April Renewals Extend Softening in Reinsurance Market: Howden Re
April 1 renewals have extended the recent softening trend in the global reinsurance market, according to U.K.-based Howden Re. Risk‑adjusted property catastrophe rates‑on‑line have fallen back to levels last seen in the early 2020s. In Japan, reinsurers stayed disciplined, with catastrophe excess‑of‑loss programs seeing price reductions of up to 20%. The broader price pressure signals tighter underwriting and potential margin compression for carriers.
China Re’s Net Profit Stumbles 8%
China Re, the state‑backed reinsurer, reported an 8% year‑on‑year drop in net profit, falling to roughly 5.2 billion yuan (about $720 million). The decline was driven primarily by heightened property‑line losses linked to severe weather events. Despite the profit dip, the firm’s...
Toyota Reduces Middle East Exports Due to War
Toyota Motor Corp trimmed its Middle East vehicle shipments by roughly 20,000 units in March, citing disruptions from the ongoing Iran war. The cut represents a notable dip in the automaker’s regional export volume. Company officials warned that if hostilities...
JPMorgan Must Face Wells Fargo Lawsuit over Troubled $481M Loan
A Manhattan federal judge rejected JPMorgan Chase’s attempt to dismiss Wells Fargo’s breach‑of‑contract lawsuit over a troubled $481 million commercial‑real‑estate loan. Wells, acting as trustee for investors, alleges JPMorgan knew the Chetrit Group’s 2019 loan was based on overstated net operating...
Willis Launches $50M Excess Casualty Facility
Willis Towers Watson’s retail broking arm unveiled a $50 million excess casualty facility aimed at filling the U.S. market’s shortage of large‑limit umbrella coverage. The Willis Excess Liability Lineslip offers up to $25 million of lead umbrella protection with an additional $25 million...
Tennessee Court Awards Benefits to Injured Worker Who Acted ‘Recklessly’
A Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims ruled that maintenance mechanic Jerome Monroe is eligible for workers’ comp benefits despite his reckless act of inserting his hand into a running machine. The court held his conduct was negligent, not willful,...
Cloud Services See Decline in Downtime in 2025: Parametrix
In 2025 the three leading cloud providers—Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud—recorded a notable decline in critical downtime, with aggregate outage duration dropping 28% to 175.3 hours. The number of critical interruptions fell to 45, the lowest figure...
US Treasury to Consult with Insurance Regulators on Private Credit: Sources
The U.S. Treasury will hold its first meeting with domestic and international insurance regulators to address concerns in the $2 trillion private‑credit market. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent plans regular consultations starting in the second quarter, focusing on liquidity, transparency, fund‑level leverage,...
Missile Attack Sparks Renewed Threat to Red Sea Shipping
Iranian‑backed Houthi rebels launched a missile strike against Israel, prompting fears they could extend attacks to commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The threat revives concerns of a renewed blockade of this vital maritime corridor, already strained by Iran’s ongoing...
Lawyer’s E&O Insurer Owes No Defense in Trade Secret Theft Case
A U.S. District Judge in Georgia ruled that ALPS Property & Casualty Insurance Co. has no duty to defend attorney Jeremy Cohen in a trade‑secret theft lawsuit because the alleged conduct does not fall within the scope of legal services....
Utah Court Limits Employer Liability Waiver Rule, Revives Ski Resort Defense
The Utah Supreme Court narrowed a century‑old rule barring employer liability waivers, limiting its reach to injuries that occur within the scope of employment. In Deer Valley Resort Co. v. Olson, the court upheld dismissal of vicarious liability claims but...
Hiring Slowdown, Wage Growth Create Mixed Outlook for Comp: NCCI
The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) reports that hiring slowed dramatically in 2025, with only 116,000 net job gains—the weakest pace outside a recession since 2003. Despite the weak labor market, rising wages kept workers‑compensation payroll growth near pre‑pandemic...
Axa XL Offers Pollution, General Liability Package Policy
Axa XL introduced an environmental combined form that bundles pollution insurance with general liability coverage. The package offers primary limits of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, with optional excess up to $25 million for certain businesses. It includes lead excess,...
Aon Affinity Unit, CNA Offering Midwives Malpractice Cover
Aon Affinity’s Nurses Service Organization and CNA have introduced a professional liability policy specifically for certified midwives and certified nurse‑midwives. The coverage protects prenatal, postnatal, gynecological, and labor‑and‑delivery services performed in hospitals or clinical settings. Limits are set at $1 million...
