Hartford Posts 36% Increase in Q1 Earnings Despite Cat Losses
The Hartford reported first‑quarter core earnings of $866 million, a 36% jump from a year earlier, driven by robust underwriting and higher investment income. Catastrophe losses of $230 million, mainly from winter storms and severe weather, tempered the gains. Business insurance generated $551 million in core earnings, with written premiums up 6% and an underlying combined ratio of 89.2%. The insurer highlighted AI‑enabled risk selection and a multichannel small‑business strategy as key performance drivers.
Samsung Strike Could Cost $674M Daily
A labor strike at Samsung Electronics' semiconductor plant in South Korea is projected to cost the company roughly $674 million each day the work stoppage continues. The dispute involves union demands for higher wages and better overtime rules, prompting management to...
Louisiana Hospital’s Hurricane Claim Faces Arbitration Delay
A Louisiana acute‑care hospital’s $970,000 business interruption claim from Hurricane Ida was denied, prompting a lawsuit against four insurers. The Fifth Circuit upheld a lower‑court ruling that domestic carriers cannot force arbitration under Louisiana law, but ordered the case stay...
Malpractice Insurer Wins Dispute over Attorney’s Alleged Fraud Scheme
Missoula‑based ALPS Property & Casualty Insurance won a summary‑judgment motion, ruling it had no duty to defend Atlanta attorney Alcide Honoré after his client allegedly fabricated a FEMA relief contract. The federal judge ordered Honoré and his firm to reimburse...
Irony All Set for Takeoff
A Southwest Airlines flight attendant is accused of deliberately activating a fire sprinkler in a Fort Lauderdale hotel room, causing extensive water damage. The Renaissance Hotel has sued both the airline and the employee, citing roughly $217,000 in repair, remediation,...
Delaware Court Affirms Dismissal of Retaliation Claim over Mental Injury
A Delaware Court of Chancery upheld the dismissal of an employee's retaliation claim tied to a mental‑injury lawsuit. The plaintiff alleged the employer retaliated after she reported a workplace injury that caused psychological harm, but the court found insufficient evidence...
Nebraska High Court Upholds Reduced Award in Union Pacific Injury Case
The Nebraska Supreme Court affirmed a $287,600 award to a Union Pacific employee who injured her ankle, despite a jury finding she was 95% at fault. The justices ruled the jury correctly applied comparative‑fault reductions under the Federal Employers’ Liability...
Employers Face ‘Patchwork’ of Heat Regulations for Workers
Virginia has become the latest state to mandate heat‑illness prevention rules, directing its Safety and Health Codes Board to finalize regulations by May 1, 2028. The new law requires water, rest breaks, training and emergency protocols for indoor and outdoor...
Jury Limits Insurer’s Liability in Shooting Case
A federal jury in Florida limited Kinsale Insurance Co.'s liability to a $50,000 sublimit instead of the roughly $5 million the lodge and victim's estate sought. The case arose from a 2015 fatal shooting outside the Pride of St. Lucie Lodge,...
Hormuz Standoff Disrupts Traffic, Lifts War Risk Insurance Rates
Following Iran’s warning shots and a U.S. seizure of an Iranian cargo vessel, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz plummeted, with only three ships recorded in a 12‑hour window versus the usual 130 per day. A brief reopening on Friday...
War Risk Claims Spread Outside High-Risk Zones: P&I Club
The International Group of P&I Clubs reports a sharp rise in war‑risk claims, up roughly 38% year‑over‑year to about $210 million. Claims are no longer confined to traditional hotspots such as the Middle East and Ukraine; they now appear in the...
Captive Owners Adapt to Market Changes
Captive insurers are seeing continued growth in 2025, with 6,549 captives across 80 domiciles—a 3.8% rise over 2024. Marsh reported over 100 new captive formations and a 3.3% increase in gross written premium to $79.14 billion. Demand is expanding beyond traditional...
Editorial: One Giant, Complex Leap for Insurance
The editorial likens the insurance industry's evolution to a space‑age leap, noting that artificial intelligence, data analytics and automation are now embedded in underwriting, claims and risk assessment. While policy forms appear unchanged, back‑office models process massive data sets in...
Viewpoint: Handling Autonomous Risks
Waymo’s driverless fleet now operates about 100 vehicles in Atlanta, part of a 3,000‑vehicle national rollout, while Serve Robotics’ Kaito and Margo sidewalk bots deliver restaurant orders in roughly 18 minutes. The city’s streets also host e‑scooters, e‑bikes and other...
