INSURANCE NEWS
Meta Knew It Used Pirated Books to Train AI, Authors Say
Meta Platforms used pirated versions of copyrighted books to train its artificial intelligence systems with approval from its CEO Mark Zuckerberg, a group of authors alleged in newly disclosed court papers. Ta-Nehisi Coates, comedian Sarah Silverman and other authors suing …
Insured Losses From Los Angeles Wildfires Rising: $8B to $20B
With aerial firefighting returning as strong Southern California winds died down for a bit, damage assessments from a handful of destructive Los Angeles area blazes are sure to become clearer—likely pushing up billion-dollar-plus insured loss estimates put forth from fires …
Hub Acquires Connecticut’s Byrnes Agency
Insurance broker Hub International Limited has acquired the assets of Byrnes Agency, Inc. in Connecticut. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1932, Byrnes Agency is located in Dayville and Norwich. The agency offers a full line of …
People Moves: GuideOne Insurance Appoints Wei Huang to Board of Directors
GuideOne Insurance, headquartered in West De Moines, Iowa, appointed Wei Huang to its board of directors. Huang, who serves as the senior vice president and senior client investment officer at Northern Trust Asset Management, has over two decades of experience …
ZestyAI Receives Approval From Missouri Department of Insurance
ZestyAI, a provider of AI-powered climate and property risk analytics solutions, has received regulatory approval from the Missouri Department of Insurance for its Severe Convective Storm suite, including Z-HAIL, Z-WIND, and Z-STORM. ZestyAI’s Severe Convective Storm suite has already received …
Green Bay Packers Online Store Hacked, Exposing 8,500 Customers
The Green Bay Packers’ online store was hacked in September and October, the franchise said in a data breach filing this week. A third party threat actor inserted a malicious code on the Packers’ Pro Shop website between September 23-24 …
Texas Farmers Look to New Congress to Update Crucial Farm Bill
Texas farmers tepidly celebrated last month after Congress barely managed to extend a package of laws meant to aid the nation’s agriculture industry and feed low-income Americans. The clock is now ticking for federal lawmakers to pass a new, updated …
Rare Dallas Snow and Ice Ground Hundreds of Flights Across US
A winter storm that brought snow to Dallas and threatens the US South with ice and sleet has grounded more than 1,000 flights and is raising the risk of power outages through the region. As of 8 a.m. Dallas time …
Floods Are Top Risk to Supply Chains in 2025, Everstream Says
Flooding poses the greatest threat to supply chains this year, as warm ocean temperatures fuel more frequent and disruptive storms, including powerful hurricanes, according to a report. Ocean temperatures are expected to be elevated in 2025 and beyond, meaning disruptive …
People Moves: WTW Names Wegbrans as Head of Corporate Risk & Broking Europe; Howden Re Taps Aon’s Nicholson, Lockton Re’s Riley for Aviation and Space Team
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at WTW and Howden Re. A summary of these new hires follows here. WTW Names Wegbrans as Head of Corporate Risk & Broking Europe Insurance broker WTW announced the appointment of Hugo …
EU Bank Regulator Tightens ESG Rules as Climate Risk Grows
Europe’s financial regulator for banks said lenders in the bloc must regularly and comprehensively measure ESG risks, in new guidelines designed to shore up the industry amid growing threats to financial stability from environmental and social factors. “ESG risks, in …
Major Florida Citrus Grower to End Operations After Years of Hurricanes and Blight
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A major grower said this week it is abandoning its citrus growing operations, reflecting the headwinds Florida’s signature crops are facing following a series of hurricanes and tree diseases. Alico Inc. announced this week that it …