Restaurants & Bars: Liquor Sales, Risk Transfer & Other Trends
U.S. restaurants and bars are grappling with rising food, labor and insurance costs while liquor sales shrink as fewer adults drink. Insurers are softening rates for venues where alcohol is under 40% of revenue, yet premiums stay high for high‑alcohol establishments, especially in states with strict dram‑shop statutes. South Carolina’s 2025 reforms lower mandatory liquor liability limits and cap DUI damages, easing pressure on local operators. At the same time, ancillary risks such as cyber threats, employment practices and entertainment events are pushing ancillary coverage costs upward.
Sole Proprietor Need Not Notify Insurer of Injury by Deadline for Workers’ Comp
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that a sole proprietor who is also the sole employee need only give a 120‑day workers’ compensation notice to the employer, not to the insurer. The ruling reversed a Commonwealth Court decision that had required...
War Risks Insurers Win Bid to Appeal UK Ruling on Jets Lost in Russia
A group of war‑risk insurers, including Chubb, Fidelis and Lloyd’s, have won permission to appeal a London High Court decision that awarded aircraft lessor AerCap just over $1 billion in damages for jets stranded in Russia. The original claim sought roughly...
Axios Software Tool Used by Millions Compromised in Hack
Axios, a widely used NPM client for HTTP requests, was compromised after a hacker breached a maintainer's GitHub account and published malicious versions. The package, downloaded roughly 80 million times weekly, could deliver payloads to Windows, macOS and Linux machines. By...
Ex-Deutsche Bank Manager Sues Bank for at Least $624 Million
Former Deutsche Bank asset‑wealth head Michele Faissola and four ex‑colleagues sued the lender in a London court for at least £473 million ($624 million), part of a broader claim of £664 million ($877 million). The lawsuit alleges they were wrongly blamed in a 2013...
Depreciation on ACV Is OK, Court Says in Knocking Down Class Action Vs. Cincinnati
The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a property insurer's right to apply depreciation to actual cash value (ACV) payments, confirming that clear policy language governs such deductions. The ruling dismissed a proposed class‑action by Florida‑based Schoening Properties, which...
HLDI: Safety Benefits Stack up From Driver Assistance Features
A new Highway Loss Data Institute study shows driver‑assistance technologies are cutting insurance claims on Mazda models from 2015‑2023. The simplest bundle—front automatic emergency braking—reduced property‑damage liability claims by 13% and bodily‑injury liability claims by 9%. More comprehensive bundles that...
Ex-Brookfield VP Claims Wrongful Firing Over Charlie Kirk Post
Former Brookfield Asset Management senior vice president Jennifer Kipley filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful termination after an Instagram post referencing Charlie Kirk and Donald Trump. She contends the post, made on a personal account, was misinterpreted and triggered an online...
Toyota’s China JVs Recall 560,000 SUVs Over Seat Safety Risk
Toyota’s Chinese joint ventures are recalling more than 560,000 SUVs after regulators identified a faulty second‑row seat‑back adjuster spring that may not lock during a crash. The recall covers 317,990 Highlander models and 242,170 Crown Kluger SUVs built between July 2021 and...
Crypto ‘Insurance’ Might Not Protect You From Theft
A Coinbase One subscriber lost nearly $100,000 in Bitcoin and discovered the advertised $1 million protection did not apply because required security settings were not enabled. The incident exposes how crypto "insurance" products from Coinbase, Crypto.com, Nexus Mutual and MetaMask contain...
Car Insurer First Central Is Said to Tap Banks for London IPO
First Central Group Ltd., a UK motor and home insurer serving 1.5 million customers, has engaged Deutsche Bank and UBS to advise on a potential London IPO that could value the company at roughly £1 billion ($1.3 billion). The insurer reported 2024 gross...
DOJ Sues SeaWorld’s Parent Company for Disability Discrimination
The U.S. Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against United Parks & Resorts Inc., the parent of SeaWorld, alleging that its policy banning wheeled walkers with seats violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. The complaint cites a pattern of discrimination...
