INSURANCE NEWS
JPMorgan May Face Expanded Lawsuit Over Jeffrey Epstein Ties
The U.S. Virgin Islands wants to expand its lawsuit accusing JPMorgan Chase & Co of aiding in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking in girls and young women, adding a new obstruction charge and a claim that bank executives joked about the …
Train Carrying Iron Ore Derailed in California’s Mojave Desert
A freight train carrying iron ore derailed in a remote area of the Mojave Desert but there were no injuries, authorities said. The San Bernardino County Fire Protection District said in a tweet that “numerous” cars derailed. “No current threat …
Viewpoint: Whither War and Cyber Operation Exclusions?
The insurance industry is attempting to modernize war exclusions to address the 21st century risk of state-sponsored cyber operations. It has proven to be a challenging project. Many current war exclusions date back to the 1930s. They arise from the …
Is a Scooter a Vehicle? Appeals Court says ‘Yes’ and State Farm Must Pay UM Claim
State Farm must pay an uninsured motorist claim for injuries caused by an electric motor scooter even though the scooter didn’t match the definition of “motor vehicle” in Florida statutes, a panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled …
Markets/Coverages: Cyber MGA Astaara Expands Capacity Limit to $25 Million
Astaara, the Guernsey-based managing general agent and risk management advisory business, has increased its underwriting capacity and insurance limit from US$12.5 million in 2020 to US$25 million with effect from April 1. Astaara’s cyber insurance covers ports and terminals, as …
Ardonagh Advisory Acquires UK Broker Pace Ward
Ardonagh Advisory, the London-based SME broking platform, announced the acquisition of Pace Ward, a UK-based local broker that provides national coverage for large commercial clients, prestige and high-performance cars, and high net worth clients. Financial details of the transaction were …
Virginia Teacher Shot by 6-Year Old Sues School Officials for $40 Million
A first-grade Virginia teacher who was shot and seriously wounded by her 6-year-old student filed a lawsuit Monday seeking $40 million in damages from school officials, accusing them of gross negligence for allegedly ignoring multiple warnings on the day of …
R&Q Weighs Separation of Program Management and Legacy Insurance Businesses
R&Q Insurance Holdings Ltd., the non-life global specialty insurance company that focuses on program management and legacy insurance businesses, announced that the board of R&Q is reviewing strategic options to separate these businesses. R&Q said its Program Management business, Accredited, …
Sompo International Gets License to Write Primary Insurance in Switzerland
Sompo International, a global provider of commercial and consumer property/casualty re/insurance, announced the expansion of its operations in Switzerland with the granting of a Swiss insurance branch license to write primary insurance by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA), …
Texas Auto, Homeowners Premiums Grew Double Digits in 2022, Report Shows
The Texas market for auto and homeowners insurance grew double digits in 2022, according to an annual report put out by the Texas Department of Insurance. Texas insurers reported direct premium written for private passenger auto of $26.3 billion in …
BMS Launches Middle East Operations With Acquisition of UAE’s Berns Brett Masaood
BMS, the London-based independent specialist re/insurance broker, announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire a majority share in Berns Brett Masaood (BBM), a leading UAE insurance broker established in 2007 and headquartered in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Financial …
Car Services Groups Warn of Unfair Competition as EU Data Plan Stalls
Car services groups on Friday warned a stalled EU proposal to ensure fair access to valuable vehicle data could pave the way for unfair competition from U.S. and Chinese tech companies. The vehicle data tussle between carmakers and a coalition …