Ex-PM Sues Franklin Templeton, Says Cat Bond Fund's "Rules-Based" Process Was Rigged
A former portfolio manager at Franklin Templeton’s K2 Cat Bond UCITS fund alleges the fund’s purportedly "rules‑based" screening was deliberately altered to override sell signals and force purchases. He claims the overrides involved tampering with risk‑metric inputs, enabling a colleague to buy bonds flagged as "NO BUY" and that the misconduct was concealed from investors. After escalating the issue, the manager who allegedly rigged the process was terminated, while the whistleblower says he faced retaliation and was ultimately dismissed. The lawsuit, filed in April 2026, is pending and the defendants have not responded.
Hospitals, Insurers Clash on 340B Rebate Costs
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) issued a request for information on reviving a 340B drug‑rebate model after a court‑blocked rollout. Hospital groups, led by the American Hospital Association, warn the model could impose over $1 billion in annual costs,...
Cyber Insurance Data Gives CISOs New Ammo for Budget Talks
Resilience’s new cyber‑insurance analysis translates technical threats into monetary loss, giving CISOs a data‑driven script for board budget discussions. The study of manufacturing claims from March 2021‑February 2026 shows ransomware responsible for 90% of incurred loss while representing only 12% of claims....
Bond Insurance Usage Rises Nearly 5% in Q1
Bond insurance volume rose 4.9% year‑over‑year to $7.704 billion in Q1 2026, covering 350 deals. The two largest municipal insurers, Assured Guaranty and BAM, together accounted for the entire market, but Assured’s share slipped to 53.1% while BAM’s grew to 46.9% with...
Report: Billions of Dollars in Data Center Construction Risk Is Uninsured
Annual data‑center investment is set to exceed $300 billion by 2027, pushing individual campus values to $10‑$30 billion. Insurers can no longer provide full replacement coverage; instead they underwrite based on probable maximum loss, limiting policies to $1.5‑$3.5 billion for most projects. This...
How Northeast Weather Patterns Are Accelerating Exterior Repair Demand
The Northeast is experiencing more intense nor'easters, hail and erratic freeze‑thaw cycles, turning exterior repair into a year‑round necessity. Aging homes built before modern codes are especially vulnerable, and contractors now see call volumes rise within 48 hours of storms....
Frequency of Medical Liability Lawsuits Is Declining, but Risk Remains for Doctors: AMA
The American Medical Association’s latest Physician Practice Benchmark Survey shows that the proportion of doctors sued at least once dropped to 28.7% in 2024 from 31.2% in 2022, indicating a modest decline in medical‑liability lawsuits. However, litigation risk remains concentrated...
Cyber Risk Tops Concerns; Manufacturing Targeted
Cyber risk has vaulted to the top of insurers' concern lists, with a surge in ransomware attacks driving higher loss ratios across sectors. Manufacturing firms are now the most frequent targets, seeing claim frequencies rise sharply as supply‑chain vulnerabilities from...
Brilliance in Focus: Marsh Risk’s Philippe Dion
Marsh Risk’s Philippe Dion explains that Canada’s construction insurance market is becoming increasingly fragmented, with British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec and parts of Ontario presenting the toughest underwriting environments. Regional hazards—wildfires, seismic risk, hailstorms and historic flooding—have driven higher deductibles, sub‑limits and...
As Health Costs Hit Record Highs, Brokers Face a Structural Test
Health insurance premiums surged to their highest level in more than a decade, pushing employers to reevaluate benefit strategies. Over 60% of firms are now actively shopping carriers or pharmacy benefit managers, and nearly half are exploring level‑funded, ICHRA or...
Stanbic Bank Kenya Designs Enhanced Insurance Cover for Commercial Vehicles
Stanbic Bank Kenya has launched an enhanced insurance product for commercial‑vehicle owners, underwritten by Heritage Insurance Kenya. The offering combines competitive premiums with coverage for vehicle damage, cargo loss, and employee injury, linking directly to the bank’s vehicle‑financing portfolio. It...
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Adverse Selection Explained: Definition, Effects, and the Lemons Problem
Adverse selection describes market failures that arise when one party holds superior information, prompting high‑risk participants to seek favorable contracts. The phenomenon is most evident in insurance, where concealed health or driving risks lead insurers to underprice policies and incur...
