Insurance News and Headlines
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Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sent its 2026 call letter to Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) and Postal Service Health Benefits carriers, urging a shift toward "well‑care" initiatives that emphasize preventive health, mental wellness, and patient‑centered decision‑making. The notice directs insurers to remove cash incentives for pediatric vaccinations, require informed‑consent processes, and place behavioral‑therapy prerequisites before approving GLP‑1 obesity drugs. It also expands coverage incentives for fertility‑affecting conditions such as obesity, pre‑diabetes, and hypertension. While the changes are unlikely to overhaul care delivery, they signal a policy tilt toward cost‑saving, alternative‑treatment strategies aligned with the current administration’s health agenda.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance on April 8, 2026 to implement a provision from the July 2025 reconciliation bill that limits federal matching funds for full Medicaid and CHIP benefits. Starting October 1, 2026, federal match will be available...
A Washington appeals court ruled that a liability insurer cannot sue its own defense lawyers for malpractice. The decision reversed a lower court ruling, emphasizing that defense counsel’s duty lies solely with the insured, not the insurer. Great American E&S...
The Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance sector is entering a phase of softer pricing but remains buoyed by prudent underwriting, exposure growth, and rapid digital adoption. Despite a challenging catastrophe environment, insurers benefit from a favorable investment portfolio and a...
A federal appeals court ruled that Allied World Specialty Insurance must defend American Behavioral Health Systems against sexual‑harassment allegations, rejecting the insurer’s claim that a policy exclusion for sexual abuse barred coverage. The 9th U.S. Circuit held that a complaint can...
Thailand is weighing a rule that would require foreign tourists to carry accident insurance upon entry after public hospitals report growing losses from unpaid treatment costs. The Ministry of Public Health estimates unpaid bills from uninsured visitors exceed 100 million baht...
HaystackID has been named a finalist in two categories of Intelligent Insurer’s Cyber Insurance Awards 2026, recognizing its VALID™ suite and overall cybersecurity solutions. The awards, now in their third year, spotlight firms that help insurers and insureds manage escalating...
Marsh Risk announced a $1.5 billion increase in capacity for its excess cyber insurance facility, expanding coverage for large‑scale cyber events. The boost, underwritten with Lloyd’s syndicate and Munich Re, adds a $250 million aggregate limit per event and targets mid‑size enterprises...
Ontario’s government has tabled legislation to extend Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) coverage to private residential care, retirement homes and group homes, adding roughly 29,000 frontline care workers to the safety net. The move would standardize protections for personal...
Nationwide’s 2026 survey of commercial‑real‑estate owners reveals a growing willingness to trim coverage in order to curb soaring insurance premiums. More than half of respondents said they would consider insuring less of their property, up 13 points from the previous...
The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance issued a bulletin warning insurers that drone and satellite images cannot be the sole basis for claim or non‑renewal decisions. Insurers must verify roof conditions with physical inspections or other data when aerial...
A Connecticut appellate court reversed a lower‑court decision, requiring medical‑malpractice insurer Integris Insurance to cover the defense costs of Dr. Narendra Tohan, accused of using his own sperm in IVF procedures without patient consent. The court found the insurer had...
Organizations are rapidly scaling AI adoption, with 62% of global firms delivering AI training and 55% hiring AI‑focused talent, according to Gallagher’s 2026 AI Adoption and Risk Survey. Productivity gains are evident—86% of respondents say AI has boosted employee efficiency....
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a 2.4% increase to the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System for fiscal year 2027, derived from a 3.2% market basket adjustment offset by a 0.8% productivity factor. Facilities that...
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s national emphasis program on heat safety will expire on April 8, ending a year‑long effort that generated roughly 7,000 inspections of high‑risk workplaces. The program, launched in 2022, allowed OSHA to target heat‑related hazards...
Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs) are gaining traction as insurers search for growth amid stagnant commercial plan enrollment. Adoption jumped 19% from 2024 to 2025, with a 34% surge among large employers, prompting payers like Centene and Oscar to...
India’s government has announced a $1.5 billion reinsurance program to protect commercial vessels operating in high‑risk conflict zones such as the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Black Sea. The scheme will be underwritten by a mix of domestic insurers and...