Forecast Calls for 11–16 Named Storms, 2-4 Major Atlantic Hurricanes
AccuWeather projects a near‑ to below‑historical‑average Atlantic hurricane season in 2026, forecasting 11 to 16 named storms, four to seven hurricanes and two to four major hurricanes. The outlook anticipates three to five direct U.S. impacts and falls below the...
Crawford & Company Names Swain President & CEO
Bruce Swain has been appointed permanent president and CEO of Crawford & Company after serving as interim since Jan. 1. The promotion follows the firm’s recent launch of a new global operating structure that splits the business into U.S. and International...
From Skill to System: The Next Chapter in Insurance Claims Negotiation
Insurance claims negotiators are moving from relying on individual talent to building systematic, data‑driven processes. The article argues that inconsistent outcomes stem from a lack of shared standards, metrics, and feedback loops rather than skill deficits. Plaintiff firms already use...
Takeda, Lilly Rejected by Supreme Court on Actos Fraud Lawsuit
The U.S. Supreme Court denied Takeda Pharmaceutical and Eli Lilly’s request to block a racketeering lawsuit, allowing a class action alleging the companies concealed Actos’s link to bladder cancer to proceed. The suit targets tens of thousands of insurers and other...
Cyclone Forces Mine Closures as Winds Lash North Australia
Tropical Cyclone Narelle hit northern Queensland with 195 km/h winds, forcing Rio Tinto to temporarily close its Amrun and Andoom bauxite mines, which together produce about 30 million tonnes annually. South32 also shut the world’s largest manganese mine on Groote Eylandt...
Ex-Trader Suing Deutsche Bank Wants £500 Million in Paschi Case
Former Deutsche Bank executive Michele Faissola is suing the bank in the UK for up to £500 million, alleging the lender damaged his career over the Monte dei Paschi scandal. Deutsche Bank disclosed that four ex‑employees have filed claims totalling over...
McDonald’s Must Face Black Ex-Execs’ Harassment, Retaliation Claims
A federal judge in Chicago ruled that two former McDonald’s vice presidents can pursue hostile‑work‑environment claims after alleging racial slurs and retaliation, while dismissing their promotion‑discrimination claims for insufficient evidence. The plaintiffs, Black women, say they were demoted and ultimately...
Even Low-Risk Homes Are Caught Up in California’s Climate Insurance Crisis
California’s wildfire‑driven insurance crisis is spilling into low‑risk neighborhoods as private carriers withdraw, pushing tens of thousands onto the state‑run FAIR Plan. Enrollment in the FAIR Plan surged 43% between September 2024 and December 2025, and 14% of its policies now cover...
Lucid Unveils Steering Wheel-Free Robotaxi Concept, Taking Aim at Tesla’s Cybercab
Lucid unveiled a two‑seater robotaxi concept without a steering wheel or pedals, alongside new self‑driving subscription plans ranging from $69 to $199 per month. The vehicle promises 40% lower operating costs and an efficiency of about 5.5 miles per kilowatt‑hour,...
Starbucks May Be Neglecting Labor Dispute Risks, Shareholders Warn
Proxy advisors ISS and Glass Lewis warned Starbucks shareholders that the company may be overlooking significant labor‑dispute risks after dissolving its dedicated labor oversight committee. The firm faces ongoing union activity, a recent $38.9 million settlement over schedule‑law violations, and rotating...
Viatris Settles Lawsuit Over Use of Woman’s ‘Immortal’ Cells to Power Drug Research
Viatris agreed to dismiss the Henrietta Lacks estate lawsuit with prejudice, ending claims that the company used HeLa cells without permission in its herpes drug Denavir and depression treatment Mylan‑Mirtazapine. The settlement details were kept confidential. This resolution follows similar...
IIHS: Fleets Saw Sharp Drop in Collisions, Wear After Adopting GPS‑Based Speed Tech
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) studied fleets that adopted active intelligent speed assistance (ISA) and found a 30% drop in preventable collisions, alongside reduced vehicle wear, better fuel economy, and dramatically improved Compliance, Safety, Accountability scores. ISA uses...
Unconditional Payments Interrupt Prescription for Louisiana First-Party Claims
The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled that unconditional payments restart the two‑year prescriptive period for first‑party insurance claims, even when the insurer becomes insolvent and the claim moves to the Louisiana Insurance Guaranty Association (LIGA). The decision arose from a Hurricane...
