INSURANCE NEWS
Tesla Secures Texas Rideshare Permit for Robotaxi Operation
Tesla Inc. has been granted a rideshare license in Texas, paving the way for the electric-vehicle maker to operate its robotaxi service under new regulations governing autonomous vehicles in the state. Tesla Robotaxi LLC is now listed as a transportation …
Why Experts Say States Need to Get in the Business of Floodplain Buyouts
As flooding becomes an increasingly common and destructive feature of Texas life, housing experts are calling for the creation of a statewide, voluntary buyout program to move residents out of the most high-risk areas. The experts say Texas needs a …
Zurich Insurance Reports Record H1 Profit of $4.2B, Driven by Middle Market, Specialty
Zurich Insurance Group reported some record numbers during the first half: business operating profit (BOP) was up 6% to a record US$4.2 billion and core return on equity hit a best-ever number of 26.3%. What is the reason for Zurich’s …
Former Ironshore, Lexington CEO Kevin Kelley Dies
Long-time industry leader Kevin H. Kelley has died. Kelley was last in the industry with Liberty Mutual Insurance, where he was vice chairman, Global Risk Solutions after joining the company in 2017 when Ironshore was acquired by Liberty Mutual. He …
Two South Carolina Women Charged With Fake Hit-and-Run Scam
Two South Carolina women filed an auto accident claim with First Acceptance Insurance Co. in May and were paid more than $25,500 for bodily injury medical expenses. Then investigators found out that the women had fabricated the entire incident, the …
Homeowners Insurers Still Boosting Rates; Top Carriers Ranked: AM Best
Last year’s sub-100 combined ratio for the homeowners line broke a five-year string of 100-plus figures for the U.S. insurance industry in aggregate—and homeowners insurers are sticking to rate increases to keep profits going, a new report says. According the …
Smith Brothers Acquires Moscato & Associates
Connecticut-based Smith Brothers Insurance announced it acquired Moscato & Associates of Ithaca, New York on August 1, 2025. Moscato & Associates, an independent agency specializing in employee benefits, individual health, and Medicare, will maintain is location in Ithaca. Edward Moscato …
NC Residents Can Now Seek State Aid After Tropical Storm Chantal
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Individuals in central North Carolina counties whose homes and belongings were damaged by massive rains last month from Tropical Storm Chantal can now seek state-funded financial grants for temporary assistance. The aid for residents in eight …
2 South Carolina Deputies Hurt by Live Rounds Kept in Baggie in Desk Drawer
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Two deputies shot and injured in a training exercise in South Carolina were wounded by ammunition taken from a plastic bag in a desk drawer and not property tested to see if they were blanks, a …
ALKEME Acquires Innovative Insurance Group
California-based insurance brokerage ALKEME announced its acquisition of Innovative Insurance Group, one of Virginia’s largest insurance agencies. This acquisition marks a significant expansion of ALKEME’s commitment to the East Coast, according to Curtis Barton, CEO of ALKEME. The Innovative team …
Great Barrier Reef Records Largest Annual Coral Loss in 39 Years
The Great Barrier Reef has experienced its greatest annual loss of live coral across most of its expanse in four decades of record-keeping, Australian authorities say. But due to increasing coral cover since 2017, the coral deaths — caused mainly …
Ontario Teachers’ Sells Stake in French Broker Diot-Siaci to Private Equity Firm Ardian
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan has signed a definitive agreement to sell its stake in Diot-Siaci, a Paris-based corporate insurance brokerage group, to French private equity firm Ardian. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. As a long-standing shareholder of …