Business Leaders Face Major Blindspot on Risks That Could End Their Companies
U.S. executives enter 2026 optimistic, yet a stark gap exists between perceived threats and risks that could shut down their firms, according to Sentry Insurance’s 2026 C‑Suite Stress Index. While 54% expect growth, only 17% rank lawsuits—a danger that 93% have faced and 69% say could end a business—as a top concern. Similarly, 92% have endured weather‑related disruptions, yet merely 32% list natural catastrophes among their leading risks. The report shows leaders are beginning to act, with 98% planning insurance reviews and many boosting safety and vehicle‑risk programs.
Affordable Housing Operators Have an Insurance Problem
New York City’s affordable‑housing operators are hit by soaring insurance costs and a disproportionate share of lawsuits. Although they represent only 20 % of the city’s multifamily stock, affordable and rent‑stabilized buildings account for 56 % of personal‑injury claims, making them three...
Jamaica Plans to Renew CCRIF Parametric Coverage in 2026, but No Mention of Cat Bond
Jamaica announced it will renew its Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF‑SPC) parametric coverage in May 2026, but gave no indication that the World Bank‑backed $150 million catastrophe bond will be reissued. The renewal follows a record $91.9 million payout from CCRIF...
The AI Route to Improved Underwriting
A new report highlights how artificial intelligence is reshaping underwriting across finance and insurance. AI-driven models ingest alternative data—such as transaction streams, social signals, and IoT metrics—to augment or replace traditional credit scores. Early adopters report faster risk assessments, lower...
In Trump’s World, Companies Seek Insurance Against Political Risk
President Donald Trump’s recent military actions in Iran, a rapid raid on Venezuela, and broader geopolitical tensions have prompted multinational corporations to reassess exposure to political upheaval. Companies across energy, finance, and logistics are increasingly turning to political risk insurance...
Tokio Marine Targets Mid-Guidance Pricing for $100m Kizuna Re Quake Cat Bond
Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire is targeting mid‑guidance pricing for its $100 million Kizuna Re III catastrophe bond, which provides earthquake reinsurance for the Tokio Marine group. The bond, issued through a Singapore‑based SPV, carries a three‑year rolling aggregate trigger and a...
PERILS Finalises Industry Loss Estimate for Cyclone Alfred at Almost AU $1.88bn
Catastrophe data firm PERILS released its final industry loss estimate for Cyclone Alfred at AU $1.877 billion, making it the costliest insured Australian cyclone since 2017. The figure represents a steep decline from the initial $2.568 billion estimate, after successive adjustments of 12%,...
MAS Unveils Climate Transition Planning Rules for FIs
Singapore's Monetary Authority (MAS) has issued new Environmental Risk Management guidelines that focus on climate transition planning for banks, insurers and asset managers. The rules require firms to embed forward‑looking climate risk assessments, governance structures and client engagement into their...
Legislature Rejects Hochul's Surprise Billing Reforms, Siding with Doctors and Hospitals
New York lawmakers rejected Gov. Kathy Hochul's proposal to reform the state's surprise billing arbitration system. The governor's budget aimed to save $56 million by exempting Medicaid and lowering benchmark rates, aligning them with average private insurer payments. The legislature...
Anthem Expanding Policy that Punishes Hospitals Who Use Out-of-Network Radiologists
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, operating as Elevance Health, is extending its "non‑participating care providers" policy to California, marking the 12th state to face a 10% administrative penalty on hospital claims that involve out‑of‑network radiologists. The policy, first rolled...
Cat Bonds Offer Path to Better Diversification Under Total Portfolio Approach: WTW
WTW argues that catastrophe bonds are a prime asset for a Total Portfolio Approach, delivering returns that are uncorrelated with traditional markets and improving diversification. The cat‑bond market is expanding as disaster frequency and severity increase, pushing premiums higher while...
Hannover Re Shared 20% of Large Losses with ILS Investors in 2025, Retro Support Evident as Well
Hannover Re posted a 13.4% rise in 2025 net income to €2.6 billion, driven by 4.7% higher reinsurance revenues and a 21.4% return on equity. Property‑casualty (P&C) results improved, with the combined ratio falling to 84% and service result reaching €2.6 billion....
P/C Statutory Results: The Highs and The Lows
S&P Global Market Intelligence reported that U.S. property‑casualty insurers posted a record $67.9 billion net underwriting gain in 2025, driving the combined ratio just under 93.0 – the strongest underwriting performance in 19 years. Personal lines such as homeowners (53.7 loss ratio)...
AI-Underwriting,-a-New-Generation
Edge Focus CEO Elliott Lorenz discussed a new generation of AI underwriting that transforms asset‑backed finance. By applying advanced machine‑learning algorithms to securitisation, lenders can more accurately price and structure credit for esoteric assets such as royalties, aviation leases, and...
