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:
Florida Flood‑Insurance Expert Details Coverage Limits and New Policy Rules
Wadih El Khoury, an insurance specialist in Lakeland, Florida, outlined the scope of flood insurance, clarified building and contents limits, and highlighted recent policy adjustments such as elevation‑certificate discounts and mandatory waiting periods. His guidance aims to help homeowners navigate complex coverage amid escalating flood threats.
SA Insurance Platform Introduces Finalised Insurance Quotes Through ChatGPT
South African insurer Naked has launched the first native ChatGPT app that delivers a final, binding car insurance quote. The app taps the same live underwriting and rating engine used on its website, ensuring the premium shown is the actual...
Arkansas Board Approves Up to 10% Health Plan Contribution Rise for State Workers in 2027
The Arkansas Board of Finance voted Tuesday to increase employee contributions to state health insurance plans by roughly 5% to 10% for calendar year 2027. The hike, which would raise monthly premiums for thousands of state and public‑school employees and...
![[Updated] CMS Places National Moratorium On Home Health, Hospice Agency Enrollment](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://homehealthcarenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/03/HHCN-Facebook-Share-Size.jpg)
[Updated] CMS Places National Moratorium On Home Health, Hospice Agency Enrollment
CMS announced a six‑month national moratorium on new Medicare enrollment for home health and hospice agencies, covering both initial applications and certain ownership changes often used to conceal fraud. The agency labeled these sectors high‑risk and a major source of...
Zurich Insurance Posts 8% LFL Rise in Q1 P&C Gross Written Premiums
Zurich Insurance Group announced Q1 2026 property‑and‑casualty gross written premiums of $15.56 bn, up 8% on a like‑for‑like basis and 17% on a reported basis. The growth was driven by a 9% jump in commercial lines, underscoring the insurer’s resilience in...
Uber Execs Earn $1M+ Bonuses After Union-Linked Insurance Reform
Uber's board granted four senior leaders bonuses exceeding $1 million after California’s Senate Bill 371 slashed the company’s accident‑liability exposure. The payouts, highlighted in recent SEC filings, underscore how executive compensation is now tied to labor‑related regulatory wins.
How Apollo Is Building the Insurance Layer for Autonomous Vehicles
In this episode of Autonomy Insiders, host Daniel interviews Chris Moore, president of Apollo iBot, about the company’s pioneering insurance program for autonomous vehicles. Moore explains why traditional auto, liability, and cyber policies can’t adequately cover AV risks and why...
IRLA Congress Signals Legacy Reinsurance’s Shift to Strategic Capital Partner
At the IRLA Congress, industry leaders declared that the legacy and retrospective reinsurance market, valued at over $1.1 trillion, is maturing into a strategic capital and operational partner for insurers. The shift is driven by demand for capital optimisation, complex multi‑jurisdictional...
Fidelis Insurance Holdings Ltd (FIHL) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Fidelis Insurance Holdings posted a record low combined ratio of 79% in Q1 2026, improving by more than eight points year‑over‑year. Operating ROAE climbed to 21.4%, a five‑point increase, while diluted book value per share rose $1.25 to $23.29. Gross...
Tokio Marine Partners on Restaurant Coverage
Tokio Marine HCC’s Specialty Group has teamed up with Adaptive Insurance to launch a digitally delivered Restaurant Recovery policy. The AI‑driven platform lets restaurant owners and brokers quote and bind coverage online, with limits of $500,000 or $1 million. The product...
Moody's Reaffirms Stable Outlook for European Insurers Amid Slower Growth and Geopolitical Risks
Moody's Ratings has reaffirmed a stable outlook for Europe’s property‑and‑casualty and life insurance sectors, warning that slower economic growth, heightened competition and geopolitical uncertainty could curb earnings improvement. The agency notes that while premium increases have offset inflation and weather‑related...
Medicare Spending on New Alzheimer’s Drugs Falls Short of Billion‑Dollar Forecasts
Medicare officials told STAT that spending on the newly approved Alzheimer’s therapies Leqembi and Kisunla will be far lower than earlier projections, with no significant outlays expected for 2026 or 2027. The shortfall reflects muted uptake driven by complex administration,...
