INSURANCE NEWS

Viewpoint: How Corporate Help Desks Became the Weak Spot in Cyber Defenses

The cyberattack on MGM Resorts in September 2023 provides a vivid example of the effects these types of attacks can have in today’s complex and interconnected IT environments. MGM estimates the incident-related costs at upwards of $100 million, after the …
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Florida Bills Would Let Surplus Lines Do Takeouts, Would Require More Data Reporting

A key Florida Senate committee this week advanced a bill that would allow surplus lines carriers to take over coverage of second homes from Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Reaction by agents and brokers was mixed. The issue of having the …
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Connecticut Sues 28 Firms for Alleged Contamination by ‘Forever Chemicals’

The state of Connecticut is suing 28 chemical manufacturers that it alleges are responsible for “knowingly contaminating” the state’s waters and natural resources and harming public health with toxic PFAS “forever chemicals.” Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has filed two …
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Small California Business Owners Polled on Legislative Proposals

California small business owners in are decidedly against three proposals or potential ballot initiatives they believe could impact their operations. A poll from the National Federation of Independent Business asked respondents four questions that are being considered in the Legislature …
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Alaska Charter Company Paying $900K for Wildfire from Campfire

An Alaska fishing guide company has paid $900,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the U.S. government alleging one of its guides started a wildfire in 2019, the U.S. attorney’s office for Alaska said in a statement. Court documents said …
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Avian Flu is Devastating Farms In California’s ‘Egg Basket’ as Outbreaks Roil Poultry Industry

Last month, Mike Weber got the news every poultry farmer fears: His chickens tested positive for avian flu. Following government rules, Weber’s company, Sunrise Farms, had to slaughter its entire flock of egg-laying hens — 550,000 birds — to prevent …
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Oklahoma’s Mulready Re-Appointed Chair of American Indian and Alaska Native Liaison Committee

Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready has been re-appointed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to serve as the Chair for the American Indian and Alaska Native Liaison Committee in 2024. He was also named Vice-Chair of the Health …
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Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Acquires Iowa’s Horak Insurance

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced the acquisition of Washington, Iowa-based Horak Insurance, Inc. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Horak Insurance is a retail property/casualty insurance agency serving commercial and personal lines clients as well as farms in …
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People Moves: Carbon Names Willetts Head of Specialty; Canopius Hires 4 in Credit & Political Risk Team; BHSI Taps Chaucer’s Merton to Lead UK Customer & Broker Engmt

This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Carbon Underwriting, Canopius Group and Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) . A summary of these new hires follows here. Carbon Underwriting Appoints Head of Specialty Carbon Underwriting Ltd., the London-based, managing …
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Aviation Sector Sees No Quick Tech Solution to GPS ‘Spoofing’ Interference Problem

Global regulators, aviation security specialists and manufacturers failed to reach an agreement on a quick technical fix to the problem of GPS spoofing near war zones at a meeting on Thursday [Jan. 25], instead calling for better training of pilots …
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Latin American Agents Offer Membership to USF Insurance Students

The Latin American Association of Insurance Agents has teamed up with the University of South Florida to expand awareness of insurance industry trends, best practices and emerging technology, for students as well as professionals. LAAIA said in a news release …
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Virginia Police Officer Denied Workers’ Compensation Despite Statutory Presumption

A Virginia police officer has been denied workers’ compensation benefits for a heart condition despite the state law that his condition is presumed to be work-related. The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission (VWCC) has ruled that the officer’s public university employer, …
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