance Names CNA’s Smith as Head of US Mid-Market Business AXA XL Insurance appoints Adele Smith as head of Mid-Market Generalist in the next phase of its targeted U.S. Mid-Market insurance business launch. Based in New York, and &#82...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

2023 OUTSTANDING CSR of the Year STATE WINNERS Announced

AUSTIN, TX., July, 17 2023 — Each year, a group of exceptional insurance professionals are selected to represent their states and then compete to become the National Outstanding CSR of the Year. This prestigious award, regarded as the foremost...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

UK Watchdog Proposes Toughening Safeguards Against Illegal Marketing on Social Media

Britain’s financial watchdog on Monday proposed toughening up safeguards against the illegal marketing of financial products on social media by applying a stringent “consumer duty” that is being rolled out to banks, funds and insure...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

Travel Essentials: Passport, Money, Bluetooth Luggage Trackers?

After returning to New York from Oslo in late May, Harley Hendrix noticed her suitcase containing a cherished Alexander McQueen dress had been diverted to Copenhagen. Also rotting in Denmark: packs of cheese that Hendrix had stuffed into the suitcase...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

Business Leaders Appear Less Concerned by Cyber Risk: Report

The worldwide impact of cybercrime on business is predicted to balloon to $10.5 trillion by 2025, but boardroom focus on cyber risk appears to be diminishing, according to a Beazley risk and reliance report. “The perceived threat of cyber risk...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

Tesla Directors Pay $735M to Settle Shareholder Lawsuit Over Excess Compensation

Tesla Inc.’s directors will return $735 million to the company to settle claims they grossly overpaid themselves in one of the largest shareholder settlements of its kind, according to a Monday filing in a Delaware court. The settlement resolve...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

New Saharan Heat Blast Spells More Extreme Temperatures in Europe

The heat wave engulfing the Mediterranean is set to intensify as another Saharan anticyclone threatens record temperatures from Italy to Greece. The new weather system — named Charon after the mythological ferryman who delivered souls to the underwor...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant Seeks ‘Stand Your Ground’ Immunity for Punch Lawsuit

The future of a lawsuit accusing Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant of assaulting a teenager during a pickup basketball game hinges on whether Morant will be allowed to say that he was acting in self-defense and can receive immunity under …

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

Hub Acquires Edbrooke/Stelcner Associates in Florida

Global insurance broker Hub International Limited announced that it has acquired the assets of Edbrooke/Stelcner and Associates, Inc. in Coral Gables, Florida. Edbrooke/Stelcner is an employee benefits brokerage and consulting firm specializing in th...

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

Washington’s Legal Cannabis Farms Reopen After Pesticide Concerns Halted Operations

A big mound of fresh dirt sits at Terry Taylor`s marijuana farm in the high desert of north-central Washington state. Each hole for a new plant gets filled with the clean soil. Large swaths of recently installed landscape fabric cover …

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

Maine to Start Paid Family and Medical Leave Program in 2026

Most Maine workers will get up to 12 weeks of paid time off for family or medical reasons as part of a supplemental budget Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed into law on Tuesday. The spending bill included $25 million in …

Posted: Jul 18, 2023

Heavy Rains Swamp Northeast Again; Floods Claims 5 Lives; Others, Including 2 Children, Missing

Heavy rains pounded an already saturated Northeast on Sunday for the second time in a week, spurring another round of flash flooding, cancelled airline flights and power outages. In Pennsylvania, a sudden flash flood late Saturday afternoon claimed a...

Posted: Jul 17, 2023

Firefighters Make Gains on Southern California Wildfire

Firefighters gained ground Monday against a large wildfire and three smaller blazes in the torrid interior of Southern California. The Rabbit Fire grew slightly overnight to more than 12 square miles but containment jumped to 35%, according to the Ri...

Posted: Jul 17, 2023

Owner of Louisiana Residence Inn Settles ADA Civil Claims

The United States has finalized a settlement agreement with IM Baton Rouge OPCO, LLC, owner and manager of the Residence Inn by Marriott Baton Rouge Towne Center Cedar Lodge (the “Marriott Towne Center”), to resolve civil claims under Tit...

Posted: Jul 17, 2023

AM Best Places Iowa’s GuideOne Under Review With Negative Implications

AM Best has placed under review with negative implications the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of “a-” (Excellent) of GuideOne Insurance Company and its wholly owne...

Posted: Jul 17, 2023

Woman Seriously Injured in Roller Coaster Accident Sues Ohio Amusement Park

SANDUSKY, Ohio (AP) – A Michigan woman struck in the head by a metal bracket that fell off a roller coaster at an Ohio amusement park has sued the park and its parent company, alleging their negligence caused the accident …

Posted: Jul 17, 2023