INSURANCE NEWS
Scientists Crush and Analyze Hailstones in First-of-its-Kind Study
Dozens of researchers are chasing, driving and running into storms to collect fresh hail, getting their car bodies and their own bodies dented in the name of science. They hope these hailstones will reveal secrets about storms, damage and maybe …
French Investigators Order Tesla to Stop ‘Deceptive Business Practices’
French investigators on Tuesday ordered Tesla to stop what they called “deceptive business practices” or face thousands of euros in fines. Investigators at the finance ministry’s Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control office said the automaker had engaged in deceptive …
Indian Air-Safety Audit Finds Multiple Lapses at Airlines, Hubs
India’s aviation safety regulator found multiple aircraft-maintenance lapses in an audit of airlines and airports ordered after the crash of Air India flight AI171, including recurring defects that indicate inadequate monitoring and correction. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation also …
Warburg Is Said in Talks to Sell Stake in SBI General Insurance
Warburg Pincus is in talks with Premji Invest and State Bank of India about selling them its stake of about 10% in SBI General Insurance Co., according to people familiar with the matter. The firm is finalizing details of an …
Viewpoint: When the Cloud Sneezes, the Digital Ecosystem Catches a Cold
Google had a pretty bad day recently. The kind of day that would make Spotify stop singing, Discord and Snapchat go quiet, and give retailer Marks & Spencer a panic attack. Why? Because too many companies are leaning on a …
Anthropic Wins Key Ruling on AI Training in Authors’ Copyright Lawsuit
A federal judge in San Francisco ruled late on Monday that Anthropic’s use of books without permission to train its artificial intelligence system was legal under U.S. copyright law. Siding with tech companies on a pivotal question for the AI …
Wildfire Alerts Issued Across Mediterranean as Heat Wave Builds
Wildfire warnings were issued across the Mediterranean, as temperatures soar to 40C (104F) in parts of Spain, Italy, and Greece. Italian authorities are already tackling a blaze near the town of Bernalda in Basilicata [Italy], while Greece has drafted in …
Aflac Already Hit With Class Action Over Data Breach of Customer Info
An Alabama law firm wasted little time in filing a proposed class-action lawsuit against Aflac Inc., claiming the supplemental insurance giant knew the risks of a cyberattack and failed to protect policyholders’ private information. “Defendant disregarded the rights of Plaintiff …
Clean Energy Assets Face Coverage Risks, Zurich Insurance Says
Assets designed to help fight climate change may soon risk losing access to insurance unless they’re adequately shielded from extreme weather events. Roughly 46% of Europe’s total renewable generation capacity will be at “critical risk” from the fallout of climate …
MJ Companies Expands Nashville Ops, Names Reavis VP for Development
Indianapolis-based MJ Companies, an insurance agency and financial consulting firm, named Craig Reavis vice president for business and community development. The company also signed a lease for new office space at the upscale Nashville Yards mixed-use development district near downtown. …
Coalition Re’s New Helios Platform Allows Cedants to Gain Real-Time Cyber Insights
Coalition today introduced Coalition Re’s Helios platform, a new tool that allows cedants to view real-time cyber risk exposures in their portfolios and manage them more effectively. With the Helios platform, information previously provided to cedents only via a summary …
AI-Focused COVU Acquires Maine’s 100-Year Old Ford Agency
San Francisco-based COVU, Inc. announced it has acquired Ford Insurance Agency, a 100+ year-old, family-owned business based in Eliot, Maine. Operated by the Lonsinger family, Ford Insurance Agency provides commercial and personal lines coverage. This marks COVU’s fourth acquisition in …