Today's Insurance Pulse
Heritage trims reinsurance program, saving $63.2M
Heritage Insurance Holdings renewed its 2026 reinsurance and catastrophe‑bond program with a total limit of $2.2 billion, down from $2.5 billion placed in 2025. The renewal includes $712 million of multi‑year coverage, $550 million from cat bonds and $162 million from private markets. Pricing softness allowed Heritage to cut renewal costs by $63.2 million.
Also developing:
House Committee Challenges Hospital CEOs Over Rising Costs, Citing Consolidation
House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith grilled CEOs of HCA Healthcare, CommonSpirit Health, New York‑Presbyterian and others, accusing hospitals of “insane” pricing and consolidation that inflates costs. Lawmakers and hospital leaders clashed over who bears responsibility for the nation’s health‑care affordability crisis.
AM Best Survey Shows AI Ambition Outpaces Insurer Readiness
AM Best’s latest segment report reveals that while nearly 60% of insurers anticipate AI will dramatically reshape their models within three years, just 41% are actively using the technology. Legacy data, cybersecurity and integration hurdles are slowing adoption, creating a strategic...
Ategrity Specialty Insurance Company Holdings (ASIC) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Ategrity Specialty Insurance Company Holdings reported record Q1 2026 results, with adjusted net income jumping to $25.6 million and gross written premiums up 23.1% year‑over‑year. The combined ratio improved to 87.4%, reflecting stronger loss and expense ratios, while fee income tripled...
Can Agentic AI (Finally) Modernize Core Technologies in Insurance?
Insurers have long struggled to modernize legacy core systems, citing complexity, cost and risk. Agentic AI—autonomous software agents that can reverse‑engineer code, generate configurations, run tests and orchestrate cutover—promises to reshape the modernization cost curve. McKinsey’s analysis shows productivity gains...
Employers Holdings Inc (EIG) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Employers Holdings reported Q1 2026 results showing an 11% drop in gross premiums to $156.8 million, while losses and LAE rose 18.7% to $134.4 million. Net investment income jumped 17.6% to $31.4 million after strong private‑equity returns, but a $40...
Everest Group Ltd (EG) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Everest Re Group reported a strong start to 2021, posting $342 million net income and a 15% annualized return on equity. Gross written premiums rose 14% YoY, while the combined ratio improved to 98.1% despite significant U.S. winter storm and Australian...
AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd (AXS) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Axis Capital reported a strong Q1 2021, with gross premiums written up 17% to $1.1 billion and net income of $116 million, delivering a 9.9% annualized ROE. The insurer’s combined ratio improved to 88% ex‑cat, while the reinsurance segment saw a 4%...
Ex-PM Sues Franklin Templeton, Says Cat Bond Fund's "Rules-Based" Process Was Rigged
A former portfolio manager at Franklin Templeton’s K2 Cat Bond UCITS fund alleges the fund’s purportedly "rules‑based" screening was deliberately altered to override sell signals and force purchases. He claims the overrides involved tampering with risk‑metric inputs, enabling a colleague...
Hospitals, Insurers Clash on 340B Rebate Costs
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) issued a request for information on reviving a 340B drug‑rebate model after a court‑blocked rollout. Hospital groups, led by the American Hospital Association, warn the model could impose over $1 billion in annual costs,...
Private‑Credit Market Surpasses High‑Yield Bonds, Raising Default Concerns
Bloomberg reports that the private‑credit market has expanded so rapidly it now exceeds the size of the high‑yield bond market. Portfolio managers John Sheehan and Craig Manchuck of Osterweis Capital say the surge is tied to private‑equity demand and insurance...
Weather Derivatives Surge as Renewables Drive New Hedging Demand
Munich Re says rising renewable capacity is prompting utilities, retailers and commodity traders to adopt weather derivatives for volume, price and shape risk. The niche market, built on cash‑settled weather indices, is gaining traction as traditional price hedges leave weather‑driven...
FINEOS and Opifiny Team Up to Automate Claims and Absence Management Across North America
FINEOS Corp. announced a strategic partnership with Opifiny Corp. to embed Opifiny’s cloud‑based medical‑information platform directly into FINEOS’s claims and absence management suite. The integration aims to cut claim cycle times, boost data accuracy and lower administrative burdens for insurers,...
