INSURANCE NEWS
Oregon Closer to Magic Mushroom Medical Therapy
Oregon was taking a major step Friday in its pioneering of legalized psilocybin therapy with the graduation of the first students trained in accompanying patients tripping on psychedelic mushrooms, although a company’s bankruptcy has left another group on the same …
Specialist Risk Group Acquires Mid-Market Commercial Broker Consort Insurance
Specialist Risk Group (SRG), the London-based insurance broker, announced the acquisition of mid-market commercial broker Consort Insurance, subject to regulatory approval. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Based in Witham, Essex, UK, Consort is specialist broker supporting a …
Festival Canceled, Businesses Interrupted as Red Tide, Brown Seaweed Blooms in Florida
Residents are complaining about burning eyes and breathing problems. Dead fish have washed up. A beachside festival has been canceled, even though it wasn’t scheduled for another month. To add to the misery, a giant stretch of brown seaweed is …
Driver Flees After Hitting and Injuring Two Road Workers Near Atlanta
Two road construction workers were hit by a car and seriously injured in suburban Atlanta early Sunday. Police tell local news outlets that the men had gotten out of their vehicle under an overpass in Marietta to set up an …
U.S. Commercial Rates Increased in Q4 – But at Slower Pace: WTW
U.S. commercial insurance prices grew in the fourth quarter of 2022 by an average of 4.8%, down from the rate of 5.2% in the previous quarter (Q3 2022), according to WTW’s most recent Commercial Lines Insurance Pricing Survey (CLIPS). The …
Generali Hikes Dividend Payout After Posting Its Best Ever Operating Profit
Italy’s Assicurazioni Generali surprised investors on Tuesday by hiking the dividend payout on its 2022 results after posting its best operating profit ever. Finance chief Cristiano Borean also told reporters the leading Italian insurer had no exposure to collapsed U.S. …
Amgen Sued by Pension Fund for Failing to Disclose $10B Tax Bill on Timely Basis
Amgen Inc. misled investors about its financial health by failing to reveal that it may be on the hook for more than $10 billion in back taxes and penalties, a pension fund claimed in a lawsuit. The Internal Revenue Service …
People Moves: Harford Mutual Promotes Officers; Kyer Joins MEMIC; GMI Appoints Hall, Kelly
Harford Mutual Promotes Gearhart, Thames Wayne Gearhart has been promoted from vice president of claims to senior vice president and chief operating officer of Hartford Mutual Insurance Group, headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut. Gearhart brings nearly 30 years of insurance industry …
Court Rules Uber, Lyft Can Classify Gig Workers as Contractors
Uber Technologies Inc., Lyft Inc. and other gig economy companies scored a victory after a California appeals court upheld the current law classifying gig workers as independent contractors instead of employees. The decision on Monday struck down a lower-court ruling …
Ukraine Rebuffs Russia’s Offer of 60-Day Extension on Grain Deal
Ukraine pushed back on Russia’s apparent offer to extend the landmark grain-export deal by just 60 days when it comes up for renewal later this week. Russian and United Nations officials held discussions in Geneva on Monday as crop traders …
Zuckerberg Was Warned on Social Media Addiction, Filing Says
Employees at Meta Platforms Inc. and ByteDance Inc. were aware of the harmful effects of their platforms on young children and teenagers but disregarded the information or in some cases sought to undermine it, according to claims in a court …
Viewpoint: Silicon Valley Bank’s Failure in Risk Management
As someone who had a front row seat at the largest bank failure in U.S. history, Washington Mutual, the demise of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) brings back memories of how seemingly well-run banks can in an instant run into trouble …