INSURANCE NEWS
Massachusetts High Court Upholds COVID Workers’ Comp for Essential Worker
An insurer erred in denying workers’ compensation benefits to a utility worker who contracted COVID-19 while on the job, a job the state had deemed as “essential” during the pandemic. The insurer had denied the claim on the basis that …
Blaze Triggers Alarm Over Rapid Growth of Big Batteries
A fire on a bucolic stretch of California coast has threatened the rapid growth of an industry considered key to greening the power grid — and keeping the lights on. Midway through the afternoon of Jan. 16, flames erupted from …
Hertz Says Hackers Stole License Numbers, Credit Card Data
Hertz is alerting customers to a data breach involving drivers’ license numbers and other personal information following a hack in its supply chain. The car-rental company said in a posting on its website that it completed an analysis of the …
United Risk Launches Multi-Line Reinsurance MGA, Names Cahill as CEO
United Risk, a subsidiary of Applied Underwriters, announced it has formed a multi-line reinsurance managing general agent. Jay Cahill, previously United Risk’s chief financial officer, has been named chief executive officer of the new MGA. He will be succeeded as …
Judge Orders Bank of America to Pay $540 Million in FDIC Lawsuit
A federal judge ordered Bank of America to pay $540.3 million in a long-running Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation lawsuit accusing the second-largest U.S. bank of underpaying what it owed for deposit insurance. In a decision made public on Monday, U.S. …
Texas Lawsuit Accuses Copart of Gender Discrimination and Sexual Harassment
A lawsuit filed in Texas this month accuses online vehicle auction provider Copart of gender discrimination, retaliation and sexual harassment. Christine Arnold, a former global vice president of human resources for Copart, says she was fired in retaliation for raising …
Texas Measles Cases Increase 4% as Spread Appears to Be Slowing
Texas reported 20 new confirmed measles cases on Tuesday, a 4% increase from Friday’s data as the virus’ spread appears to be slowing in the hardest-hit US state. The state now has 561 total cases, with 58 people hospitalized since …
MarshBerry’s FirstChoice Expands to Minnesota and Arizona
MarshBerry announced that FirstChoice, a MarshBerry Company (FirstChoice), has expanded into Minnesota and Arizona. This strategic move provides independent insurance agency owners in these states with the opportunity to join FirstChoice’s thriving network and access to unparalleled resources and support. …
Hadron Acquires Michigan’s The Guarantee Company of North America
Hadron, an Arkansas-based carrier, announced its intent to acquire The Guarantee Company of North America USA (GCNA), a Michigan-domiciled insurance company, from Atlantic Specialty Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC). This acquisition marks a major milestone …
2024 Saw Second Most Tornadoes on Record in the US
New analysis indicates there were 1796 confirmed tornadoes in 2024, the second highest on record, according to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center. The busy tornado season was driven by an active April and May in the Plains (notably quiet for much …
Central European Foot-and-Mouth Disease Leads to Animal Culls and Border Closures
Authorities in several countries in Central Europe are working to contain an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease among cattle populations that has caused widespread border closures and required the killing of thousands of animals. The outbreak was first detected on a …
Growing Fast, Going Public: Florida’s American Integrity Insurance Files for IPO
American Integrity Insurance, one of the largest property insurance carriers in Florida with more than 350,000 policies in force, is going to Wall Street with an initial public offering. The Tampa-based parent company, American Integrity Insurance Group, founded in 2006, …