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 regulatory model as the life‑insurance industry undergoes transformation. Both parties pledged ongoing dialogue to monitor market developments and protect consumers.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
K2 Insurance Services Completes Acquisition of Oculus Underwriters
K2 Insurance Services has completed the acquisition of Oculus Underwriters, folding the specialist property insurer into its Vikco Insurance Services brand. Oculus, which focuses on bespoke commercial property coverage for small‑ and medium‑sized enterprises, adds a complementary book of business...
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...
10% of P&C Insurers Are Pulling Away on AI
Capgemini’s 2026 World P&C Report finds only 10% of property‑and‑casualty insurers have successfully scaled artificial intelligence, and those “intelligence trailblazers” posted revenue growth 21% faster and share‑price gains about 51% higher than the rest over three years. The study reveals...
Pacific Life Re Backs Japanese Reforms to Support Asset-Intensive Reinsurance Market
Pacific Life Re has publicly supported Japan's latest regulatory reforms aimed at strengthening its asset‑intensive reinsurance sector. The proposals focus on modernizing capital requirements, expanding permissible investment assets, and tightening risk‑management standards. By endorsing these changes, Pacific Life Re signals...
IUA Brings Out Solvent Exit Analysis Guide
The International Underwriting Association (IUA) has issued a solvent exit analysis guide for insurers, timed for the Prudential Regulatory Authority’s (PRA) new requirement that takes effect on 30 June. The guide outlines the regulator’s expectations, practical steps and real‑world examples from...
A Second Wave of Tariff Recovery Litigation and Expanding D&O Risk
The U.S. Supreme Court invalidated tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, opening a refund process for importers. A newly filed class action against Sony Interactive Entertainment alleges the company kept higher consumer prices while also seeking tariff...
Democrats Have A Plan To Restore Obamacare Subsidies Next Year
Democrats in Congress are drafting legislation to restore the Affordable Care Act’s premium subsidies for 2027, aiming to lower costs for roughly 20 million Americans who face higher premiums or lost coverage. The strategy hinges on leveraging upcoming debt‑limit negotiations and...
RWI: Who Pays the Premium & Retention?
Gallagher’s latest RWI market study shows a clear shift in premium responsibility from sellers to buyers since 2018. By 2021 split‑premium deals vanished, and buyers now shoulder most premiums, with sellers paying only about 17 % of policies in 2025. The...
Alex Sidorenko Review of the New COSO ERM Guidance 2026
Alex Sidorenko hails the new COSO ERM Guidance 2026 as the most valuable COSO publication in years, noting its decision‑led framing and ten operating disciplines that prioritize decisions over paperwork, link strategy to risk, and treat value creation as a...
Irregular: 5 Steps for Managing Geopolitical Risk
Damien Escher delivered a Melbourne address outlining a five‑step framework for corporate leaders to manage geopolitical risk, spurred by the Iran‑Israel conflict and its ripple effects on oil, insurance and supply chains. He emphasized that most firms still rely on outdated...
Behind DP World’s Geopolitical Act of War Insurance
DP World has introduced a war‑risk insurance product that goes beyond a typical commercial offering, positioning the UAE‑based port operator as a de‑facto insurer of record. The move is framed as a geopolitical instrument, intertwining the company’s operational footprint with...
The PPLI Opportunity Affluent Families Are Exploring — Are You Missing It?
Family Enterprise USA and Winged Keel Group are hosting a free webcast on May 28, 2026 to demystify Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI) for affluent families. The session will cover how PPLI works, its tax‑advantaged investment options such as insurance‑dedicated...
Guest Post: Middle East D&O Claims Exposures in a Time of Tension
The guest post by Shabnam Karim and Simon Lamb of Norton Rose Fulbright explains how the ongoing Iran‑related conflict is reshaping directors‑and‑officers (D&O) liability across the Middle East. They highlight supply‑chain disruptions, share‑price volatility, insurance gaps, economic distress, cyber attacks...
Earth Observation for Parametric Insurance
Parametric insurance now relies on Earth Observation (EO) data to trigger automatic payouts when satellite‑measured variables cross predefined thresholds. The model proved its speed when Mozambique’s government received $5.4 million within days after a drought‑cyclone event, based solely on satellite rain...
76% of Reinsurers Delivered Double-Digit Capital Growth in 2025: Gallagher Re
Gallagher Re’s 2025 Reinsurance Market Report shows 76% of reinsurers achieved double‑digit capital growth, pushing total dedicated capital to a record $648 billion, up 11% from 2024. Traditional reinsurance capital drove 68% of the expansion, rising 10% to $513 billion, while non‑life...