Severe Collisions Decline While Distraction and Midday Risk Rise for Commercial Fleets
Lytx’s 2026 Road Safety Report shows commercial fleet collisions rose 4% in 2025, a sharp slowdown from the 24% surge seen between late 2023 and 2024. While overall crashes increased, high‑severity incidents fell 3%, translating into up to 90% lower...
Office Owners Reduce Insurance Risk With Restoration Plans
Office building owners face soaring insurance premiums, driven largely by water‑damage claims that represent over half of commercial real‑estate losses. A proactive restoration plan—featuring a 24/7 vetted partner, rapid moisture removal, and rigorous documentation—can slash claim severity and improve insurer...
Lagos Targets N100bn Health Funding Gap Through Mandatory Insurance
Lagos State announced a mandatory health‑insurance scheme and expanded public‑private partnerships to address an estimated N100 billion ($217 million) funding shortfall. The state currently spends only 8% of its budget on health, well below the 15% Abuja Declaration benchmark. Over 1.46 million residents...
Comp Posts 91% Combined Ratio in 2025, Extends Underwriting Gains
The National Council on Compensation Insurance reported that workers‑compensation insurers posted a 91% combined ratio for 2025, marking the 12th straight year of underwriting gains. Net written premium slipped 0.2% while lost‑time claim frequency fell 2%, offset by a 4%...
Insurers Grapple with AI Liability Uncertainty and $3 Trillion Data‑Centre Risk
Moody's analysts warned that emerging AI‑related liability and a projected $3 trillion investment in data centres are creating fresh underwriting challenges for insurers and reinsurers. At the same time, Willis broker George Haitsch announced a seamless, multi‑phase insurance solution to cover...
Munich Re Q1 Profit Jumps on Lower Catastrophe Losses
Munich Re posted first‑quarter net income of €1.7 bn ($2 bn), a 57% jump year‑over‑year, driven by sharply lower catastrophe claims and strong underwriting in its property/casualty reinsurance and global specialty insurance units. The combined ratio for property/casualty fell to 66.8% from...
Medicare Advantage Turmoil Continues
Medicare Advantage enrollment rose only 2.4% year‑over‑year to April 2026, the weakest growth in 15 years, yet the program still covers 51.8% of the 69.6 million Medicare‑eligible population. CMS rule changes prompted major insurers such as UnitedHealthcare to exit 109 counties, while six...
U.S. Treasury and Insurance Regulators Discuss Evolving Risk Oversight
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with NAIC members to discuss the growing overlap between private credit markets and insurers. State regulators highlighted their coordinated oversight of insurers’ risk management and investment practices. The Treasury affirmed support for the state‑based...
Huntress and Acrisure Team Up to Offer Zero-Deductible Cyber Insurance for SMBs
Huntress has partnered with Acrisure to launch a zero‑deductible cyber insurance programme for small and mid‑size businesses. Eligible customers using Huntress’s managed endpoint detection and response (EDR) and identity threat detection and response (ITDR) solutions can obtain cyber liability or...
Markel Canada Leverages AI Pricing, Dip‑Buy Opportunity
Macro: Insurers adopt AI—Markel Canada partners with hyperexponential to modernize pricing. Key factors: current ratio 3.22 funds capex; risk: MKL Q1 EPS/rev miss. Trade: monitor MKL for a disciplined dip-buy. — Viktor Kopylov, PhD, CFA More insights: t.me/si14Kopylov
Hong Kong Sets Dec 31 2026 Deadline for New RBC Rules, Steering Insurers Toward Infrastructure
Hong Kong’s Insurance Authority has closed its public consultation on revised risk‑based capital (RBC) rules and set a Dec 31 2026 implementation date. The final framework gives insurers capital relief for qualifying infrastructure investments and extends the benefit to general insurers, reshaping...
ROE for US P&C Insurers Reached Decade High Level in 2025: AM Best
AM Best reports that U.S. property‑and‑casualty insurers posted a 14.97% return‑on‑equity in 2025, the highest level in a decade, while their cost of equity stayed at 8.18%. The rise stems from significant premium rate hikes in homeowners and personal auto lines...