Understanding China’s Huge Expansion of Health Insurance
China’s City‑Customised Supplemental Medical Insurance (CCSMI) grew to cover more than 300 million people by 2023, offering low‑cost, government‑endorsed policies sold by private insurers. The rapid rollout, driven by city‑level partnerships without direct subsidies, has attracted mass enrollment at premiums of...
Casualty ILS Transparency Must Match Nat-Cat Standards: Allphins
Allphins warns that casualty insurance‑linked securities (ILS) must achieve the same level of transparency as natural‑cat ILS, citing the market’s rapid expansion to over $5 billion—up from under $1 billion in 2022. The firm argues that investors need granular exposure data and...
Expanding the ILS Perimeter – New Risks, Markets, Capital: ILS NYC 2026 Video
Artemis hosted its tenth ILS NYC conference on February 6, 2026, attracting more than 450 attendees – the largest turnout in the series. A high‑profile panel, moderated by Kathleen Faries, examined how insurance‑linked securities are moving beyond traditional property catastrophe into casualty,...
London Market Expands Alternative Capital Use, but Could Exacerbate Softening: AM Best
London insurers and reinsurers, especially at Lloyd’s, have markedly increased their reliance on alternative capital sources such as sidecars, quota‑share arrangements and catastrophe bonds. The influx of third‑party capital is adding to an already sizable organic surplus generated by several...
Viewpoint: Medical MJ Resked: Implications for Insurance Coverage, Capacity and Compliance
On April 23 the Department of Justice re‑classified state‑licensed medical marijuana and FDA‑approved cannabis products to Schedule III, easing the federal tax penalty under IRC 280E. The change removes a major financial headwind, improving margins for operators and opening the door for broader...
With Lower Q1 Insured Losses, Re/Insurers Well-Placed for More Costly Quarters Ahead
Natural‑catastrophe insured losses in Q1 2026 totaled about $20 billion, roughly 26% below the ten‑year average and 6% above the 21st‑century mean. The United States accounted for 79% of those losses, driven by winter and severe convective storms. Gallagher Re and Aon report...
How Convective Storms Are Rewriting the Risk Landscape — and What Property Owners Can Do About It
MSIG USA is redefining property‑and‑casualty claims by pairing AI‑driven offer generation with a culture that treats the claims team as an extension of the insured’s organization. Chief Claims Officer Ron Morrison stresses that technology accelerates efficiency, but skilled adjusters and...
Micromobility Faces Mounting Insurance Pressures
Insurance costs are becoming a major bottleneck for micromobility operators worldwide. Premiums have jumped from roughly five cents per ride in 2019 to about ten cents for large fleets and up to thirty cents for smaller players, eroding margins. Insurers...
CEO of For-Profit MA Plan Tells CMS “Pay Us Less”
Devoted Health CEO Ed Park told CMS at the Medicarians conference that the for‑profit Medicare Advantage (MA) plan would welcome lower government payments. He cited MedPAC’s March report showing MA enrollees cost the federal government $76 billion more than traditional Medicare....
Arch Capital Group Ltd (ACGL) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Arch Capital Group posted after‑tax operating income of $979 million, delivering earnings of $2.58 per share and boosting book value per share 7.3% quarter‑over‑quarter (11.4% YTD). Net premiums written in the P&C segment topped $2 billion, driven largely by the recent U.S....
Slide Insurance Holdings Inc (SLDE) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Slide Insurance Holdings reported record fourth‑quarter 2025 results, with gross premiums written rising 57% to $618.5 million and net income more than doubling to $170.4 million. The combined ratio fell to 38% and return on equity hit 16.4% for the quarter, underscoring...
ACA Marketplace Coverage Changes Reduce Hospital Revenue, Shift Payer Mix
Changes to ACA marketplace coverage in 2026 trimmed HCA Healthcare's adjusted EBITDA by $150 million in Q1, reflecting a 15% YoY drop in marketplace admissions and a rise in uninsured patients. The shift also slowed Medicaid conversions, as patients hesitate to...
Wisconsin Reins in Assignment of Benefits- What Property Insurers Need to Know Before December 1, 2026
Wisconsin Governor Evers signed Senate Bill 531, creating Wis. Act 230 and § 632.11, which regulates assignments of benefits in first‑party property insurance. The statute limits contractors to suing only the insurer, grants insurers the insured’s rights against contractors, and caps bad‑faith claims to...
