Insurance News and Headlines
Insurance News and Headlines
Insurance Pulse
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CRC Group CEO Dave Obenauer told Zywave’s Casualty Insights Conference that insurers should prioritize coverage over price, especially as AI and data analytics reshape underwriting. He noted that while casualty rates have moderated, loss trends driven by large settlements and social inflation keep carriers cautious. CRC is investing heavily in AI to automate routine tasks and better match coverages to exposures across geographies and industries. The excess‑and‑surplus market now represents roughly one‑quarter of U.S. commercial P/C premiums, expanding capacity for specialty risks.
The freight market is confronting a multi‑layered risk environment as cargo theft shifts from opportunistic grabs to organized fraud, with incidents up 93% since 2021 and strategic theft soaring over 1,400%. Shippers and 3PLs are moving from one‑time carrier checks...
Singapore’s major shipowners are confronting a wave of war‑risk policy cancellations as insurers pull back coverage linked to heightened Red Sea tensions. The move leaves vessels without protection against hostile acts, forcing operators to seek costly alternatives or self‑retain risk....
The National Council on Compensation Insurance reports that opioid costs in workers’ compensation fell an average 2.8% annually from 2012 to 2023, dropping median claim expenses from $188 to $105. Meanwhile, topical medication spend rose from $38 to $62 per...
The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) reported its insurance‑linked securities (ILS) portfolio grew 9% in 2025, reaching CAD $1.97 billion (approximately US $1.44 billion). The ILS assets now represent about 1.49% of the fund’s total CAD $132 billion AUM, slightly lower than...
A QBE Insurance survey finds 80% of risk managers at large U.S. firms faced employee crime in the past year, with billing fraud leading at 36%. Incidents often involve multiple perpetrators and senior staff, while 41% of managers express very...
Insurance Journal’s Risky Future series is hosting a free "AI Tools for MGAs" Demo Day on March 11, 2026. The online event will feature 15‑20 minute product demonstrations from Guidewire, Dyad, Joshu and Vertafore, highlighting AI‑driven workflow automation, underwriting, policy...
UK insurers face heightened regulatory pressure in 2026, driven by the FCA’s Consumer Duty and broader compliance mandates. The FCA now expects firms to prove positive customer outcomes, not just procedural compliance, raising operational costs. Technology adoption, especially data analytics...
Centene announced that roughly 40% of its Affordable Care Act members will drop coverage by year‑end, confirming a 36% enrollment decline in Q1 2026. The drop follows the expiration of enhanced ACA tax credits, which has pushed premiums higher and...
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General has added a fiscal year 2026 audit to its work plan, targeting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) workplace violence prevention program. The audit will evaluate OSHA’s actions since a...
illumend has introduced an AI‑first insurance compliance platform and a Broker Referral Partner Program to help brokers and their SMB clients manage certificates of insurance and policy endorsements proactively. The solution, powered by the conversational AI engine Lumie, automates document...
The Hartford has deepened its reliance on catastrophe bonds, issuing a $270 million Series 2026‑1 bond that attaches at $1.6 billion and exhausts at $1.9 billion of per‑occurrence losses. This new layer sits above the 2023‑1 bond, which now attaches at $1.29 billion and exhausts...
Hybrid insurance and reinsurance structures that blend traditional coverage with alternative risk transfer are gaining traction among captive owners seeking flexibility and cost stability. Experts highlighted that such hybrids let companies leverage markets, create arbitrage, and retain control of their...
U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened a public comment period on Amazon‑owned Zoox’s petition to operate up to 2,500 steering‑wheel‑free robotaxis. Zoox seeks exemptions from eight federal vehicle‑safety standards designed for human‑driven cars, arguing its purpose‑built autonomous...
Group captives have transformed from a niche risk‑financing idea into a fast‑growing segment of U.S. commercial insurance, now generating about $6.5 billion in premium. Over 90 captives serve the market, accounting for roughly 6.5 % of the $100 billion commercial casualty space. Retention...
A new study published in *Urology* shows that states mandating insurance coverage for male infertility procedures, alongside female care, experience six times higher IVF utilization and the greatest number of IVF‑born babies per 100,000 women. Male factor infertility accounts for...