Hannover Re has renewed its Cumulus Re (Series 2026-1) parametric cloud‑outage catastrophe bond, increasing retrocessional cyber‑reinsurance capacity to $35 million, up from $20 million in the 2025 issuance. The bond, designed by Parametrix Analytics, uses a parametric trigger based on sustained downtime...
The 2026 Chubb Cyber Claims Report shows U.S. data‑breach costs soaring to $10.2 million on average in 2025, more than twice the global figure. AI‑powered malware now compromises networks in minutes, while AI‑driven defenses have kept incident frequency steady in some...
Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions kept its overweight stance on catastrophe bonds, noting that despite compressed yields and spreads, the asset class remains fundamentally sound. Q1 2026 saw a record $6.7 bn of cat‑bond issuance across 35 transactions, with new and repeat sponsors...
Jefferson Health and Lehigh Valley Physician Hospital Organization have filed a federal lawsuit against Aetna, alleging that the insurer’s new “downcoding” policy unlawfully reduces Medicare Advantage inpatient payments. The policy classifies 1‑4 night admissions as low‑severity and reimburses them at...
Geopolitical tensions are prompting insurers to insert act‑of‑war exclusions into cyber policies, a provision traditionally used in homeowners and travel insurance. The language lags behind the rapid evolution of cyberwarfare, leaving companies uncertain whether state‑sponsored attacks are covered. Lawyers and...
Taiwan's Fair Trade Commission approved E. Sun Financial Holding's acquisition of Mercuries Life Insurance, concluding the deal poses no competition risk. The transaction, a share‑swap valued at roughly NT$48.3 billion (about US$1.52 billion), was announced in January and awaits closing in the...
Nick Abraham, CEO of Amwins Global Risks, said North American property insurance rates are dropping 15%‑20% after five years of gains, prompting clients to revisit coverage limits. He highlighted the London market’s syndicated capacity as a cost‑effective option for large,...
The Government Accountability Office released a report showing wind risk drives far larger homeowners‑insurance premium jumps than wildfire. Between 2019 and 2024, homes in severe or extreme wind zones pay about 58 % more—roughly $1,294 annually—than those in major wind areas,...
Moody’s analysis of twenty U.S. property‑casualty insurers shows net income surged 29% to $69 billion in 2025, driven by stronger underwriting and higher investment returns. The group’s combined ratio improved to 88.4 from 91.7, reflecting lower catastrophe losses that fell 9%...
EY Americas insurance leader Jeff Gill warns that growth in today’s insurance market can no longer rely on cyclical upswings. Structural volatility—driven by softening P&C premiums, social inflation, tighter capital and regulatory pressure—requires carriers to make deliberate, disciplined choices. He...
Marine insurers welcomed the cease‑fire announced by President Donald Trump and Iran, but warned that normal shipping through the Gulf will not resume immediately. Lloyd’s Market Association’s Neil Roberts said underlying tensions remain, keeping the Strait of Hormuz at heightened...
AI is becoming entrenched in workers’ compensation claims, with carriers such as Liberty Mutual and MSIG deploying predictive models that flag severe or fraudulent cases. The technology automates routine tasks, freeing adjusters to focus on complex claims and relationship building....
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued a notice demanding that 65 insurers provide monthly, personally identifiable health data for more than 8 million federal employees, retirees and their families. The request covers medical, pharmacy, encounter and provider information without...
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Insurance underwriters evaluate and price risk for policies, using actuarial data and algorithms to set premiums. In investment banking, underwriters guarantee a minimum IPO price, assuming the risk of unsold shares. Commercial banking underwriters assess borrower creditworthiness and price loans...
The Florida First District Court of Appeal struck down two Department of Financial Services rules that had extended the workers’ compensation “absolute choice” provision to physicians and other dispensing practitioners. The ruling means insurers can now require injured workers to...
Medicare beneficiaries face escalating fraud schemes as the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issues a new advisory urging vigilance. Expert Jae Oh stresses that fraud typically starts with stolen personal data, making beneficiaries the first line of defense. He recommends...