Cyber Insurance Data Gives CISOs New Ammo for Budget Talks
Resilience’s new cyber‑insurance analysis translates technical threats into monetary loss, giving CISOs a data‑driven script for board budget discussions. The study of manufacturing claims from March 2021‑February 2026 shows ransomware responsible for 90% of incurred loss while representing only 12% of claims....
Asembia AXS26 Summit: The Future of High-Cost Specialty Drugs
At the Asembia AXS26 Summit, Clarivate’s Dee Chaudhary warned that U.S. drug‑pricing policy is moving from theory to real‑time execution, reshaping payer behavior and market volatility. The Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare price negotiations, the new One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, and renewed Most Favored...
Bond Insurance Usage Rises Nearly 5% in Q1
Bond insurance volume rose 4.9% year‑over‑year to $7.704 billion in Q1 2026, covering 350 deals. The two largest municipal insurers, Assured Guaranty and BAM, together accounted for the entire market, but Assured’s share slipped to 53.1% while BAM’s grew to 46.9% with...
Report: Billions of Dollars in Data Center Construction Risk Is Uninsured
Annual data‑center investment is set to exceed $300 billion by 2027, pushing individual campus values to $10‑$30 billion. Insurers can no longer provide full replacement coverage; instead they underwrite based on probable maximum loss, limiting policies to $1.5‑$3.5 billion for most projects. This...
How Northeast Weather Patterns Are Accelerating Exterior Repair Demand
The Northeast is experiencing more intense nor'easters, hail and erratic freeze‑thaw cycles, turning exterior repair into a year‑round necessity. Aging homes built before modern codes are especially vulnerable, and contractors now see call volumes rise within 48 hours of storms....
Jeff Bray Named RIMS Risk Manager of the Year
Jeff Bray, senior vice president and head of global risk management at Prologis, has been honored as the Risk Manager of the Year by the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS). The award recognizes his leadership in overseeing a complex...
New Zealand Secures 90 Million‑Litre Diesel Reserve to Hedge Middle‑East Disruptions
The New Zealand government has struck a nine‑day diesel supply deal with Z Energy, adding 90 million litres of fuel and lifting the national reserve by roughly 50%. Finance Minister Nicola Willis called the agreement an “insurance policy” against potential Middle‑East...
GigSafe and CXT Integrate Real‑Time Driver Credentials to Cut Delivery Contractor Liability
GigSafe announced an integration with CXT Software that streams live contractor compliance data into CXT’s AI‑driven dispatch platform. The partnership aims to eliminate manual credential checks, lower liability exposure for delivery contractors, and give insurers clearer risk signals.
Frequency of Medical Liability Lawsuits Is Declining, but Risk Remains for Doctors: AMA
The American Medical Association’s latest Physician Practice Benchmark Survey shows that the proportion of doctors sued at least once dropped to 28.7% in 2024 from 31.2% in 2022, indicating a modest decline in medical‑liability lawsuits. However, litigation risk remains concentrated...
Cyber Risk Tops Concerns; Manufacturing Targeted
Cyber risk has vaulted to the top of insurers' concern lists, with a surge in ransomware attacks driving higher loss ratios across sectors. Manufacturing firms are now the most frequent targets, seeing claim frequencies rise sharply as supply‑chain vulnerabilities from...
May 2026: Insurance Carrier Cybersecurity Requirements Get Serious
Insurance carriers are moving from advisory guidance to enforceable cybersecurity conditions effective May 2026. The new mandate centers on email security, requiring threat protection, encryption, and domain authentication, plus a written security program (WISP) that agencies must produce on request....
Policy Brief: Modernizing Canada's Approach to Agriculture Risk Management
A new policy brief from the Canadian Agri‑Food Policy Institute warns that Canadian producers face escalating risk, with 75% of farmers expecting more uncertainty in 2026. The January 2026 Farmer Sentiment Index shows over three‑quarters of respondents feeling overwhelming stress...