Aon Says Middle East Conflict Is Reshaping Risk, Insurance and Supply Chains
Aon warned that the ongoing Middle East conflict is permanently reshaping risk, insurance and supply‑chain dynamics for multinational firms. In a May 7 webinar, Aon executives said volatility has shifted from an occasional tail‑risk to a baseline planning assumption, driving higher...
ALPS to Acquire Ohio Bar Liability Insurance Company in Legal Insurance Sector Deal
ALPS Insurance has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Ohio Bar Liability Insurance Company (OBLIC), the long‑standing provider of legal malpractice coverage for Ohio attorneys. The transaction merges OBLIC’s historic presence in the state with ALPS’s national underwriting expertise...
Managing and Pricing Data Centre Risk Remains a Key Challenge: Holmes, Moody’s
Brandan Holmes, senior credit officer at Moody’s, warned that insurers struggle to assess and price data‑centre risk because of scarce loss data, short equipment lifespans and a mix of physical and cyber hazards. He highlighted the geographic concentration of high‑value...
Aon Launches Updated Climate Risk Monitor
Aon has refreshed its Climate Risk Monitor (CRM) by adding heat‑stress analytics and a cooling‑demand module, expanding the platform’s ability to quantify physical climate threats. The new features assess temperature, humidity, and exposure impacts on health, productivity, and energy use,...
Problems at Kinsale Capital Group (KNSL)
Kinsale Capital Group, a $7 billion surplus‑lines insurer, has drawn sharp criticism from short‑seller The Bear Cave. The firm alleges Kinsade overcharges small‑business clients, loads policies with extensive exclusions and maintains a 60% policy‑holder retention rate—far below the 90% norm for...
BIPA Exclusions Gaining Traction: What Policyholders Need to Know
A wave of recent lawsuits is forcing insurers to tighten Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) exclusions in liability policies. Courts are increasingly scrutinizing whether standard commercial general liability (CGL) coverage applies to biometric claims, and many rulings are siding with...
Regulators' Scary Demand on Insurance AI
Regulators are no longer satisfied with AI accuracy metrics; they now require insurers to identify a specific human who reviewed each high‑stakes AI decision. Under frameworks such as the EU AI Act, OSFI B‑15 and SR 11‑7, auditors will demand documented evidence...
BREAKING: Trump Killed Half Of Obamacare While You Were Sleeping
A coalition of congressional measures enacted under the Trump administration has effectively dismantled roughly 70% of the health‑coverage gains made by the Affordable Care Act. The reforms impose 80‑hour monthly work requirements, halve the frequency of eligibility checks, let ACA...
Enstar Sees Significant Growth Opportunities on the Live and Legacy Side: Dan Sanford
Enstar announced a pending acquisition of Accident Fund Holdings (AF Group), bolstering its legacy reinsurance platform. Managing Director Dan Sanford highlighted Bermuda’s strong regulatory partnership with the BMA as a cornerstone for legacy insurers. He noted growing demand for insurance‑linked securities,...
As Cyber Market Softens, Increased Captive Role Remains
Despite a sustained decline in commercial cyber insurance rates, companies are increasingly turning to captive insurers to finance cyber risk. Captives offer greater protection against volatile market pricing and allow firms to retain more control over coverage. While softer pricing...
Group Captives Ascot’s Largest Growth Potential – Mark Benz
Group captives are attracting the most interest from U.S. clients, according to Mark Benz, EVP and head of alternative risk at Ascot. Ascot launched a dedicated captives unit in 2023, citing a hard insurance market as the primary catalyst. Benz highlighted...
AI ‘Trailblazers’ See 21% Higher Revenue Growth While Broader Insurance Industry Lags: Capgemini
Capgemini’s World Property & Casualty Insurance Report 2026 finds only 10% of P&C insurers are successfully scaling AI, while a small cohort of “AI trailblazers” enjoys up to 21% higher revenue growth and a 51% share‑price boost over three years....
ACORD Launches Advisory Council to Align Data Standards Across North American P&C Sector
ACORD announced the creation of the Inter‑Association Advisory Council (IAAC), bringing together leading North American property‑and‑casualty distributor groups. The inaugural meeting on May 4 included AUGIE, CIAB, CISO, IAB, PIAs and WSIA, signaling a unified push for consistent data standards. ACORD...
Margin Coverage Option (MCO) 2026 Input Harvest Prices
The Margin Coverage Option (MCO) for the 2026 crop year now faces a sharp cost shock as harvest‑time input prices—particularly urea and diesel—have risen 65% and 80% above fall projections. This increase adds $71 per acre to corn costs and...