Radiation Oncology Community Seeking Relief From an Emerging Crisis Under 2026 Changes to Medicare Coding and Reimbursement
Radiation oncology providers are experiencing sharp reimbursement declines after CMS implemented new 2026 Medicare coding and payment rules that redefined CPT 77402, 77407 and 77412. A March ASTRO survey shows many practices losing more than 10% of revenue, with some...
Travelers to Expand Homeowners Insurance Offering in California
Travelers announced plans to broaden its homeowners‑insurance portfolio across California under a new Sustainable Insurance Strategy. The carrier will employ forward‑looking wildfire catastrophe models and factor reinsurance costs to enable risk‑based pricing. It also introduced higher discounts for policyholders who...
Top Trends For Health Insurers And Healthcare Providers: Too Many Spinning Plates, No Room For Failure
At HIMSS26, health insurers and providers shifted focus from AI hype to operational readiness. They confront five intertwined challenges—trust, AI scaling, volatility, access/affordability, and AI‑powered navigation—where a single misstep can destabilize operations. Success in 2026 will depend on prioritizing resilient...
Workers’ Compensation Medical Inflation Holds Steady in Q1 2026 as Broader Price Pressures Build
The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) reported that workers’ compensation medical prices rose 1.8% year‑over‑year in March 2026, well below the 4.0% increase in consumer‑paid medical costs and the 2.4% rise in the health‑care services producer price index. Headline...
PCRIC Issues Parametric Payouts to Fiji and Solomon Islands Following Recent Cyclones
The Pacific Catastrophe Risk Insurance Company (PCRIC) disbursed two cyclone payouts: an ex‑gratia FJD 1.2 million (≈US $545,000) to Fiji after Cyclone Vaianu, and a US $500,000 parametric payment to the Solomon Islands following Cyclone Maila. Fiji’s payment was granted despite the event falling...
ACA Subsidy Lapse Cost HCA Healthcare $150M in Q1
HCA Healthcare disclosed that the expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies cost the company about $150 million in the first quarter, aligning with its forecast of a $600‑$900 million annual hit. ACA‑covered admissions fell roughly 15% year‑over‑year while admissions for uninsured...
It’s Time to Bring the Catastrophe Bond Onshore: John Seo
John Seo, co‑founder of Fermat Capital Management, called for U.S. onshore issuance of catastrophe bonds, arguing that domestic options would unlock the market’s full potential. He said the shift would require congressional action to create a tax‑friendly framework. Seo highlighted...
RFK Jr. Vows to End ‘Illusion’ of Lower Premiums Under ACA
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before the House Ways & Means and Education & Workforce committees, arguing that the Affordable Care Act’s subsidy structure creates an illusion of lower premiums while actually benefiting insurers....
Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Speed up Prior Authorization in Medicare Advantage
Congress introduced the bipartisan Medicare Advantage Improvement Act to cut prior‑authorization delays. The bill mandates health plans to complete standard authorizations within 72 hours and publish timing data. It also requires real‑time, EHR‑integrated approval systems and limits extensions to seven...
Cell, Gene And Specialty Drug Costs Intensify For Health Plans
A new Pharmaceutical Strategies Group survey of 228 benefits executives shows 43% of health plans rank controlling specialty drug costs as their top priority, ahead of total cost of care. Specialty medicines now consume more than half of prescription spending,...
Cayman Considers Catastrophe Bond, More Parametric Insurance to Expand Hurricane Protection
The Cayman Islands government is weighing a new catastrophe bond and expanded parametric insurance to strengthen hurricane protection as the 2026 season nears. Finance Minister Rolston Anglin said the review reflects higher exposure from population growth and increased assets. Options...
Aviation Solution Launched to Provide Protection for Aviation Spares Against War Perils
McGill and Partners, together with London‑market carriers, has introduced a specialist aviation insurance product that covers aircraft spares and equipment stored on the ground against war‑related perils. Traditional hull war policies only protected spares while in transit, leaving high‑value assets—such...
