INSURANCE NEWS
Canada’s Fairfax Completes $860M Acquisition of Gulf Insurance Group from KIPCO
Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. announced it has completed the US$860 million acquisition of Gulf Insurance Group (GIG) from Kuwait Projects Co. (KIPCO) and certain of its affiliates. First announced in April 2023, the deal represents approximately 46.32% of the equity …
SPAC Mania’s Ugly End Yields $46 Billion of Investor Losses in 2023
Wall Street’s affair with blank-check firms, the finance fad that pushed companies onto the stock market during the COVID-19 pandemic, ended this year with a string of big bankruptcies and even bigger losses for shareholders. At least 21 firms that …
Gas Tanker’s Detour of 8,000 Kilometers Highlights Shipping’s Current Chokepoints
A gas tanker’s long, circuitous journey is highlighting the toll that war and climate change are taking on the shipping industry. Pacific Weihai loaded in Houston on Dec. 14 with a cargo of liquefied petroleum gas intended for Ningbo, China, …
French Climate Damage Measures Came Late but Were Sufficient, Court Rules
France’s moves to limit climate damage came late but were sufficient, a French court ruled on Friday, in a blow to attempts by environmental campaigners to impose a 1.1 billion euro ($1.21 billion) penalty on the state for alleged failings. …
Iranian-Linked Hacks Expose Vulnerabilities of US Water System
In late November, an Iranian-backed hacking group attacked Israeli-made digital controls commonly used in the water and wastewater industries in the US, affecting multiple organizations across several states. That same month, the North Texas Municipal Water District, which supplies water …
Severe Storms Lash Australia’s East Coast, Killing 9 People
Nine people have died in Australia after severe storms lashed the nation’s east coast on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning there is a risk of more flash flooding even as the weather system moves …
Japan Orders 4 Non-Life Insurers to End Anti-Competitive Business Practices
Japan ordered four major non-life insurance companies to improve business practices in connection with anti-competitive activity that aimed to keep premiums high, Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said on Tuesday. The order was issued to Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance, Sompo Japan …
Into the Surge in High-Stakes Verdicts: A Deep Dive Into Nuclear Verdicts
In recent years, the insurance industry has been grappling with a growing concern: the surge in what is now termed “nuclear verdicts.” As the name suggests, these are not just ordinary legal outcomes. These verdicts are particularly high jury awards …
Litigation Abuse, Regulation, Hard Market Among Insurance Trades’ Priorities for 2024
Insurance trade organizations are always working for the industry so Insurance Journal asked them: What are the top priorities and/or challenges heading into 2024? Here are the responses we received: In the coming year, the American Property Casualty Insurance Association …
Apple to Fight Watch Ban in Court After White House Declines to Act
Apple Inc., seeking to defend a business that generates roughly $17 billion a year, is appealing a US sales ban of its smartwatches after the White House refused to overturn the measure. Apple will challenge the ban — imposed by …
Tesla Recalls 120,000 Vehicles Over Doors That Could Unlock in Crash
Tesla is recalling just over 120,000 Model S and Model X vehicles in the United States over the risk of doors being unlocked and opening during a crash, the automaker said Friday. Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update for …
Tennessee Officials Sue BlackRock for ‘Misleading’ ESG Strategy
(Bloomberg) — The state of Tennessee sued BlackRock Inc. for allegedly breaching consumer protection laws by making “misleading” statements about its ESG investment strategy. State Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said BlackRock funds that don’t take into account ESG factors are …