Insurance Journal

Risk Strategies Acquires Combined Underwriters of Miami

Risk Strategies, a specialty insurance brokerage with national reach, has acquired Combined Underwriters of Miami, an independent agency that offers commercial and personal insurance and benefits products in south Florida. Combined Underwriters has b...

Posted: May 17, 2023

BP Unit to Pay Record $40M to Settle Air Pollution Civil Charges

A subsidiary of BP will pay a record-setting $40 million penalty to settle civil U.S. charges that its Indiana-based oil refinery violated federal laws aimed at curbing emissions of cancer-causing benzene in wastewater and other harmful pollutants, t...

Posted: May 17, 2023

Crypto Should Be Regulated as Gambling, UK Lawmakers Say

Bitcoin, ether and other cryptocurrencies should be regulated as gambling given the significant risks they pose to consumers, a panel of UK lawmakers said in a report on Wednesday. Britain, which wants to become a global hub for crypto and …

Posted: May 17, 2023

Stellantis Tells UK to Change Brexit Deal or See Car Plants Close

British car plants will close with the loss of thousands of jobs unless the Brexit deal is swiftly renegotiated, Stellantis has warned, as Ford added its voice to the latest warning from the auto industry since Britain left the European …

Posted: May 17, 2023

New Hampshire Governor Sununu Urges State-Run Marijuana Shops

A day after New Hampshire legislators rejected the latest attempt to legalize recreational marijuana in the state, Gov. Chris Sununu – a potential Republican presidential candidate – proposed a path forward that is similar to how the stat...

Posted: May 17, 2023

Delaware Supreme Court Rules Franchise Law Does Not Ban Tesla Dealership

Delaware’s Supreme Court on Monday overturned a judge’s ruling upholding a decision by state officials to prohibit electric vehicle maker Tesla from selling its cars directly to customers. In a ruling last year, a Superior Court judge det...

Posted: May 17, 2023

Rudy Giuliani Denies Woman’s Claims of $2 Million in Unpaid Wages, Forced Sexual Acts

A woman who says she worked as an off-the-books employee for Rudy Giuliani during his stint as Donald Trump’s personal lawyer alleges in court papers that the former New York City mayor coerced her into sex and owes her nearly …

Posted: May 17, 2023

Mississippi Doctor Suspended and Charged with Sexual Battery

A Mississippi doctor has been arrested and had his medical license suspended over allegations that he fondled teenage patients. Dr. Mehul Dixit, 59, was charged with two counts of sexual battery in Hinds County, where sheriff’s deputies arreste...

Posted: May 17, 2023

Tenn. Governor Signs Off on Additional Legal Shield for Gun and Ammo Dealers, Makers

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has signed off on additional protections for gun and ammunition dealers, manufacturers and sellers against lawsuits within a bill that lawmakers passed after a deadly school shooting in March. The Republican governor quietly s...

Posted: May 17, 2023

Families Affected by Michigan School Shooting Win Key Decision in Lawsuit

A group of families won a key court victory in an effort to pin some responsibility on a Michigan school district for a shooting that left four students dead and seven others wounded in 2021. The families can pursue claims …

Posted: May 17, 2023

Alleged Russian Hacker Charged in $200 Million Ransomware Spree

A Russian man was charged by US authorities in connection with his alleged role with multiple ransomware gangs that attacked hospitals, schools and police departments. Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev, who was known online as Wazawaka, was an active member...

Posted: May 17, 2023

Hackers Contacted Cybersecurity Firm CEO’s Son, Wife in Extortion Attempt

Hackers stole contracts from cybersecurity firm Dragos Inc. as part of an extortion attempt that included contacting the chief executive officer’s wife and 5-year-old son, according to a company blog post, documents provided by the suspected ha...

Posted: May 17, 2023

Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Over Buffalo Massacre Targets Social Media

A wrongful death suit has been filed on behalf of victims’ relatives, survivors and others affected by the 2022 racially-motivated shooting at Tops Friendly Markets in Buffalo where 10 people were killed, all of them Black, and three people wer...

Posted: May 17, 2023

Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Victims Buffalo Massacre

A wrongful death suit has been filed on behalf of survivors and others affected by the 2022 racially-motivated shooting at Tops Friendly Markets in Buffalo where 10 people were killed, all of them Black, and three people were injured. The …

Posted: May 17, 2023

Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Survivors of Buffalo Massacre

A wrongful death suit has been filed on behalf of survivors and others affected by the 2022 racially-motivated shooting at Tops Friendly Markets in Buffalo where 10 people were killed, all of them Black, and three people were injured. The …

Posted: May 17, 2023

People Moves: Hamilton Appoints Brown as Chair of Board of Directors; Canopius Taps Hartley From AXI...

This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Hamilton and Canopius Group. A summary of these new hires follows here. Hamilton Appoints Brown as Chair of Board of Directors Hamilton Insurance Group Ltd. announced that David A. Br...

Posted: May 17, 2023

Acrisure Acquires Portuguese Broker Universalis

Acrisure, the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based insurance broker and fintech specialist, announced it has signed an agreement to acquire one of Portugal’s leading insurance brokers, Universalis (trademark of Corpos – Corretora de Seguros, Lda). The tra...

Posted: May 17, 2023

Survey: Texas Employer Participation in Workers’ Comp System up to 75%

A survey from the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation’s Research and Evaluation Group found that employer subscription in workers’ comp increased to 75% in 2022, up from 72% in 2018. Texas allows employe...

Posted: May 17, 2023

Last Ship Leaves Ukraine Port With Fate of Black Sea Grain Deal in Russia’s Hands

The last ship left a port in Ukraine on Wednesday under a deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine grain a day before Russia could quit the pact over obstacles to its grain and fertilizer exports. The DSM …

Posted: May 17, 2023

Trans Worker Says Texas-Based Railroad Wouldn’t Promote Her

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A former BNSF worker who was named one of the railroad’s employees of the year in 2021 for her work in supporting LGBTQ+ workers is now suing the railroad where she worked for 30 years, saying …

Posted: May 17, 2023

Insurtech WeFox Raises $110 Million in Extension to 2022 Funding Round

Wefox Holding AG, an insurance-technology firm based in Berlin, raised $110 million to build a platform that will make its technology available to other insurers. JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Barclays Plc provided half the funds as a revolving credit...

Posted: May 17, 2023

Specialist Risk Group Acquires UK Specialist Broker TLO Risk Services

Specialist Risk Group (SRG), the London-based insurance broker, has acquired TLO Risk Services, the professional risk specialist broker, which will play an integral role in the development of SRG’s professional lines capability. Specializing pr...

Posted: May 17, 2023

Viewpoint: Should Insurance Drive Increased Firearm Safety?

It seems almost weekly there is a story or two in the national headlines addressing gun violence in the U.S., and a recent Insurance Journal story indicated respondents of a survey thought insurance could have a role in firearm safety. …

Posted: May 17, 2023

Insurance Journal, Carrier Management & Claims Journal Staffs Win Awards of Excellence

Wells Media Group publications, online, research and podcasts have won a total of nine 2023 Azbee Awards of Excellence from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE). “Being recognized by our publishing peers is truly gratify...

Posted: May 17, 2023

Top Cyber Insurers: 2022 Ranking Reveals Sprinters, Market Share Shifts

In a year when cyber insurers notched the third-lowest industrywide loss ratio since 2015, and cyber premiums vaulted to $7.2 billion, a premium ranking shows two carriers growing more than 150% to landing in prominent top-10 spots. Fitch compiled an...

Posted: May 17, 2023