Yannis Stournaras: Challenges for the Greek Insurance Market and for the Supervisors
Greek Governor Yannis Stournaras told a Groupama dinner that the country’s insurance sector remains financially sound, with assets of about $24 billion and a Solvency Capital Requirement coverage of 173%. He highlighted persistent challenges, including a large insurance protection gap, low‑interest‑rate...
Americans Blame Corporate Greed, Not Extreme Weather, for High Home Insurance Costs
A Pew Research Center survey finds 71% of U.S. homeowners say home‑insurance premiums have risen, with 65% blaming insurers’ profit motives rather than extreme weather. Insurers counter that climate‑driven losses, soaring reinsurance costs, and mounting catastrophe payouts are forcing price...
How Your ORSA Can Be Retooled for a Competitive Advantage
Carrier executives often view the Own Risk Solvency Assessment (ORSA) as a compliance burden, but when executed well it can become a strategic asset. Scenario analysis embedded in the ORSA report lets leaders spot risks before they materialize, while clear,...
A Diversified Portfolio Is Key to Navigating a Softening Cycle: Hamilton Re’s Daws
Adrian Daws, CEO of Hamilton Re, says its diversified portfolio across specialty, casualty and property insurance provides flexibility as the reinsurance market softens into the mid‑year 2026 renewal season. He expects the specialty segment, particularly marine and energy, to continue...
NJ High Court Blocks Double Recovery of Future PIP Medical Benefits
The New Jersey Supreme Court unanimously held that future medical expenses that fall within the state’s $250,000 no‑fault personal injury protection (PIP) limit are inadmissible in a personal‑injury trial. The decision arose from Murray’s case, where a jury awarded $100,000...
Munich Re Flags Up to €2.5 Billion Private Credit Exposure
Munich Re disclosed a private‑credit portfolio of up to €2.5 billion (about $2.9 billion), roughly 1% of its total assets. The exposure is concentrated in senior‑secured funds that the insurer says are carefully selected for strong workout capabilities. The announcement comes as...
Munich Re CFO Confident on Handling Potential Claims Inflation From Iran War
Munich Re disclosed €90 million (≈$97 million) of incurred‑but‑not‑reported (IBNR) reserves tied to the Iran war, split between Global Special Insurance (€60 million) and property‑casualty (€30 million). CFO Andrew Buchanan stressed the figure is deliberately cautious and does not embed a blanket inflation allowance....
Fortune 500 Energy Firm Redomesticates Vermont Captive to Texas
A Fortune 500 energy company has redomesticated its Vermont‑based captive insurer to Texas, where Energy Protection Insurance Company received a license on March 31. The move reflects a strategic shift toward states offering more favorable captive‑insurance regimes. Texas’s regulatory framework...
Aon Q1 2026 Market Insights Reveal Softer Pricing with Auto and US Casualty Hardening
Aon’s Q1 2026 Global Insurance Market Insights report that pricing across most insurance lines has softened, driven by strong capacity and fierce competition. The report notes modest price increases in automobile and US‑exposed casualty, while Japan’s regulatory environment sustains firmer rates.
Economic Policy Risks Eclipse Conflict Concerns in WTW’s Latest Survey
Willis’s 2026 Political Risk Survey finds economic policy risks, especially tariffs, outweigh concerns about international conflict. Sixty‑one percent of respondents say rising tariffs are the most difficult risk to manage, and the same share have suffered negative financial impacts. Eighty‑four...
Navi General Insurance Expands Partnership to Deliver Cashless Motor Claims
Navi General Insurance has launched motor insurance on its app, offering a cashless claims experience across India. The company partnered with GoMechanic, ReadyAssist, myTVS and AIS Windshield Experts to integrate digital claims with on‑ground service support. Its garage network grew...
AST's $30M Insurance Can't Cover $155M Loss
So if the satellite was only insured for $30M, how does AST claim on Apr 19 that "The cost of the satellite is expected to be recovered under the company’s insurance policy" but then disclose in the 10-Q that "The...
Homeowners Blame Insurers, Not Weather, for Rising Premiums
A new Pew Research Center survey found that 71% of U.S. homeowners say their insurance costs have risen in recent years, and most place the blame on insurers' profit motives and the cost of repairing and rebuilding their homes, not...
