INSURANCE NEWS
Federal Judge Casts Doubt on 69,000 Cases Alleging J&J Talc Caused Cancer
A federal judge cast doubt on July 22 on claims by approximately 69,000 people alleging that Johnson & Johnson’s JNJ.N baby powder and other talc products caused ovarian cancer, saying plaintiffs must provide more specific evidence or risk having their …
Hacker Breaches South Korean Database of Nearly All Diplomats
South Korea has been hit by a “significant” data leak that could affect all of its diplomats following a breach at a government-run training academy. A system that held roughly 10,000 records of current and retired diplomats is believed to …
Root Expands Its Telematics Car Insurance to New Jersey, Its 37th State
Technology-driven insurer Root has launched its behavior-based car insurance in New Jersey, marking its 37th state. Using mobile telematics, Root calculates its rates primarily on actual driving performance, such as focused driving, smooth braking, and gentle turns. The system can …
Mexican Man Killed After ICE Encounter in Florida Was on Vacation, Officials Say
A Mexican man who was struck and killed by a tractor trailer in Florida after running from federal immigration officers was vacationing in the U.S. and had a tourist visa, according to a Mexico official and a group assisting his …
Stored Pool Chemicals Led to Corroded Sprinklers Before Plant Fire, Report Finds
More than twice the amount of swimming pool chemicals as planned were improperly stored at a Georgia plant, setting conditions for a fire in 2024 that sent a huge plume of orange and black smoke into the sky and forced …
Q2 Global Commercial Insurance Rates Keep Dropping for 8th Consecutive Quarter
Global commercial insurance rates dropped by 6%, on average, in the second quarter of 2026, following a 5% decline in Q1 2026, according to Marsh’s latest Global Insurance Market Index (GIMI). Property rates declined by 12% in Q2, while casualty …
Coverwatch in California Raises $4.5M for Its AI-Native Service
Coverwatch has raised a $4.5 million pre-seed round to help accelerate product development and expand the team at the San Francisco-based firm. The round was led by CoFound and Restive with participation from KFund, liquid2 ventures and others. Coverwatch is …
Meta Employees’ Lawsuit Shows That if AI Fires You, Proving it Is the Hard Part
A novel lawsuit claiming that Meta Platforms relied on discriminatory AI tools to select employees for layoffs highlights the problems workers face in suing employers over the new technology, including proving how it was actually used. The case helps illustrate …
NYC Says Source of Legionnaires’ Disease Has Been Eliminated
The New York City Health Department has reported that five people have died and seven people are currently hospitalized due to the outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease on the Upper East Side. No new cases have been reported for more than …
Sicily’s Cyclone Harry Tests Italian Mandatory Insurance Plan
A cyclone that wreaked more than €1 billion ($1.14 billion) in damage along Sicily’s coast has also exposed a flaw in Italy’s push to expand mandatory insurance against natural disasters. Businesses were insured, but not for the risks they faced …
Texas, Louisiana Face Searing Heat Wave Exacerbated by Storm
Texas and Louisiana are sweltering under dangerous heat exacerbated by Tropical Storm Bertha, which made landfall Wednesday afternoon and is helping push Texas electricity demand to another record. Heat index temperatures in eastern Texas and northwest Louisiana may reach 120F …
Deja Vu as Berkley Bashes Delegated Underwriters
W.R. Berkley’s CEO wasted no time addressing the issue that has been stuck in his craw for at least a year. “We continue to have great concern around much of the [delegated underwriting authority] model and how it’s participating in …