INSURANCE NEWS
The Odds of a Hurricane-Boosting La Niña This Year Are Rising
The odds of a La Niña weather pattern this year are rising, amplifying the risk of hurricanes in the Atlantic and drought in California and South America. There’s a 55% chance that La Niña, a cooling of the equatorial Pacific, …
Judge Orders Elon Musk to Testify in SEC’s Twitter Probe
A federal judge ordered Elon Musk to testify again in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s probe of his $44 billion takeover of Twitter, giving the regulator and the billionaire a week to agree on a date and location for …
Amazon Staff Allege Retaliation in Pay Gap Discrimination Suit
Amazon.com Inc. allegedly retaliated against three female employees — including firing one and placing another on a performance plan — after they sued the company for discrimination, the plaintiffs said in new court papers. In an amended complaint filed Friday, …
Jacobson: Survey Shows ‘A Significant Pause’ in Industry Job Growth
More than half of insurance companies expect to increase staff in the next year, according to the latest labor market study from Aon and the Jacobson Group. Meanwhile, 77% of carriers expect to increase revenue in the next 12 months. …
Markets/Coverages: WTW Launches Primary Cyber, Tech E&O Facility for Int’l Clients
Insurance broker WTW has launched a cyber solution aimed at international clients headquartered outside of Great Britain and the United States with revenues up to US$1 billion (or the equivalent currency). The International CyCore Facility (ICF) is a tailored solution …
NTSB to Release Cause of East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment in June Hearing
Federal investigators say they will determine the cause of last year’s fiery Norfolk Southern derailment in eastern Ohio at a hearing in East Palestine this June. The National Transportation Safety Board announced Wednesday that it will hold the hearing at …
Migratory Animals in Peril From Overhunting, Habitat Loss: UN Report
Every year, mammals, birds, fish and insects make epic migrations between habitats. The humpback whale, famously, can travel 5,000 miles in a trip. But because these animals cross national borders and frequently congregate at predictable way stops, they are uniquely …
Ten Texas Counties Have Soot Levels Above EPA Standards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday finalized a long-anticipated rule aimed at reducing the level of air pollution known as particulate matter — microscopic particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and harm people’s health. Reducing air pollution …
Rio Tinto Faces Pressure From Investors Over Water Contamination Claims
Global mining giant Rio Tinto, which sparked outrage after destroying an ancient Indigenous site in Australia in 2020, faces new pressure from socially conscious investors and lenders, this time on water practices at two of its mines. A group representing …
Texas Supreme Court Rules to Cut Out Attorney’s Fees in First-Party Appraisals
The Texas Supreme Court recently ruled that when an insurance company pays an appraisal award plus any statutory interest in a weather-related first-party property case, there is no liability for attorney’s fees. The court responded to a certified question from …
Minnesota Officials: Lodge That Burned Had Unresolved Inspection Violations
Minnesota regulators said on Feb. 7 that a historic lodge destroyed in a fire had three unresolved violations from a recent fire code inspection, but it wasn’t clear if those violations played a role in the blaze. A staffer at …
Two Dead After Plane Crash-Lands on Florida Interstate in Naples
NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Two people have died after a small plane attempted to make an emergency landing on Interstate 75 in southwest Florida on Friday afternoon, colliding with a vehicle and bringing traffic to a halt as a massive …