Can Companies Insure Against AI’s Growing Risks?
Artificial intelligence is generating a surge of legal and financial liabilities, from fabricated legal citations and biased hiring tools to deep‑fake privacy breaches. High‑profile cases—including Anthropic’s $1.5 billion copyright settlement and a $240 million verdict against Tesla’s autopilot—show that exposure can be...
Uninsured Driver Problem Isn't What You Think
In Florida, roughly one in five drivers lack auto insurance, a rate the article links partly to the fee structures of non‑standard insurers. A missed payment triggers a cascade of late fees, reinstatement fees and higher re‑entry premiums that can...
Chubb Walked Away From a Quarter of Its Property Book
Chubb slashed its large‑account property exposure by 55% in Q1 2026 while its North America Commercial segment still posted 7.3% growth. The insurer walked away from shared and layered property risks and bought extra reinsurance on the retained business. This shift...
How Letters of Credit Compare to Export Credit Insurance When Buying From China
The article explains how letters of credit (LCs) and China’s state‑owned export‑credit insurer Sinosure address opposite sides of the payment‑risk equation for ecommerce brands importing six‑ to seven‑figure inventory from China. LCs provide a bank guarantee that protects the supplier,...
Clear Channel Generally Prevails In FCPA-Related Insurance Coverage Dispute
Clear Channel Outdoor resolved a $26.1 million FCPA enforcement action stemming from bribery by its former Chinese subsidiary, Clear Media. The settlement included $16.4 million in disgorgement, $3.76 million in prejudgment interest, and a $6 million civil penalty. Clear Channel sued insurer AIG for...
Artex Hires Aidan Kelly as SVP, Advisory and Property Strategic Risk Transfer
Artex announced the appointment of Aidan Kelly as senior vice president overseeing advisory and property strategic risk transfer. Kelly will collaborate with Artex producers, captive directors, and senior leadership to design and manage sophisticated risk‑transfer programs. The role expands Artex’s...
New COSO ERM Guidance
COSO released its 2026 paper “From Guidance to Action: Exploring Practical Enterprise Risk Management,” urging firms to shift ERM from a static list of risks to a decision‑focused capability. The guidance stresses embedding risk signals into planning, investment and delivery...
Silver Bullet
Bowhead (BOW) and Kinsale (KNSL) operate in the excess and surplus (E&S) lines, a niche market for complex, hard‑to‑place risks. Social inflation—driven by aggressive litigation, third‑party funding, and a surge in nuclear verdicts—has pushed standard carriers out, inflating E&S direct...
20+ AI Tools for Climate Risk Management
A new filterable Excel directory catalogues more than 20 specialized AI tools and three general‑purpose large language models (LLMs) for climate‑risk management in the financial sector. The file maps each solution across eight dimensions—including category, application, risk type and market...
Medicare Advantage Changes Could Cut Extra Benefits but Speed up Care Approvals for Millions Under New Bill
Lawmakers introduced the bipartisan Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026 to tighten oversight of private Medicare plans. The bill would force insurers to answer standard prior‑authorizations within 72 hours and urgent requests within 24 hours, and ban coverage criteria stricter than traditional...
Start Selling Insurance for AI Agents
The $7 trillion global insurance market has already created a $18 billion cyber‑insurance segment that could exceed $100 billion by 2033. Insurers now confront a fresh exposure: autonomous AI agents that can mis‑send messages, approve wrong refunds, or leak data. Only a handful...
How Workers Compensation Reform Can Cut Litigation Costs
Workers' compensation reform could dramatically lower litigation expenses, according to recent WCRI data. Litigated claims are 388% more costly and take nearly double the time to resolve, while attorney involvement adds $7.7k‑$12.4k in indemnity per claim. High denial rates—7% to...
Verisk Integrates Insurance Analytics & Gen AI with Anthropic’s Claude via MCP Connectors
Verisk has integrated its regulated insurance analytics with Anthropic’s Claude Enterprise using its Model Context Protocol (MCP) connectors. The partnership adds a conversational layer that lets underwriters and restoration contractors query proprietary data—such as ISO loss‑cost trends and pricing intelligence—through...
Lockton and ChAI Form Strategic Partnership to Address Commodity Market Risk
Lockton, a global insurance broker, has teamed up with AI‑driven commodity specialist ChAI to embed advanced market intelligence into its risk advisory services. The partnership introduces ChAI Protect, a predictive‑analytics platform that lets firms insure specific commodity price swings, offering...