Aviva Plans to Launch Surplus Lines Business in Q2
Aviva announced it will launch a U.S. surplus lines business in the second quarter of 2026, operating from a new New York hub. The venture, led by former Everest Insurance CEO Mike Karmilowicz, will underwrite property, casualty and specialty risks through...
D&O Policy Doesn’t Cover Antitrust Suit over Drug Acquisition: Court
A federal judge ruled that Old Republic’s directors‑and‑officers insurance does not cover the antitrust lawsuit against Supernus Pharmaceuticals over its 2020 acquisition of USWM Enterprises. The court held that the policy only applies to securities issued by Supernus or its...
MedRisk Report Highlights Faster Care, AI Adoption in Comp
MedRisk’s latest trends report shows workers‑comp insurers accelerating injured‑worker treatment while scaling artificial‑intelligence tools beyond pilot projects. AI adoption is driven by rising claim complexity and the need for faster, data‑informed decisions, though many firms still wrestle with data quality,...
Catastrophe Losses Plunge, Driving US Net Underwriting Gain: Verisk
Verisk’s latest data shows U.S. catastrophe losses fell sharply in 2025, dropping roughly 30% to about $5.5 billion. The decline propelled the domestic property‑casualty market into a net underwriting gain of roughly $1.2 billion, reversing a multi‑year loss trend. Analysts attribute the...
Florida Court Reinterprets Comp Tolling, Revives Claim Filing Window
The Florida First District Court of Appeal ruled that the state workers’ compensation statute of limitations is tolled—meaning the two‑year clock stops—while an employee receives benefits and resumes one year after the last payment. This reinterpretation overturns decades of case...
Marsh Risk Arranges Coverage for Nuclear Power Plant
Marsh Risk announced it has arranged insurance coverage for TerraPower’s Kemmerer Unit 1 nuclear plant, the first commercial reactor approved for construction in nearly a decade. The policy involves insurers in the United States, London and Bermuda, as well as nuclear...
War Risk Premiums Hit 7.5%, May Reach 10%: Lloyd’s
Lloyd’s of London says war risk insurance premiums for commercial vessels have surged to 7.5% of a ship’s value following the outbreak of the Iran conflict. Insurers warn that the cost for the most hazardous voyages could approach 10%, dramatically...
Insurers Denied $105 Million in Collateral From Texas Oil Driller
A Texas federal judge denied surety insurers U.S. Fire and Pennsylvania Insurance a request for $105 million in collateral from offshore driller W&T Offshore, finding their claim of imminent financial harm speculative. The insurers had previously demanded $250 million—far exceeding W&T’s cash...
Calif. Bill Would Require Certification for Stone Fabrication Shops
California lawmakers introduced Assembly Bill 2137 to create a statewide certification system for shops that fabricate engineered stone, granite, marble and similar slab materials. The bill directs Cal/OSHA to develop an application process, with certifications issued for three years beginning...
Author, Publisher Not Blood-Sucking Vampires of Unpublished Material
A Southern District of New York judge ruled that the archetypal "hot, sexy, dangerous boy" common in young‑adult romance cannot be copyrighted. The decision cleared Tracy Wolff of plagiarism accusations brought by Lynne Freeman, who claimed Wolff’s “Crave” series copied...
Medical Supply Vendor Not a Provider Under Comp Law: Pa. Court
A Pennsylvania appellate court ruled that Scomed Supply, a distributor of durable medical equipment, does not qualify as a “health care provider” under the state Workers’ Compensation Act. The decision upheld the insurer’s refusal to pay additional reimbursement for supplies...
Liberty Mutual Names Johnson to Head Ironshore
Liberty Mutual announced Ben Johnson as the new president of its wholesale insurance unit Ironshore, replacing retiring Matt Dolan. Johnson, who joined Liberty after the 2017 Ironshore acquisition, previously led Global Risk Solutions’ field operations across North America. His background...
Insurer Released From Potbelly’s Coverage Claim
A Seattle federal judge ruled that Potbelly Corp cannot invoke its Beazley Execuguard management‑liability policy for a wage‑transparency lawsuit under Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act. The court found the claim did not allege discrimination as defined in the policy,...