View From the Top: Karl Hennessy, McGill and Partners
McGill and Partners, a next‑generation broker founded in 2019, has leveraged artificial intelligence to automate risk placement, exemplified by its recent collaboration with AIG. The firm’s AI‑driven digital infrastructure can automatically underwrite eligible risks, eliminating manual steps and expanding capacity...
Bermuda Insurer Ratings Highlight Credit, Ownership Dynamics Affecting Companies
Litmus Analysis highlighted how Bermuda insurers’ ratings are shaped by market structure, ownership shifts, and rating‑scale nuances. A Lloyd’s syndicate’s credit risk is ultimately borne by the Lloyd’s market and its Central Fund, not individual policyholders. S&P placed Vantage‑group insurers...
Care Access Problems Strain Comp Sector, Slowing Worker Recovery, Increasing Costs
Provider shortages across health care are creating treatment delays that are reshaping workers‑comp claims. Delayed access lengthens disability periods, drives higher pharmaceutical use and fuels litigation, especially for musculoskeletal injuries. Insurers report that these delays raise overall claim...
Rising Convective Storm Losses Test Insurers as Property Rates Fall in Competitive Market
Severe convective storms have eclipsed hurricanes as the costliest insured peril in the United States, generating $50‑60 billion in annual losses. The high frequency and growing severity—driven by inflation, expanding urban exposure, and a surge in hail claims—are forcing primary insurers...
Insurers, Brokers React to Data Center Boom
The insurance industry is rapidly expanding capacity to cover the data‑center boom, driven by AI‑powered demand for massive computing power. Aon doubled its lifecycle program to $2.5 billion in January and added $1 billion in April, while FM Intellium lifted limits to...
Risk Professionals Grapple with Rapid Expansion of AI
Risk professionals are racing to keep pace with the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, building governance structures, cross‑functional teams and clear usage policies to curb emerging threats. Insurers such as Arthur J. Gallagher, Axa XL and Zurich are adopting the NIST...
SterlingRisk Promotes Waterman, Beres
SterlingRisk announced that Marci Waterman has been promoted to deputy chief executive officer while retaining her role as president of Sterling Analytics, and John S. Beres has been elevated to chief operating officer. Waterman, a 2013 hire, previously served as...
Ohio Appeals Court Revives Worker’s Claim over Disputed Subrogation Fee
An Ohio Court of Appeals revived Lamar Thomas’s challenge to a $6,044 subrogation lien imposed by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. The court held that the $120 fee for an independent medical exam was not a recoverable subrogation interest...
Africa Trade Insurer Seeks $500 Million to Help with Iran War Cost Hike
Africa’s leading multilateral trade‑risk insurer, African Trade & Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI), is seeking roughly $500 million in new capital to raise its balance sheet from about $1 billion to $1.5 billion. The push follows the February U.S.–Israeli airstrikes on Iran, which have...
Hamilton Launches Casualty Reinsurance Sidecar
Hamilton Insurance Group announced the launch of its first casualty reinsurance sidecar, targeting roughly $300 million of ceded premium over several years. The sidecar will be capitalized by investment firm Sixth Street, which will also shape the overall asset strategy. Concurrently, Hamilton...
Maersk Hikes Cargo Insurance Rates up to 450%
Maersk announced a dramatic increase in cargo insurance rates, lifting premiums by as much as 450% for new contracts. The surge reflects heightened exposure to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, especially rerouting around the Strait of Hormuz, and recent...
Volcano Disruption Halts Flights, Closes Roads
Japan’s most active volcano erupted Saturday afternoon, spewing ash that blanketed Kagoshima. The eruption forced the grounding and delay of all flights at Kagoshima Airport and triggered widespread road closures across the city and surrounding areas. Authorities warned of reduced...
Aon Raises Capacity for Data Program
Aon increased capacity for its Data Center Lifecycle Insurance Program by $1 billion, bringing total coverage to $3.5 billion. The expansion now covers existing data centers beyond the first year, adding construction, delay, operational damage, cyber, liability, and cargo protections. The program...
Air Ambulance Costs Soar Despite Limited Use in Workers Compensation
Air ambulance transports remain rare in workers‑comp claims, affecting fewer than 1.2% of rural lost‑time cases, yet they dominate cost drivers. Average payments have surged more than 60% since 2013, topping $25,000 per flight by 2022. Utilization spikes in very...
EU Agencies Push Cat Pool Backed by ILS
European regulators, led by the European Commission and EIOPA, are advancing a new catastrophe‑reinsurance pool that will be financed with insurance‑linked securities. The pool is slated to be underpinned by a €500 million (≈ $540 million) ILS tranche, providing fresh capital for natural‑disaster...
