INSURANCE NEWS
Hedge Fund Fermat Says Surge in Cat-Bond Sales Is ‘Breathtaking’
The co-founder of Fermat Capital Management says the market for catastrophe bonds is drawing in new issuers at a rate that’s unlike anything he’s seen before. John Seo, managing director and co-founder of Connecticut-based Fermat — a hedge fund manager …
New York Governor Hochul Pulls Robotaxi Expansion Proposal
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has pulled her proposal to allow commercial robotaxi services in smaller cities outside New York, a spokesperson for the governor said on Thursday. “Based on conversations with stakeholders, including in the legislature, it was clear …
Two-Thirds of Independent Agencies Plan to Increase AI Use This Year, Survey Says
More than two-thirds of independent agencies plan to increase use of artificial intelligence in the next 12 month though just 8% said AI is currently embedded in their daily workflows, according to a new report from The Big “I” Agents …
Climate Change Made Deadly Valencia Floods More Intense
Man-made climate change intensified the rain that fell over Spain’s Valencia region in 2024, when flash floods and landslides caused at least 230 deaths and an estimated €29 billion in damages ($34 billion). Global warming also meant that sudden and …
How the UK Is Keeping Flood Insurance Affordable – Until 2039
While floods are becoming more frequent in recent years, you should still be able to buy reasonably priced home insurance. That reassurance exists largely because of Flood Re. Launched in 2016, Flood Re is a national public–private reinsurance scheme that …
India Grants One-Month Extension to 4 Russian Marine Insurers
India temporarily extended permission for four Russian insurers to cover tankers calling at its ports, as the government seeks to sustain crude imports while also managing US pressure to end shipments from Moscow. The stopgap move lasts for one month, …
Markets/Coverages: Markel Collaborates With Upfort on US Cyber; Business Risk Partners Launches SML Program
Markel announced a new collaboration with Upfort to provide eligible U.S. cyber policyholders with an expanded suite of tools to help them safeguard their businesses and help reduce the risk of cyberattacks. Upfort Shield, a multi-layer cyber defense platform, is …
People Moves: Yuko and Shapiro to Lead Amwins New Hospitality Practice; Pinion Insurance Names Selvig US CUO
Amwins Appoints Yuko and Shapiro to Lead New Hospitality Practice Amwins, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, named Michelle Yuko and Joey Shapiro as leaders of its new hospitality practice, a dedicated industry-focused group designed to support retail partners. While continuing …
Live Nation Loses Bid for Full Dismissal of Antitrust Suit
Live Nation Entertainment Inc. must face an antitrust trial on some claims brought by the US Justice Department and various states for allegedly monopolizing the live events market, after a federal judge rejected the company’s request to dismiss a case …
BioNTech Sues Moderna for Patent Infringement Over COVID Shots
German biopharmaceutical company BioNTech sued Moderna in Delaware federal court on Thursday, alleging that Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine mNEXSPIKE infringes a patent related to BioNTech and Pfizer’s competing shot Comirnaty. The lawsuit said that mNEXSPIKE, Moderna’s next-generation COVID shot approved by …
People Moves: Higginbotham Hires Ritter as Medical Director for Employee Benefits
Higginbotham has hired Samuel Isaac Ritter, M.D., as medical director for employee benefits, adding a client-facing physician resource within its self-funded advisory work. As more employers move into self-funded plans, the questions landing on brokers are increasingly clinical: complex, high-cost …
Texas Fire Threat to Worsen as Oklahoma Panhandle Burns
A fast-moving wildfire in the Oklahoma panhandle doubled in size as it pressed into Kansas while winds threatened to shift and raise fire risks across West Texas and New Mexico. The Ranger Road Fire had consumed more than 283,000 acres …