Insurer Off Hook for Medical Costs for Worker’s Travel to Visit Family
A Florida appellate court ruled that a tetraplegic worker’s trip to New York to visit family does not qualify as medically necessary under workers’ compensation law, so the insurer is not required to cover travel costs. The insurer had already...
Regulator Places Insurers Under Statutory Management
A regulator placed two insurers under statutory management, signaling heightened oversight in the sector. Concurrently, war-driven volatility is expected to push Nigerian reinsurance rates higher and spur Greek firms to intensify cyber‑risk scans. Insurers are also expanding globally, with a...
Insured Losses From Iran War Manageable if Conflict Short-Lived: Moody’s
Moody's warns that insured losses from the Iran‑Israel conflict remain manageable for large, diversified specialty insurers if hostilities are brief, projecting a baseline scenario of a few weeks before navigation through the Strait of Hormuz resumes. However, a prolonged war...
Federal Appeals Court Denies Deportation Relief for Injured Missouri Worker
A federal appeals court in the Eighth Circuit upheld the Board of Immigration Appeals’ denial of cancellation of removal for Mexican national Eugenio Alonso‑Juarez, a Missouri worker injured in a roof‑fall accident. The court rejected his claim that the injuries...
Washington Senate Votes to Send Medical Treatment Bill to Governor
The Washington Senate voted 30-19 to approve amendments to S.B. 5847, sending the bill to Governor Bob Ferguson. The legislation lets network providers deviate from Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) coverage decisions and national treatment guidelines when medically appropriate....
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,...
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...
Tenn. Judge Orders Specialist Panel in Knee Replacement Dispute
A Tennessee workers‑compensation judge ordered Swift Transportation to provide a panel of joint‑reconstruction orthopedic surgeons for truck driver Stephen Jablonski, who suffered a knee injury and subsequent arthritis. The employer had offered a generic orthopedic panel, including a surgeon who...
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....
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...
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...
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...
Aviation Insurers Impose New Rules on Middle East Flights
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 Competition Watchdog Investigates Insurers
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 Launches Aviation Practice
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...
Court Revives Suit over Water Worker’s Death in Flooded Vault
An Illinois appellate court revived a wrongful‑death suit filed by the estate of 20‑year‑old water worker Matthew Heiden, who drowned after being sent alone into an underground vault without required safety measures. The court found the plaintiff’s claims were not...
Federal Law Bars Cannabis as Treatment for Injured Worker
The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that cannabis cannot be deemed a reasonable and necessary medical expense under the Longshore Harbor and Workers’ Compensation Act because it remains a Schedule I drug under federal law. The decision cites the...
Lockton Hires Former Marsh Energy Leader
Lockton, the world’s largest privately‑owned insurance broker, announced the appointment of a former Marsh energy division leader to head its energy practice. The hire brings roughly two decades of underwriting and risk‑management experience across oil‑gas and renewable sectors. Lockton aims...
New York Bill Would Codify Access to Out-of-Network Comp Pharmacies
New York Assembly Bill A.B. 10413 would codify the right of injured workers to fill workers‑comp prescriptions at pharmacies outside employer or insurer networks when delays, authorization gaps, or emergencies arise. The measure mirrors regulations the Workers’ Compensation Board adopted...
Survey: Most Americans Ignore Insurance Until Something Beeps
A new Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America survey shows that only 31 % of Americans review or shop their insurance policies each year, despite 88 % believing insurance is crucial for financial security. Most consumers wait until premiums rise, life...
Commercial Insurance Renewal Hikes Slow in February: Ivans
Ivans, Applied Systems' analytics unit, reports that commercial insurance renewal hikes eased in February compared with January. Commercial auto rates rose 5.18% versus 5.62% in January, while business owners policies increased 6.81% from 6.89%. Property and umbrella coverages still posted...
NFP Establishes Group Captive Practice Through Acquisition
NFP, an Aon company, launched a property and casualty group captive practice by acquiring Trinity Risk Advisors, a Charlotte‑based brokerage. Alan Wise, former Trinity Consulting seller, will lead the practice as managing director and report to Meg McSherry, head of...
WCRI Research Shows Uptick in Comp Costs as Workers Lose Medicaid
WCRI’s preliminary study links the 2023 Medicaid work‑requirement policy to a 2‑3% rise in medical payments per workers‑comp claim, especially for lower‑wage, male employees in construction, manufacturing and leisure. About 12% of the labor force lost Medicaid coverage, prompting higher...