Gen Digital Overturns $481M Patent Award on Columbia University Lawsuit
A U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit overturned a $481 million verdict that Columbia University had secured against Gen Digital for alleged infringement of cybersecurity patents. The appellate panel said the six patents may be invalid because they cover...
Bankers Gain a New Route to Huge Payouts From UK Tribunals
The UK Labour government will remove the £118,223 cap on unfair‑dismissal awards from January 1, 2027, a change embedded in the Employment Rights Act. While intended to curb complex, multi‑issue claims, the uncapped regime is expected to boost high‑value lawsuits, especially...
Air Pollution From Wildfires Linked to Higher Rate Of Stroke
Researchers analyzing New Jersey stroke registry data found that short‑term exposure to wildfire‑derived air pollution in June‑July 2023 coincided with a higher stroke rate and greater severity. Ozone peaked at 136 ppb and PM2.5 at 211 µg/m³, far above typical levels, and...
Meta, Google Pivot in Addiction Trial to Accuser’s Home Life
Meta Platforms and Google are defending themselves in a landmark Los Angeles trial accusing them of fostering social‑media addiction in a 20‑year‑old plaintiff. Both companies plan to introduce the plaintiff’s therapists and school officials as witnesses to argue her mental‑health...
Report Shows Wind Turbines Are The Biggest Driver of Offshore Claims
A new AXIS Capital report finds wind turbines account for 57% of offshore loss claims. Drive‑train component damage makes up two‑thirds of turbine‑related claims, while inter‑array cables represent 14% with a $6.8 million average cost. Foundation claims are the third‑largest driver...
Report Signals Shift in Demographics of Policyholders, Claims Service Expectations
Sedgwick’s 2025 Loss Adjusting Insights Report reveals that Millennials and Gen Z now dominate insurance purchases, yet only 32% of Gen Z homeowners are very satisfied with their carriers. Younger policyholders demand flexible, digital‑first coverage and transparent communication, while 54% have switched...
Judge Approves Pfizer, SEC Settlement Tied to Insider Trading at Cohen Hedge Fund
A Manhattan federal judge approved a $29 million payment to Pfizer, resolving the drugmaker's dispute with the SEC over the 2013 insider‑trading settlement involving SAC Capital Management. The award comes from the $75.2 million portion of SAC’s $601.8 million settlement tied to illegal...
Severe Storms in Kansas Lead to $879 Million in Insurance Claims in 2025
Severe storms across Kansas generated $879 million in insurance claims for 2025, nearly doubling the payout from 2023. More than 82,000 individual claims were filed, marking a 99% increase in claim volume. Wichita’s Sedgwick County alone accounted for over one‑third of...
Westchester Close to Settling $230M-Plus Hurricane Condo Claim
Westchester Surplus Lines Insurance is nearing a settlement with the Portofino condominium association over a hurricane claim that originally sought more than $230 million. The dispute began with a modest $6.5 million proof of loss, which later ballooned to a $233 million appraisal...
Sedgwick: European Product Recalls Rose Again Last Year
Sedgwick’s 2026 State of the Nation Product Safety and Recall Index shows European recall events hit a record 15,608 in 2025, up from 14,484 in 2024. Every sector except medical devices posted year‑over‑year growth, with automotive and consumer‑product sub‑sectors jumping...
Taxi Insurer Failed to Defend Uber in Crash Cases, Judge Says
U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres ruled that American Transit Insurance Co. (ATIC) breached its duty to defend Uber Technologies in 23 crash lawsuits, ordering the insurer to pay damages and Uber’s legal fees. ATIC, New York’s largest taxi insurer, has...
JPMorgan, Barclays, Fifth Third Sued by Investors for Missing ‘Giant Red Flags’ at Tricolor
Investors holding more than $230 million of Tricolor asset‑backed securities have sued JPMorgan Chase, Barclays and Fifth Third, alleging the banks ignored audit warnings and helped market fraudulent auto‑loan debt. The complaint claims the banks financed, securitized and misrepresented Tricolor’s loan receivables...