Brilliance in Focus: Marsh Risk’s Philippe Dion
Marsh Risk’s Philippe Dion explains that Canada’s construction insurance market is becoming increasingly fragmented, with British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec and parts of Ontario presenting the toughest underwriting environments. Regional hazards—wildfires, seismic risk, hailstorms and historic flooding—have driven higher deductibles, sub‑limits and...
Bipartisan Bill Targets Deepfakes, Tightens AI Regulations
Lawmakers are moving to address AI risks more directly. A new bill would impose stricter penalties for distributing deepfakes and establish clearer standards for AI systems, with bipartisan backing. It reflects a broader shift. Regulation is starting to catch up with the...
Drug Pricing, PBM Reform, and the 2026 Midterms: What You Need to Know
Analysts at Avalere Health’s AXS26 summit warned that the 2026 midterm elections will reshape drug pricing and PBM practices. Recent FTC settlements require Express Scripts, CVS Caremark and Optum Rx to end spread pricing and unlink compensation from rebates, while...
USAA, State Farm Win as Court Narrows Cooperation Statute Scope
The Colorado Supreme Court issued a 6‑1 opinion that narrows the reach of the state’s failure‑to‑cooperate statute. The court held that the statute’s notice‑and‑cure requirements apply only to general cooperation clauses, not to specific conditions‑precedent such as medical‑release authorizations. It...
As Health Costs Hit Record Highs, Brokers Face a Structural Test
Health insurance premiums surged to their highest level in more than a decade, pushing employers to reevaluate benefit strategies. Over 60% of firms are now actively shopping carriers or pharmacy benefit managers, and nearly half are exploring level‑funded, ICHRA or...
Florida Delays KidCare Expansion, Leaving 40,000 Children Uninsured
Florida has postponed the rollout of its KidCare expansion, which would extend coverage to more than 40,000 children. The delay, tied to a legal fight over a federal rule that treats CHIP as an entitlement, leaves many families without affordable...
Nebraska Enforces Medicaid Work Requirement Early, Impacting 70,000 Enrollees
Nebraska will begin enforcing work, volunteer or education requirements for new Medicaid applicants on Friday, eight months before the federal deadline. The rollout targets roughly 70,000 expansion enrollees, with 20,000‑28,000 expected to submit proof of compliance. Advocates warn the rapid...
Utility Tech Giant Itron Confirms April Cyberattack, No Customer Data Compromised
Itron, the U.S. utility‑technology provider, reported that threat actors breached its internal IT network on April 13, 2026. The company says the intrusion was blocked, operations continued uninterrupted and no customer data was exposed, underscoring the heightened cyber risk for...
Stanbic Bank Kenya Designs Enhanced Insurance Cover for Commercial Vehicles
Stanbic Bank Kenya has launched an enhanced insurance product for commercial‑vehicle owners, underwritten by Heritage Insurance Kenya. The offering combines competitive premiums with coverage for vehicle damage, cargo loss, and employee injury, linking directly to the bank’s vehicle‑financing portfolio. It...
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Adverse Selection Explained: Definition, Effects, and the Lemons Problem
Adverse selection describes market failures that arise when one party holds superior information, prompting high‑risk participants to seek favorable contracts. The phenomenon is most evident in insurance, where concealed health or driving risks lead insurers to underprice policies and incur...
Understanding China’s Huge Expansion of Health Insurance
China’s City‑Customised Supplemental Medical Insurance (CCSMI) grew to cover more than 300 million people by 2023, offering low‑cost, government‑endorsed policies sold by private insurers. The rapid rollout, driven by city‑level partnerships without direct subsidies, has attracted mass enrollment at premiums of...
Zurich Appoints Amit Kalra to Lead New Global Capability Center in India
Zurich announced the launch of a new Global Capability Centre (GCC) in Hyderabad, India, appointing Amit Kalra as Head of Zurich Capability Centres effective 1 July 2026. The centre will centralise engineering, data, AI and core business operations, embedding AI‑enabled processes across...
Columbian Banking Firm Forms Bermuda’s First Captive of 2026
Colombian banking group Rojo Re Ltd secured Bermuda’s first captive insurance licence of 2026, receiving a Class 3 license from the Bermuda Monetary Authority on March 31. The captive will operate under Bermuda’s well‑established regulatory framework, giving the bank a local vehicle...