Report Finds Medicare Premiums Are Higher Due to MA Overpayments
A recent report reveals that Medicare Advantage (MA) overpayments are driving higher premiums for traditional Medicare beneficiaries. The analysis shows that excess payments to private MA plans have been passed on to the broader Medicare pool, inflating costs for all...
Zhibao Technology Launches Drone Insurance Solution for Individual Operators, Strengthening Position in China’s Low-Altitude Economy
Zhibao Technology Inc. has partnered with Sichuan Fanmo Technology to launch China’s first online insurance product aimed at individual drone operators. The policy, priced at CNY 395 (USD 57) per year, offers full‑value coverage and can be activated within 15 minutes via...
/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2265402840_509939.jpg)
WEATHERING STORMS: OUTsurance Says War May Bruise Growth, but Its Risk Engine Is Built for Turbulence
Outsurance Holdings posted a 7.7% rise in normalised earnings to R2.324 bn for the six months to 31 December 2025, while its return on equity improved to 32.3%. The insurer’s claims ratio jumped to 58.6% as natural‑perils losses in Australia doubled, yet cost...
CVS to Pay $118M to Settle Medicare Advantage Fraud Allegations
CVS Health’s Aetna Medicare Advantage subsidiary agreed to pay $117.7 million to settle False Claims Act allegations that it submitted inaccurate diagnosis codes to boost risk‑adjustment payments. The Department of Justice accused Aetna of running a chart‑review program that added unsupported...
Captives Can Generate Profits Through Third-Party Business: Panel
Captive insurers are increasingly being used to underwrite third‑party programs such as extended warranties, delivering underwriting profits of 20‑30% and additional investment income from premiums held. Manufacturers like Subaru and Harley‑Davidson have built captives to reinsure service contracts, achieving risk,...
Fidelis Enhanced Aggregate Protection at January Renewal, Saw Rates Down ~20%: Strickle
Fidelis Insurance Group secured a roughly 20% reduction in reinsurance rates during its January 2026 renewal, while enhancing aggregate protection across multiple classes. The firm leveraged long‑standing relationships with top‑tier reinsurers and opportunistic purchases to broaden coverage and improve terms....
Bill Would Add Parkinson’s Disease to Firefighter Occupational Illness List
Alabama lawmakers introduced H.B. 466 to add Parkinson’s disease to the state’s list of recognized firefighter occupational illnesses. The bill creates a presumption that the disease stems from job‑related toxin exposure, provided the firefighter has a clean pre‑service physical and...
CRC Group CEO on Casualty: ‘It’s More About the Coverage’ Than Price
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...
The Freight Market’s New Reality: More Risk, Fewer Signals
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 Shipowners Face War Risk Policy Cancellations
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 Shifting Landscape of Workers’ Compensation Pain Management
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...
Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan ILS Allocation Value Rises 9% in 2025, to US $1.44bn
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...
Employee Crime Poses Growing Threat to Large Enterprises
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...
Register: Risky Future AI Tools for MGAs ‘Demo Day’ on March 11
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...
Navigating the Regulatory Challenges for UK Insurers in 2026
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...
Obamacare Enrollment Is Plunging as Costs Soar, Pushing Down Stocks Like Centene
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...
OSHA Workplace Violence Prevention Plan to Face Audit
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 Launches AI Platform and Broker Referral Program to Address Insurance Compliance Gaps
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 Again Uses Catastrophe Bonds to Extend Reinsurance Tower Higher
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...
Captive Owners Use Hybrid Structures to Add Stability
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. Safety Agency Seeks Comments on Zoox Petition to Deploy Steering Wheel-Less Robotaxis
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 Evolving, Still Have ‘Headroom for Growth’
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...
Insurance That Covers Male Infertility Procedures Improves Opportunities for Family Building
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 Asked to Comment on Green Taxonomy Reporting Rules
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 and RSM Extend Partnership to Enable Data-Driven Regulatory Intelligence Solutions
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,...
Navigating the Challenges of a 2026 Surety Market: The Importance of Financial Management for Contractors
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....
Property Cat Terms Hold Firm at 1/1 as RenRe Preserves Key Structural Gains: Execs
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 Passes Legislation Requiring Insurers to Cover Supplemental Breast Imaging
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,...
Hormuz Has Exposed Shipping’s New Visibility Divide
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...
Under Financial Strain, Primary Care Doctors Unite
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 Adopts AI FNOL System with Liberate
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 Partners Principal for Motorcycle Cover
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 Regulation Sets Mandatory Discounts for Fortified Homes
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...
7th Circuit: Church Not Owed Replacement-Cost Payment for Fire Damage
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’s Founders Discuss Evolution of Insurance Shopping With AI
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...
Florida House Gives Final Approval to Much-Debated Citizens Clearinghouse Bill
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...