INSURANCE NEWS
Oil Tanker Rates to Stay Strong Into 2026 as Sanctions Remove Ships for Hire
The cost of shipping oil is likely to remain high in the first half of 2026 as the global fleet ages and a rising number of vessels are hit with Western sanctions, shipping sources say, though rates could be capped …
Death at Universal’s Orlando Resort Roller Coaster Ruled Accidental
The death of a 32-year-old man after riding a high-speed roller coaster at the Universal Epic Universe theme park was accidental, and an investigation has been closed, according to a Florida sheriff’s office report released this week. Meanwhile, a medical …
Fifth La Niña in Six Years to Disrupt Crops and Supply Chains
Deadly flooding in Asia and early snowstorms across the US are signaling the return of a weather-roiling La Niña, a cooling of Pacific waters that can disrupt economies and trigger disasters worldwide. In recent La Niña years, global losses have …
Jury Orders Johnson & Johnson to Pay $40M to Two Women in Latest Talc Trial
A California jury on Friday awarded $40 million to two women who said Johnson & Johnson’s JNJ.N baby powder was to blame for their ovarian cancer. The jury in Los Angeles Superior Court awarded $18 million to Monica Kent and …
Trump Administration Turning to Private Firms in Cyber Offensive
President Donald Trump’s administration is preparing to turn to private businesses to help mount offensive cyberattacks against foreign adversaries, according to people familiar with the matter, potentially expanding a shadowy electronic conflict typically conducted by secretive intelligence agencies. The White …
North Carolina Sting Operation Alleges Roofer Damaged Shingles to File Claim
Allegations that some roofers deliberately damage roofs in order to qualify properties for insurance claims have long been a concern for insurers. This fall, the North Carolina Department of Insurance and North Carolina Farm Bureau decided to do something about …
US Senators Push USDA for Urgent Action on Bird Flu Vaccine
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators this week urged the administration of President Donald Trump to finalize a science-based plan for developing a bird flu vaccine for livestock, according to a letter seen by Reuters. More than 180 million chickens, …
TDI Deputy Commissioner Receives NAIC’s Robert Dineen Award
Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) Deputy Commissioner Jamie Walker won this year’s Robert Dineen Award, the highest honor for a state regulator bestowed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Walker began at TDI as an examiner trainee before …
Man Sentenced for Flashing Three Insurance Agencies in Georgia
A man convicted of flashing workers at three insurance agencies in Warner Robins, Georgia, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. Demarcus Tyrell Mann, 30, pleaded guilty but mentally ill in October, after he was arrested for public indecency …
Black Lung Benefits Denied; Discrimination Claim Against UPS Shot Down by Court
A federal appeals court, one step below the U.S. Supreme Court, handed down two rulings in favor of employers and insurers, one involving black lung and one regarding a black delivery driver. In Keith McKnight vs. United Parcel Service, the …
NAIC Elects New Officers for 2026; Virginia’s White President
At the conclusion of its fall national meeting, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners elected new officers for 2026, with Virginia Insurance Commissioner Scott A. White slated to become president. White has been insurance commissioner of Virginia since 2018. He …
Missouri Attorney General Charges Carpenter for Fraud
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced that her Office has filed felony charges against Jeffrey Griffin, operating as Griffin Quality Construction in Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas, for allegedly defrauding consumers by accepting payments for staircase repair service that he …