INSURANCE NEWS
Deadly Wildfires Ravage Southwest France as Heat Wave Builds
Wildfires ravaged vineyards and farms in southern France, leaving one person dead and forcing residents to flee as flames shut roads and cut power to thousands of homes. About 1,800 firefighters, assisted by aircraft, are working to control the outbreaks …
Hartford Flood Relief Program Gets $4.7 Million More to Meet Demand
Connecticut has approved $4.7 million in new funding for a program that helps homeowners, businesses and tenants in the city of Hartford’s neighborhoods recover from flooding. The Hartford Flood Compensation & Relief Programs (HFCRP) was launched in 2023 and accepted …
Residents Discover WV Lawmakers Eliminated Local Authority Over Data Centers
In late March, Pamela Moe was at her dining room table, skimming the local paper when something caught her eye. A legal notice, by a company she had never heard of, for a facility near the city of Thomas. Curious, …
Federal Judge Stops FEMA From Diverting Infrastructure, Disaster Mitigation Grants
A federal judge on Tuesday granted the request of 20 states to block the Trump administration’s attempt to terminate a multibillion-dollar grant program meant for states’ infrastructure upgrades and disaster mitigation. U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns on Aug. 5 …
California’s Largest Wildfire of 2025 Threatens 870 Structures
A wildfire in California that has become the biggest fire in the state this year, prompting evacuation orders and threatening hundreds of structures, has grown to 83,933 acres. The fire, which started on Aug. 2 and covers San Luis Obispo …
Global Insured Losses From Natural Disasters Could Top $150B in 2025: Swiss Re Report
Global insured losses from natural catastrophes hit US$80 billion in the first half of 2025, which is almost double the 10-year average between 2015 and 2024 and marks the fifth year in succession when H1 losses have exceeded $US50 billion, …
Owners of Ship That Crashed Into Baltimore Bridge Sue Vessel’s Builder Hyundai
The owners of the cargo ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge are suing the company that built the vessel, alleging negligence in the design of a critical switchboard on the ship. Grace Ocean Private and Synergy Marine …
Howden Re Granted License to Operate From Dubai International Financial Centre
Howden Re, the global reinsurance brokerage arm of Howden Group, announced it has secured a full reinsurance license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) to operate from Dubai International Financial Centre, the leading global financial center in the Middle …
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Acquires Australian Broker MACK Insurance Services
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., the Rolling Meadows, Ill.-based broker, announced the acquisition of Australia-based MACK Insurance Services. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. MACK Insurance Services is a commercial insurance broker with a focus on the agriculture sector. …
UK Firms Hire Contractors Instead of Employees to Cut Tax Bills
UK businesses are turning to the self-employed in an effort to rein in costs as they try to navigate Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves’ £26 billion ($34.5 billion) payroll tax hike. Advertised contract jobs have risen 22% since April, …
Does Care by Advanced Practitioners Result in Different Workers Comp Outcomes?
A newly released decade-long study by the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) indicates that claims initiated by nurse practitioners and physician assistants didn’t lead to negative outcomes and suggested some benefits when compared to those led by primary care physicians. …
US to Ease Long-Range Drone Rules in Boon for Walmart, Alphabet
President Donald Trump’s administration proposed a rule to allow more commercial drones to fly beyond an operator’s visual line of sight, a potential boon for companies such as Alphabet Inc.’s Wing unit and Walmart Inc. pushing to deliver packages by …