EU regulators have opened a public consultation on the European Union’s green taxonomy reporting rules, seeking comments on proposed amendments to key performance indicators. The review focuses on reporting obligations for banks, insurers and large corporations, aiming to tighten alignment...
Insurtech Akur8 has expanded its strategic alliance with RSM US LLP, deploying the Akur8 Discover module across the consulting firm’s entire North American practice. The AI‑powered solution converts unstructured regulatory filings from SERFF and state departments into searchable, actionable data,...
Contractors face a tightening 2026 surety market as underwriting standards grow stricter, prompting a renewed focus on disciplined financial management. The article outlines how preserving project profitability, rigorous cash‑flow forecasting, prudent debt mitigation, and retained‑earnings targets can safeguard bonding capacity....
RenaissanceRe reported that property catastrophe rates slipped low‑teen percentages at the January 1 2026 renewals, but the firm’s higher retentions and tighter terms held steady. Executives highlighted that the structural improvements achieved over the past two years remain intact, cushioning risk‑adjusted returns....
Alabama enacted House Bill 300, requiring insurers to cover medically necessary supplemental breast imaging—contrast‑enhanced mammography, ultrasounds, and MRIs—without patient cost‑sharing. The law, signed by Gov. Kay Ivey on March 5, joins roughly 30 states that have passed similar mandates. Advocacy groups,...
The recent missile and drone attacks in the Strait of Hormuz exposed a stark visibility divide in maritime logistics. While insurers pulled war‑risk coverage and AIS signals were jammed, some operators leveraged digital twins and scenario modelling to reroute traffic...
Primary care physicians are feeling the squeeze from projected Medicaid cuts and low insurer reimbursement rates, prompting practices like Valley Medical Group in western Massachusetts to lay off 40 staff members, roughly 10% of its workforce. To regain bargaining power...
Aspire General Insurance has partnered with AI platform Liberate to launch an AI‑powered First Notice of Loss (FNOL) system, integrated with its existing Snapsheet claims management tool. Policyholders can report incidents via the AI voice agent Nicole or a web...
Wakam UK has teamed up with specialist intermediary Principal Insurance to launch a digital‑driven motorcycle insurance programme in the UK. The partnership blends Wakam's automated underwriting platform with Principal's deep distribution network and rider‑community relationships. Both firms say the collaboration...
Louisiana's Department of Insurance adopted Regulation 136, requiring insurers to offer hurricane‑only premium discounts to homes that achieve the IBHS Fortified designation. Discount rates differ by geographic zone and Fortified tier, ranging from 16 % in the north to 49 % in the...
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Church Mutual does not owe Lighthouse Tabernacle Church replacement‑cost insurance for fire damage because the policy required the insured to begin repairs promptly, which the church failed to do. The insurer had already...
Insurify launched the first AI‑powered insurance app on OpenAI’s directory, prompting a brief dip in the S&P 500 Insurance index. The founders emphasized the rollout as an evolutionary step rather than a disruptive threat, noting that the app currently provides estimated...
The Florida House approved Senate Bill 1028, establishing a clearinghouse to transfer Citizens Property Insurance commercial policies to admitted and surplus‑line carriers. The measure passed 88‑19 despite objections from agents, brokers, and the state insurance commissioner. Amendments added regulatory oversight...
A new AXIS Capital report finds wind turbines account for 57% of offshore loss claims. Drive‑train component damage makes up two‑thirds of turbine‑related claims, while inter‑array cables represent 14% with a $6.8 million average cost. Foundation claims are the third‑largest driver...
State Farm, the California Department of Insurance and Consumer Watchdog have reached a settlement that leaves a 17% emergency homeowners‑insurance rate increase in place while providing refunds with 10% interest for condo and landlord policies. Renter‑insurance rates will rise slightly...
Pangaea Logistics Solutions (Palomar) posted a record $2 billion gross written premium for 2025, a 32% increase, and adjusted net income of $216.1 million, up 62% year‑over‑year. Adjusted return on equity rose to 25.9%, surpassing its 2x target. The company completed the...