Ep301 Alfonso Valera: Everyone Is Chasing Growth
In this episode, Mark Gagan sits down with Alfonso Valera, CEO of International at Aon Reinsurance Solutions, to discuss the current state and future trajectory of the global reinsurance market. Valera shares insights on geographic growth hotspots—including the Middle East,...
Why Cedents Still Buy Reinsurance Blind | TRP #169
In this episode, hosts Jared and Ben talk with Tom about why cedents (insurance companies buying reinsurance) still often purchase reinsurance "blind" and how SuperSeed’s technology is changing that. They explain the historical reliance on big‑bang, multi‑year tech projects and...
Report Exposes Alleged Insurance Scam by Budget Direct
an extremely well structured report by Sam Evans @theevking AKA The Electric Viking, on what is a massive scam (alegedly) being run by insurance companies like @BudgetDirect who appear very happy to take your money, but refuse to make valid...
FERMA and WBCSD Launch 'Open Sesame' To Finance Climate‑Resilience for Insurers
The Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) announced the Open Sesame initiative, a joint effort to create a financing framework for climate‑resilience projects. Backed by insurers such as Allianz Commercial,...
CMS Launches $50‑a‑Month Medicare GLP‑1 Bridge Covering Foundayo, Wegovy and Zepbound
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that, beginning July 1, 2026, eligible Medicare beneficiaries will receive covered access to specific GLP‑1 medications at a flat $50 per month under a new GLP‑1 Bridge program that runs through Dec 31, 2027. The rollout...
Register: Risky Future AI Tools for Homeowners Data ‘Demo Day’ on May 13
Insurance Journal’s Risky Future series is hosting a free “AI Tools for Homeowners Data” Demo Day on May 13, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET. The online event will showcase AI‑driven property‑data platforms from Home Factors and Eagleview, focusing on underwriting, catastrophe modeling,...
State Reverses Managed Medicaid for Nursing Homes After $91M Cost Spike in First Year
Indiana Governor Mike Braun signed bill HEA 1277, ending the state’s PathWays managed‑care Medicaid program for nursing‑home residents and reverting them to a fee‑for‑service (FFS) model starting July 1, 2027. A recent analysis showed PathWays cost the state $91 million more per year than...
Ex-Broker to Pay Clients $2.25 Million Over Risky Life Insurance Strategy
A FINRA arbitration panel ordered former broker Matthew K. Wilkes to pay $2.25 million to the Apostal family for recommending a premium‑financed indexed universal life insurance policy that proved unsuitable. The family had sought over $9.5 million, alleging massive commissions, breach of...
Prior Authorization: The Insurance Denial System Blocking Your Treatment #CareTalk
The CareTalk episode hosted by Health Care Voices spotlights the growing crisis of prior‑authorization denials, which block treatment for tens of millions of Americans each year. Author Miranda Yaver explains insurers’ “rationing by inconvenience” and outlines steps patients, advocates, and...
Feds Propose Rule to Help Employers Expand Fertility Benefit Coverage
The Trump administration has issued a proposed rule that would let employers treat fertility benefits—such as IVF, medication and diagnostic services—as “limited excepted” benefits, similar to dental and vision coverage. The rule sets a $120,000 lifetime cap, indexed for inflation...
Feds Propose Rule to Help Employers Expand Fertility Benefit Coverage
The Trump administration has issued a proposed rule that would let employers offer fertility benefits, such as IVF, as “limited excepted benefits” with a $120,000 lifetime cap that will be indexed for inflation after 2028. By classifying these benefits as...
Kin Insurance Raises Record $335 Million Catastrophe Bond to Boost Homeowner Coverage
Kin Insurance closed a $335 million Hestia Re Series 2026-1 catastrophe bond, the largest in its history, to broaden protection for homeowners in storm‑ and wildfire‑prone areas. The deal taps institutional capital, giving the digital‑first carrier a stronger buffer against extreme‑weather...
Hannover Re Q1 Profit Jumps 48% to €710.6 Million as Reinsurance Revenue Slips
Hannover Re reported a 48% surge in Q1 net income to €710.6 million, outpacing analysts’ expectations, while gross reinsurance revenue fell 6.4% to €6.52 billion. The insurer reaffirmed its fiscal‑2026 guidance, signaling resilience amid a volatile market.