Carriers See Higher Claims Severity Amid Medical, Social Inflation and Growth in AI‑Generated Fraud
North American insurers are confronting a surge in claim severity as medical inflation, social inflation, and AI‑generated fraud drive costs upward. The Gallagher Bassett 2026 Carrier Report shows 64% of carriers see more complex claims, with 56% pinpointing rising medical expenses...
Red Flags Adjusters Should Look for in Truck Accident Claims Investigations
Adjusters handling commercial‑truck accidents must navigate a dense web of electronic logs, driver qualification files, maintenance records, and carrier safety scores. Red flags such as ELD violations, missing qualification documents, incomplete DVIRs, and low SMS ratings often signal heightened exposure...
Marsh Awarded Injunction Against Former Employees Now With Howden US
A federal judge granted Marsh a preliminary injunction blocking seven former employees, now at Howden US, from using Marsh's confidential information, soliciting Marsh staff, and courting Marsh clients for one year. The court found Marsh likely to succeed on breach‑of‑contract...
Sedgwick: Five Industries Saw Higher US Recall Volumes in 2025
U.S. product recalls surged to 3,295 incidents in 2025, the highest in a decade across five key industries. Consumer products led with 414 recalls, while FDA‑regulated food recalls hit 517, a nine‑year peak. Automotive and medical device recalls slipped modestly,...
Court Sharpens Causation Standard in All-Risk Policies in Church Mutual Case
The U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that under North Carolina law an excluded cause must be the sole cause of damage for an all‑risk policy exclusion to apply, reaffirming the 1973 Avis v. Hartford standard. The decision overturns...
Insurer Ducks Claims by Models Over Strip Clubs’ Use of Their Images Without Consent
A federal court in Massachusetts ruled that Blackboard Specialty Insurance Co. is not liable for a $1.9 million consent judgment against three strip‑club owners accused of using professional models' images without permission. The decision hinged on the fact that most photos...
Claims Handling Breakdowns From LA Wildfires One Year On
One year after the Palisades and Eaton wildfires, first‑party property claims are increasingly turning into legal disputes as insurers lag on replacement cost adjustments and customer service. Many carriers initially undervalued rebuild costs in California’s high‑price market, then froze allowances...
UK Floods Raise Specter of ‘Mortgage Prisoners’ Across Banks
UK banks are confronting mounting flood‑risk exposure as climate change pushes millions of homes into high‑risk zones. Nationwide led the way by halting loans to flood‑prone properties, prompting peers such as Barclays, NatWest, Lloyds and HSBC to map flood exposure...
State Farm Adjuster’s Opinion Does Not Override Policy Exclusion in Sewage Backup
A federal appeals court ruled that a State Farm adjuster’s statement could not create coverage for a sewage‑backup loss that the homeowners’ policy expressly excluded. The Coopers’ Mississippi home suffered a backup in 2022, and although an initial adjuster said...
Building Fortification And The Role of The Insurance Industry
The article discusses the growing focus on building fortification as a way to reduce future insurance claims in disaster‑prone U.S. regions. It cites 2025’s 23 billion‑dollar weather events and the Southern California wildfires of January 2025 as catalysts for resilient...
Report: BMW, Ram And Tesla Had Some of The Nation’s Worst Drivers
A LendingTree study released in February 2026 found drivers of BMW, Ram and Tesla vehicles rank among the nation’s worst, with BMW posting the highest incident rate at 44.9 per 1,000 drivers. Ram and Tesla follow closely with 44.7 and...
Diocese’s Sex Abuse Claims Fund to Get $180 Million Boost to Pay Survivors
The Catholic Diocese of Camden agreed to contribute an additional $180 million to its abuse‑claims trust, supplementing the $87.5 million settlement approved in 2024. The boost follows a mediation that resolved insurers' objections to the original plan, which had been stalled on...
Munich Re Unit to Cut 1,000 Positions as AI Takes Over Jobs
Munich Re’s primary insurer, Ergo, will eliminate roughly 1,000 positions in Germany, driven by AI automation of routine telephony and claims‑processing tasks. The reductions will be phased over five years, ending in 2030, and support the group’s goal of €600 million...