The 1199SEIU Healthcare Workers East union is rallying for the Home Care Savings and Reinvestment Act, which would strip private insurers from New York's Medicaid home‑care payment system and replace them with a state‑run fee‑for‑service model. Proponents claim the change...
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released guidance on March 6 directing states to transition to six‑month Medicaid redeterminations beginning in 2027, as mandated by last year’s budget reconciliation bill. States have two implementation pathways: one that allows them to...
A new International Insurance Society survey shows resilience is now a core strategic priority for insurers, yet fewer than one‑in‑four have woven it into daily operations. Executives cite disaster (52%), digital (50%) and climate (47%) resilience as top focuses, with...
Severe convective storms (SCS) have become a dominant U.S. catastrophe peril, generating roughly $200 billion in insured losses between 2020 and 2024—about 2.5 times the prior five‑year period. Over the past decade SCS accounted for half of global insured losses from...
Aon, one of the world’s largest insurance brokers, completed a proof‑of‑concept using stablecoins to settle premium payments. The firm partnered with Coinbase and Paxos to move USDC on Ethereum and PayPal USD on Solana, marking the first known stablecoin settlement...
The ongoing Iran war is forcing small airlines to absorb daily losses of $100,000‑$200,000 per aircraft as operational disruptions remain largely uninsurable. Insurers are closely tracking the situation but have not yet raised premiums, opting to revisit risk exposures and...
Leading aviation insurers, including Germany’s HDI Global and Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, announced new underwriting requirements for flights to several Middle Eastern countries. Operators must obtain advance notification and explicit insurer approval for destinations such as Iran, Iraq, Israel,...
Spain’s National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) has opened an investigation into the country’s insurance sector over alleged coordination on compensation claim coverage and the exchange of client information. The probe focuses on potential collusion that could distort pricing...
CG Re announced the launch of a dedicated aviation practice, expanding its reinsurance brokerage services into commercial airlines, aircraft lessors, OEMs, and emerging drone operators. The new unit will provide underwriting, risk‑management, and claims expertise, leveraging CG Re's global network...
Brad Corbett of Shuriken Capital warns that mounting stress in private credit markets could spill over into the insurance‑linked securities (ILS) space. He identifies three transmission channels: correlated redemption pressure, tighter capital supply for new cat‑bond issuance, and a renewed...
RBMA warned that upcoming federal Medicaid cuts could strip millions of coverage, especially in rural areas where balanced‑budget rules force states to trim enrollment or provider payments. The Congressional Budget Office projects 11.8 million loss of insurance, heightening financial strain on...
Legacy pricing engines have long hampered insurers with complex integrations and high maintenance. Modern API‑first, cloud‑native platforms now allow pricing models to be integrated in days, scale elastically, and embed enterprise‑grade security. These platforms also unify actuaries, data scientists and...
The GAO analyzed 2024 NAIC enrollment data and found that private stand‑alone dental and vision insurance markets are highly concentrated, with the three largest insurers capturing 38‑98% of dental and 41‑96% of vision group market enrollment across states. Median market...
Testudo, a Lloyd’s coverholder, has secured additional underwriting capacity from Atrium and QBE, raising the limit of its generative AI liability insurance to $9.25 million per insured. The expanded capacity broadens coverage for enterprises deploying generative AI, addressing a surge in...
Lockton’s February 2026 market update shows commercial property insurance for real‑estate owners softening as competition drives 5‑15% rate cuts across most asset classes, with deeper discounts for catastrophe‑prone multifamily and hotel portfolios. In contrast, casualty liability pricing continues to climb,...
Bold Penguin has partnered with digital managing general underwriter Foxquilt to bring admitted commercial general liability coverage into its Bold Penguin Terminal marketplace. The integration enables agents with Foxquilt market access to quote and bind policies directly through the platform,...
OneShield announced that a Michigan‑based specialty insurer has chosen its AI Hub platform to modernize its insurance operations. The AI Hub acts as an AI operating system, delivering large language models and agentic capabilities while coexisting with existing core systems....
The Georgia Court of Appeals overturned a $345 million judgment that held five insurers liable for sexual‑abuse claims at Darlington School. The court ruled that policies written after the abuse period could not cover mental‑anguish injuries that manifested years later. Plaintiffs...
