INSURANCE NEWS
Developer Downplays Structural Concerns at ‘Unstable’ Midtown Manhattan Tower
The structural concerns that led New York City officials to shut down a Midtown Manhattan high-rise and evacuate surrounding buildings are “very small,” said Nathan Berman, the chief executive officer of Metro Loft, which is leading the project to convert …
NYC Is Racing to Secure Unstable Midtown Manhattan Building
New York City officials were racing to stabilize a high-rise building in the heart of Manhattan after cracks developed in multiple columns and floors began to sag, leading to the evacuation of nearby office buildings and a school during the …
London Moves to Expand Influence in $140 Billion ILS Market
The world’s biggest hub for commercial and specialty risk is angling for a much more prominent role in the $140 billion global market for insurance-linked securities. Issuance of ILS products, currently dominated by Bermuda, is witnessing a stunning surge in …
Private Equity Turns to Heat Detectives as Climate Risks Intensify
Erratic weather is forcing private equity investors to scrutinize a new source of financial risk — whether assets in their portfolios can withstand a changing climate. For decades, investment models at the world’s largest funds relied on assumptions of a …
Allstate Sued by Oklahoma for Alleged Scheme to Underpay Claims
Oklahoma’s attorney general sued Allstate Corp., alleging the insurer schemed to minimize payouts to homeowners for wind and hailstorm damage in order to boost its profits. The state’s top lawyer, Gentner Drummond, alleges that Allstate implemented an internal program to …
Supreme Court Lets Texas’ Age App Verification Law Stand
Texas can continue enforcing a law requiring app marketplace operators like Google and Apple to verify all users’ ages after the U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to intervene. Senate Bill 2420, which was supposed to take effect Jan. 1, establishes …
Sequel Insurance Agencies Acquires Texas’ Watkins
Sequel Insurance Agencies, powered by SIAA, a leading independent insurance agency platform and perpetuation partner for entrepreneurial agencies, announced its acquisition of Watkins Insurance Group including five office locations across Austin and Central Texas. This transaction marks another strategic milestone …
Merger Suits Stall Under DOJ Boss Who Opposes Blocking Deals
A nearly $1 billion takeover by a defense supplier that Pentagon officials previously faulted for overcharging the military may serve as the latest test of how light a touch the US Justice Department is willing to take on corporate mergers. …
Iran Tells UN It Has Right to Control ‘Parts’ of Hormuz Strait
Iran told the United Nations’ shipping agency that it has authority over parts of the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway that’s a centerpiece of peace talks between Washington and Tehran. “Parts of the Strait of Hormuz fall within the territorial …
Ugandan Farmers to Challenge $5.6 Billion Pipeline in UK Lawsuit
A group of Ugandan farmers will on Tuesday file a lawsuit in the UK High Court against the East African nation’s $5.6 billion crude pipeline, potentially delaying long-awaited exports due to begin later this year. The petition says the 1,450-kilometer …
Premiums Will Skyrocket by 2035, and Discounts Not Enough for Wind Mit, Studies Say
Home fortifications, from roof tie-downs to window protections, have been recognized as key factors in reducing losses, claims and premiums in hurricane-prone states like Florida. But relying on the incentive of premium discounts is not enough to prompt widespread adoption …
Judge Approves $46.75 Million Payout for 23andMe Data Breach Victims
A U.S. bankruptcy judge on July 7 approved a $46.75 million settlement for victims of a 2023 data breach at the genetic testing company 23andMe, which exposed genetic and other personal information of an estimated 6.9 million customers. U.S. Bankruptcy …