Liberty Mutual Partners Ethos to Expand Digital Life Insurance Offering
Liberty Mutual has teamed with digital life‑insurance specialist Ethos to launch a fully online, end‑to‑end life insurance product under its own brand. The partnership leverages Ethos’s underwriting engine and digital platform, allowing customers to receive instant coverage decisions without a...
Florida Delays Children’s Health Insurance Expansion as Uninsured Rate Rises
Florida lawmakers approved a KidCare expansion in 2023 that would extend coverage to more than 40,000 additional children by raising the income threshold to 300% of the federal poverty level. Despite federal approval, the DeSantis administration has not implemented the...
ESMA Reviews Use of Private Credit Ratings Amid Growing Regulatory Scrutiny
Regulators are tightening scrutiny on private‑credit ratings as ESMA initiates a formal review, signaling heightened oversight for the fast‑growing sector. Meanwhile, private‑equity firms are accelerating capital deployment: Blackstone’s secondaries arm breached $100 bn AUM, Apollo is close to a $1.5 bn acquisition...
Volkswagen Financial Services UK Partners Wrisk on Van Insurance Offering
Volkswagen Financial Services UK has teamed up with InsurTech firm Wrisk Transfer Limited to become the preferred insurer for its commercial‑vehicle customers. The partnership offers drivers up to three days of complimentary “Drive Away” coverage when they collect a van...
Transamerica Taps Swiss Re Platform to Streamline Life Insurance Claims
Transamerica announced a partnership with global reinsurer Swiss Re to modernize its life‑insurance claims process. The insurer will implement Swiss Re’s PromiseXP digital platform, which automates intake, streamlines communication, and supports more consistent decision‑making. The rollout is scheduled for completion...
WFP Progresses Food Security Catastrophe Bond Plan, to Mobilise $100m for Drought Resilience
The United Nations World Food Programme is advancing a pioneering food‑security catastrophe bond that could raise up to $100 million to fund drought resilience across Sub‑Saharan Africa. Backed by the World Bank and €1.5 million (≈$1.6 million) from Luxembourg, the bond would make...
RIMS Honors Jeff Bray, Emily Buckley
Jeff Bray, senior vice president and head of global risk management at Prologis, was named the 2026 RIMS Risk Manager of the Year. Emily Buckley, insurance risk manager at Specialized Bicycle Components, was inducted into the RIMS Risk Management Honor...
Disruptions in Medicare Advantage Coverage in 2026
A new study reveals that forced disenrollment from Medicare Advantage (MA) plans will spike to about 10% in 2026, affecting roughly 2.9 million beneficiaries nationwide. In Vermont, 92% of MA enrollees are already facing plan exits, the highest state concentration. The...
Louisiana Citizens Targets Slightly Lower Pricing for $150m Bayou Re 2026-1 Cat Bond
Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is pursuing a $150 million named‑storm reinsurance program through the Bayou Re Ltd. Series 2026‑1 catastrophe bond, its twelfth such sponsorship. The insurer’s target amount remains unchanged, but price guidance for the Class A tranche has been nudged...
Insurance’s Data Problem Comes Into Focus at Hormuz
Rapid war‑risk shifts in the Strait of Hormuz exposed critical flaws in delegated‑authority underwriting, where underwriters still depend on delayed, inconsistent bordereaux data. AI tools can extract information from PDFs and spreadsheets, but they cannot confirm that the data complies...
Three Critical Factors Insurance Companies Must Address Before Integrating AI
Musculoskeletal disorders remain a leading occupational health issue in the U.S., driving high medical costs and productivity losses. The Hartford is promoting AI‑driven computer‑vision tools that analyze short workplace videos to generate risk scores and visual heat maps of body...
Cincinnati Financial Corp (CINF) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Cincinnati Financial reported $2.4 billion full‑year net income, a 4% rise, with quarterly net income surging 67% thanks to $181 million equity valuation gain. The company posted a 94.9% full‑year combined ratio, driven by an 85.2% Q4 property‑casualty ratio, while net written...
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Overview of Insurtech & Its Impact on the Insurance Industry
Insurtech leverages AI, IoT, big data and automation to overhaul insurance pricing, underwriting, claims and contract execution. The sector, valued at $5.4 billion in 2022, is projected to reach $152 billion by 2030 as startups deliver personalized, on‑demand policies. Technologies such as...