On 1 April 2026 the Treasury Laws Amendment (Genetic Testing Protections in Life Insurance and Other Measures) Bill 2025 passed both houses of the Australian Parliament. Schedule 2 of the Bill amends the Corporations Act 2001 to create three statutory licensing exemptions for...
Applied Risk Capital, an Amwins-owned managing general agent, announced the appointment of Paul Livingstone as managing director and head of portfolio credit. Livingstone joins from Vantage Group, where he served as senior vice president for credit, mortgage and structured re/insurance....
India is preparing sovereign guarantee mechanisms to back insurers covering vessels transiting the Persian Gulf amid heightened war risks. The plan features a $1.5 billion government‑backed reinsurance fund and a $300 million industry‑contributed pool to manage liquidity and large claim payouts. War‑risk...
AI and automation have reshaped home insurance claims, slashing average processing time from ten days to 36 hours. Insurers now rely on drones, satellites, and AI models to assess damage, often without notifying homeowners, while fraud detection accuracy has risen...
Tasmania’s Motor Accidents Insurance Board (MAIB) has selected FINEOS to replace its aging Motor Accidents Claims System with a modern, secure platform. The new solution addresses cybersecurity gaps, limited data access, and reporting constraints while aligning with MAIB’s client‑centric strategy....
Quandri announced new integrations with Vertafore AMS360 and HawkSoft, adding to its existing Applied Epic connection and extending its AI‑powered renewal intelligence to thousands of independent insurance agencies. The platform automates complex renewal workflows, generating real‑time quotes and context‑rich communications directly within...
Thatcham Research, the UK’s leading vehicle assessment body, released an Electric Vehicle Blueprint aimed at making EVs as repairable as internal‑combustion‑engine cars. The initiative targets the high insurance costs caused by unnecessary write‑offs, noting that battery packs represent roughly 40%...
Deloitte’s Sustainability Signals survey shows extreme weather now disrupts workers daily, with 66% of respondents across 20 countries experiencing a significant event in the past six months and over half facing extreme heat. Absenteeism is rising—22% missed work, climbing to...
Medicare Advantage enrollment, once a growing staple, saw a sharp reversal in 2026 as nearly 3 million seniors were forced to leave their plans. Disenrollment rates surged to 10% of beneficiaries, driven by insurers exiting counties due to rising medical costs...
Zurich has raised its target for the Turicum Re Ltd. Series 2026‑1 catastrophe bond to $150 million, up from the original $125 million. The price guidance for the Class A notes was also trimmed, with the risk‑interest spread now expected between 15.75% and...
The U.S. Court of Appeals reversed a district‑court dismissal, allowing Porch Group’s claim that reinsurance broker Gallagher Re failed to verify fraudulent letters of credit in Vesttoo transactions. The appellate panel held that Section 13 of the reinsurance intermediary‑authorization agreement likely...
Major insurers have trimmed 11% of prior authorizations, eliminating roughly 6.5 million requests for U.S. patients, according to AHIP and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. The reduction is most pronounced in Medicare Advantage, where cuts exceed 15%. Insurers also report...
Corporate boards are confronting a rapidly expanding risk matrix that includes tighter ESG and AI disclosure requirements, heightened geopolitical volatility, and a surge in shareholder activism. These pressures are driving an uptick in directors‑and‑officers (D&O) claims and causing premiums, which...
Royal London has secured FCA approval to offer targeted support, a newly regulated service that bridges the gap between basic guidance and full financial advice. The mutual helped design the regime through industry working groups and direct engagement with the...
The Florida Retirement System Pension Plan, managed by the Florida State Board of Administration, increased its insurance‑linked securities (ILS) and reinsurance allocation to 1% of total assets by the end of 2025, equating to roughly $2.23 billion. The fund, now over...
As spring ushers in cottage season across Ontario, the Occupiers’ Liability Act continues to govern premises liability for seasonal homes just as it does for urban properties. Lawyers warn that increased foot traffic, alcohol consumption, and recreational activities raise the...
kWh Analytics has launched a data‑sharing pilot that lets solar developers provide real‑time tracker stow performance to insurers. By incorporating metrics such as 70° or 75° stow angles and heat‑tempered glass, the program demonstrates that resilient designs can slash projected...