Court Rules for Berkshire Unit in COVID Fraud Coverage Case
A federal court ruled that National Liability & Fire Insurance Co., a Berkshire Hathaway unit, has no duty to defend or indemnify attorney Manfred Sternberg in a fraud lawsuit alleging diversion of nearly $2 million intended for COVID‑19 test kits. The...
Battery Maker Fined $224,000, Shut Down After Lead Exposure Violations
Washington state battery maker Dyno Battery was fined $224,320 after the Department of Labor & Industries cited 16 safety violations, including lead dust buildup in air filtration systems and contamination of lunchroom surfaces. The company ignored more than a dozen...
Zurich Expands Into Poland
Zurich Insurance Group announced a strategic expansion into Poland, acquiring a local insurer and committing roughly €150 million (about $162 million) to establish a new regional hub. The move will broaden Zurich’s portfolio in the country, focusing on commercial, cyber and specialty...
Insurer Can’t Sue Its Own Defense Lawyers for Malpractice: Court
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...
Insurer Must Cover Mental Health Facility in Sex Harassment Case: Court
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...
Marsh Risk Raises Capacity in Excess Cyber Facility
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...
Insurer Must Defend Doctor Accused of ‘Fertility Fraud’
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...
Ski Pass or Pass on Skiing? Lawsuit Claims Slopes Are Rigged
A class-action lawsuit filed in March alleges Vail Resorts and Alterra Mountain are fixing lift ticket prices to push skiers into expensive multi‑resort season passes. The complaint says daily tickets are inflated, limiting competition and forcing consumers into four‑figure pass...
National Emphasis Program for Heat Safety Expires
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...
India Plans $1.5B Reinsurance Cover for Ships in Conflict Zones
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...
Amwins MGA Hires From Vantage
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 Plans Sovereign Guarantees for Insurers as War Heightens Shipping Risks
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...
Ohio Court OKs Comp Claim for Unexplained Workplace Fall
An Ohio appellate court upheld a workers’ compensation claim for a correctional facility employee who suffered a shoulder injury after an unexplained fall. The court applied Ohio Supreme Court precedent that classifies such falls as neutral risks, shifting the burden...
MMA Acquires Montana-Based Agency
Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA) announced the acquisition of Seitz Insurance Agency, a Sidney‑based firm with 24 employees founded in 1961. The deal, whose financial terms were not disclosed, brings Seitz’s commercial and personal lines expertise—particularly in agriculture, crop and energy—under...
Fuel Crisis Forces Airlines to Cancel Flights Globally
A sharp surge in jet‑fuel prices, driven by geopolitical tensions and refinery outages, has forced airlines worldwide to slash schedules and cancel thousands of flights. Carriers are trimming up to 10% of their weekly departures, with European and Asian markets...
Court Dismisses Cyber Coverage Suit over Fraudulent Wire Transfer
A federal court in Mississippi dismissed a law firm's cyber‑insurance claim after a fraudulent wire transfer of about $158,850. The firm sought coverage under a social‑engineering endorsement, but the court ruled the policy only applies when the fraud imitates an...
Ohio Court Upholds Safety Violation Comp Award Against Whirlpool
The Ohio Supreme Court affirmed a workers' compensation award against Whirlpool Corp., finding the company violated a safety rule by failing to install required guard railings at a conveyor crossing. The injury, a 2017 incident where a maintenance technician fell...
Talanx Raises $1.1B in Dual Bond Deal
German insurer Talanx completed a dual‑tranche bond offering that raised approximately $1.1 billion. The deal combined senior unsecured and subordinated notes, drawing strong demand from European institutional investors. Pricing was competitive, reflecting confidence in Talanx’s credit profile amid a volatile insurance...
Middle East Firms Rush for War Cover
As the Iran war enters its second month, Middle Eastern companies are scrambling for war‑risk insurance. Premiums have surged, with coverage for real‑estate now costing roughly 6‑8% of property value versus under 1% in peace. Insurers are tightening policy terms,...
CopperPoint Names Kellen Booher CEO
CopperPoint Insurance announced that Kellen Booher will assume the role of president and chief executive officer, succeeding Marc Schmittlein who is retiring after a decade of steering the company’s transformation. Booher, who joined the Phoenix‑based workers compensation and commercial insurer...
Best Downgrades Rating of Wisconsin Municipal Insurer
A.M. Best downgraded the financial strength rating of Cities and Villages Mutual Insurance, a Wisconsin municipal insurer, to B++ from A‑. The agency also cut its long‑term issuer credit rating to BBB+ from A‑, shifting the outlook for financial strength...