INSURANCE NEWS
Trump Blockade of Iran Ports Risks Widening War to High Seas
US President Donald Trump’s threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz after talks with Iran collapsed over the weekend risks widening a war now entering its seventh week, lifting oil prices and raising the prospect of further economic pain around …
Trump Approves Disaster Requests for at Least 7 States; Others Wait
The Trump administration approved major disaster declaration requests for at least seven states this week, according to information released Saturday by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, allowing affected communities to access federal support. About 15 requests for assistance from others …
OpenAI Identifies Security Issue Involving Third-Party Tool Axios
OpenAI said on April 10 it had identified a security issue involving a third-party developer tool called Axios and is taking steps to protect the process that certifies its macOS applications are legitimate OpenAI apps. The ChatGPT maker said it …
Worsening Ocean Heat Waves Are ‘Supercharging’ Hurricane Damage, Study Finds
Marine heat waves are supercharging damage caused by hurricanes and tropical cyclones across the globe, a new study found. Researchers looked at 1,600 tropical cyclones — the broader category of storms that includes hurricanes — that made landfall since 1981 …
Causey Says Recommended Lindberg Restitution ‘Not Enough’ for Harm Caused
The more than $1 billion that a special master has recommended that imprisoned insurance mogul Greg Lindberg pay in restitution may seem like a huge amount of money. But it falls well short of covering the wreckage left behind by …
Electric Bills in Coal Country West Virginia Now Top Mortgage Payments
RAINELLE, W.Va. (AP) — Every month, Rebecca Michalski takes a deep breath before opening her electric bill. She lives on a fixed income, and heating her small house this winter has been staggering: Her February charge was $940.08 — more …
Iowa AG Sues Meta Over Alleged Deceptive Practices on Instagram
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird announced she has filed a lawsuit against Meta and several of its subsidiaries, including Instagram and Facebook, for breaking Iowa’s consumer protection laws. The Attorney General’s Office alleges Instagram represents itself as being safe for …
Inszone Acquires Oklahoma’s Schuessler
Inszone Insurance Services announced its expansion in Oklahoma through the acquisition of Schuessler Insurance, Inc., a long-standing independent insurance agency based in Alva, Oklahoma. Founded in 1973 by Harvey Schuessler, the agency began as a small operation run from Schuessler’s …
Markel Expands in Australia With Office in Perth
Markel Insurance, the insurance operations within Markel Group Inc., announced the opening of a new office in Perth, Western Australia, with immediate effect. Building on growth from existing Australian offices, Markel is expanding its local presence with the appointments of …
Missouri Fossil Company Owner Accused of Disability Fraud
The owner of a St. Louis, Missouri fossil replica company was indicted and accused of fraudulently seeking disability benefits, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri announced. Scott A. Taylor, 50, is still on probation from a prior disability …
Elon Musk’s xAI Sues Colorado Over State’s New AI Law
xAI filed a lawsuit on Thursday seeking to block Colorado from enforcing a new law regulating artificial intelligence systems, escalating a fight over whether oversight should be handled by states or by Washington. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court …
Florida AG to Investigate ChatGPT After Gunman May Have Used it Before FSU Shooting
Florida’s attorney general said his office has launched an investigation into the artificial intelligence app ChatGPT and its parent company, after authorities learned that a gunman used the platform repeatedly before a mass shooting last year at Florida State University. …