Casualty ILS Transparency Must Match Nat-Cat Standards: Allphins
Allphins warns that casualty insurance‑linked securities (ILS) must achieve the same level of transparency as natural‑cat ILS, citing the market’s rapid expansion to over $5 billion—up from under $1 billion in 2022. The firm argues that investors need granular exposure data and...
Cayman Licences 13 New Captives in Q1
The Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA) issued 13 new captive licences in Q1 2026, including six Class B(i) and seven Class B(iii) captives, and also approved four portfolio insurance companies (PICs). The licences reflect continued demand for Cayman’s flexible, tax‑neutral captive structures. CIMA’s...
Progressive Shares Plunge over 20% After Earnings Miss, Sparking Auto‑insurance Sector Jitters
Progressive Corp., the U.S. auto‑insurance giant, saw its shares drop more than 20% following an earnings report that highlighted underwriting challenges. The slide, noted on a Motley Fool Money podcast, rattled investors and added to negative sentiment across the auto‑insurance industry.
Eversheds Sutherland Adds London Partner to Grow Insurance & Pensions Practice
Eversheds Sutherland announced the appointment of Helen Hallam as a partner in its London office, strengthening the firm’s insurance and pensions practice. Hallam arrives from Canada Life after more than eight years in senior in‑house roles, bringing expertise in bulk...
How Brokers Prove Work with a Client Workspace | TRP #168
In this episode, hosts Jared and Ben explore how reinsurance brokers can make their hidden work visible to clients through a collaborative "Client Workspace" platform. They discuss the industry’s reliance on outcome‑based metrics, the difficulty clients face in assessing broker...
Beazley Finds Growing Gap Between Business Confidence and Cyber Resilience as Risks Intensify
Beazley’s 2026 Risk & Resilience report, based on 3,500 global executives, finds cyber risk now tops 31% of business concerns, up from 29% in 2025. Yet 78% of leaders remain confident they could fully recover financially from an attack, and...
Expanding the ILS Perimeter – New Risks, Markets, Capital: ILS NYC 2026 Video
Artemis hosted its tenth ILS NYC conference on February 6, 2026, attracting more than 450 attendees – the largest turnout in the series. A high‑profile panel, moderated by Kathleen Faries, examined how insurance‑linked securities are moving beyond traditional property catastrophe into casualty,...
Insurers Need Real-Time Data Capabilities
Insurers are no longer struggling to collect data but to act on it before it becomes stale. Legacy batch‑processing systems and entrenched data silos create 24‑hour delays that expose insurers to fraud and inefficiencies. The article outlines a five‑step roadmap—prioritizing...
Insuring Corsia: What Lies Ahead?
In this episode, Argus Media reporter Alexandra Luca talks with Chris Stater, founder and CEO of OCA, the first carbon‑insurance provider approved by Gold Standard and Verra for the CORSIA market. They discuss how insurance mitigates double‑counting risk, OCA’s role...
London Market Expands Alternative Capital Use, but Could Exacerbate Softening: AM Best
London insurers and reinsurers, especially at Lloyd’s, have markedly increased their reliance on alternative capital sources such as sidecars, quota‑share arrangements and catastrophe bonds. The influx of third‑party capital is adding to an already sizable organic surplus generated by several...
Lynx Specialty Joins with Property Guardian to Strengthen Wildfire Risk Underwriting
Lynx Specialty, an excess‑and‑surplus insurer focused on commercial property, has partnered with Property Guardian to embed parcel‑level wildfire analytics into its underwriting. The collaboration gives underwriters detailed exposure, severity, mitigation and suppression data for individual sites, rather than broad area...
ICA Urges Greater Federal Investment in Flood Defences for Local Communities in Australia
The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has submitted recommendations to a federal parliamentary inquiry urging a 10‑year, $30.15 bn Australian (≈$20 bn US) Flood Defence Fund jointly financed by the federal government and the states of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria....
Viewpoint: Medical MJ Resked: Implications for Insurance Coverage, Capacity and Compliance
On April 23 the Department of Justice re‑classified state‑licensed medical marijuana and FDA‑approved cannabis products to Schedule III, easing the federal tax penalty under IRC 280E. The change removes a major financial headwind, improving margins for operators and opening the door for broader...