INSURANCE NEWS
Wheat Crops Wither, Herds Thin as Spring Drought Deepens
Farmers across the Great Plains are confronting an intense drought that threatens winter wheat harvests and is pushing cattle producers toward costly feed purchases, prompting some to abandon plans to expand their herds. The dryness is expected to persist through …
Berkshire Selects Gen Re’s Shamieh to Succeed Jain as Insurance Chief, WSJ Reports
Berkshire Hathaway has selected Gen Re Chairman Charlie Shamieh as successor to longtime insurance leader Ajit Jain, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. Shamieh, a veteran of the insurance industry, is set to …
Rhode Island Approves 2.5% Workers’ Compensation Decrease
Rhode Island’s regulator has approved a 2.5% average reduction in overall workers’ compensation loss costs. The reduction will take effect on August 1, 2026. More than 200 insurers write workers’ compensation coverage in the state. The rate change was proposed …
People: Sunstar Names New CEO, King Risk Adds Sales Leadership
Memphis-based Sunstar Insurance Group, an independent brokerage operating in nine states, announced Adam Meyerowitz as the new chief executive officer. He succeeds Casey Bowlin, who founded the firm in 2013 and will now move into the role of chairman. Meyerowitz …
A Quiet Alaska Fault Is Missing The Fluids Scientists Expected
Not all earthquake faults behave the same. Some stick and snap, causing earthquakes. Others move slowly over time. For years, the leading explanation for slow-moving faults has been that high-pressure fluids along the fault lubricate it, allowing the slabs to …
After Greg Biffle Plane Crash, Police Think ‘Friends’ Stole From His NC Home
Less than a month after former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family died in a plane crash last year, investigators say two of their “friends” conspired to break into the empty home and took cash, guns and financial information …
Progressive Insurance Helps First-Time Homebuyers With Down Payments
As many as 200 first-time home buyers could receive down payment assistance up to $13,500 each thanks to Progressive Insurance. Progressive’s UpPayment program is available to first-time homebuyers purchasing a non-commercial, non-mobile residential property with intention of making it their …
Young Europeans Turn to AI Chatbots for Emotional Support, Survey Shows
Nearly one in two young people in Europe have used AI chatbots to discuss intimate or personal matters, as the technology increasingly serves as a source of emotional support, an Ipsos BVA survey showed on Tuesday. Of the 3,800 people …
AI Firms Agree to Give US Early Access to Evaluate Their Models
Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Microsoft Corp. and xAI have agreed to give the US government early access to their artificial intelligence models to assess the systems’ capabilities and help improve their security before the technology is released to the public. With …
New Zealand’s A2 Milk Recalls Batches of US Baby Formula After Toxin Found
New Zealand infant formula maker a2 Milk Co. is recalling batches of product sold in the US after detecting a toxin linked to vomiting and diarrhea, marking its first brush with a contamination scare that has rattled the global industry. …
Heat-Trapping Microplastics Found to Play Role in Climate Change
Microplastics in the atmosphere are heating the planet, magnifying climate change impacts, according to new research. Scientists in China and the US found that tiny, colored plastic particles absorb sunlight as winds blow them around the world, trapping heat and …
Insurer QBE Faces Investor Pressure Over Extreme Weather Risks
Australian Ethical Investment Ltd., a pension fund with about A$14 billion ($10 billion) under management, is pressuring QBE Insurance Group Ltd. over the potential threat extreme weather poses to future profitability. The fund, which holds about A$65 million of QBE …