Alphabet’s Waymo to Test Autonomous Driving Technology in New Cities
Alphabet’s self-driving unit Waymo announced on Wednesday it plans to expand testing of its autonomous driving technology in over 10 new cities in 2025. After testing the Waymo Driver in multiple cities, the company says the technology is adapting successfully …
How Competitive Is E&S Property? Exec Views Vary
E&S property insurance market conditions were a recurring talking point on two recent earnings conference calls, but the leaders of specialty insurers offering commentary were not perfectly in lockstep in their assessments of the competitive landscape. At RLI Corp., property …
Chubb Posts Record P/C Underwriting Income for Q4 and 2024
Chubb posted record property/casualty underwriting income of about $1.6 billion, up 3.8% during the last quarter of 2024. Fourth quarter net income was down 22% to about $2.6 billion compared to the same period a year ago, but the Whitehouse …
Climate Change Will Lead to Higher Deaths in Europe, Study Shows
As Europe gets hotter, more people are expected to die from extreme heat, outweighing the reduction in those killed by very cold weather. Cities in northern European regions such as the UK and Ireland and Scandinavia would see an overall …
People Moves: Ignite Specialty Names Patel US Head of IP Underwriting; QBE North America Hires Finnis as SVP of Distribution
Ignite Specialty Risk Names Patel as US Head of Intellectual Property Underwriting Ignite Specialty Risk, headquartered in London, appointed Ankit Patel as U.S. head of intellectual property (IP) underwriting. With more than a decade of experience, Patel specializes in contingent …
Growth of Pet Insurance Continues as Market Could Reach $4.5B
Any pet owner who has been hit by sticker shock at the vet’s office understands why pet insurance is a booming business. Pet health insurance purchases have been up over the last several years, dramatically expanding premiums for the inland …
US Economic Losses From Natural Disasters Soared in 2024
Economic losses from hurricanes and other natural disasters soared in the U.S. last year and were above average globally, reflecting another year of costly severe storms, floods and droughts. Damage caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton helped push total economic …
Mississippi House Bill Puts New Rules on PBMs, But May Do Little for Workers’ Comp
A pharmacy benefits manager bill passed by the Mississippi House of Representatives last week may have little impact on drug costs in the state’s workers’ compensation system, even if that is part of the bill’s intent. “The problem is, drug …
Avian Flu Could Shutter Long Island’s Last Duck Farm
New York’s Long Island was once synonymous with “duck” in the culinary world. Now it may lose its last commercial farm. The avian flu outbreak that has led to the slaughter of millions of birds at U.S. poultry farms and …
People Moves: Brooks Insurance Adds Garabedian as Underwriting SVP
Brooks Insurance hired Tiffani Ann Garabedian as senior vice president of underwriting. Garabedian is based in Los Angeles. Garabedian has nearly 20 years of insurance industry experience, most recently serving as a territory manager with Nationwide for the Northeast region. …
Family of Wrongfully Imprisoned Disabled Man to Receive $5.9 Million
More than four years after his death, Richard Lapointe’s family is set to receive a nearly $5.9 million award from Connecticut for his wrongful, quarter-century imprisonment that ended in 2015 when his murder conviction was overturned in the rape and …
Climate Change Made LA 35% More Primed to Burn, Scientists Say
Climate change made Southern California’s dangerous wildfire conditions in early January 35% more likely than they would have been before the industrial era, according to a new analysis by the scientific group World Weather Attribution. Greenhouse gas pollution raised temperatures, …
Washington Man on Workers’ Comp for 3 Years Caught on Video Carrying 48lb Table
A Pierce County, Washington, man has been ordered to pay back more than $60,000 to Washington’s workers’ compensation fund after videos reportedly showed he was working and carrying heavy objects in the years he was allegedly unable to work from …
Maine High Court Invalidates Law Erasing Time Limit on Child Sex Abuse Claims
In a 5-2 opinion, the Maine Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional a 2021 state law that eliminated the statute of limitations for claims of sexual abuse of minors. The ruling is a victory for the Roman Catholic Church of Portland …
Earthquake in Maine Rattles Houses, Nerves Across Northeast
A 3.8-magnitude earthquake centered near the southern Maine coast rattled houses in northern New England on Monday and was felt by surprised residents of states hundreds of miles away. The earthquake took place at about 10:22 a.m. on Monday and …
Uncertainty Looms for Michigan’s EV Industry Amid Federal Policy Changes
While President Donald Trump took aim at the electric vehicle industry last week, there is still optimism about the industry’s future in Michigan, a state retooling from America’s most recognizable auto hub to its number one destination for electric vehicle …
Trucordia Acquires Louisiana’s CADA
Trucordia has acquired the insurance business of CADA Insurance Services which has multiple offices in Louisiana, including Baton Rouge, Chalmette, Gretna and Kenner. “The CADA Insurance team is a welcome addition to Trucordia,” said Trucordia CEO Felix Morgan. “They share …
Corpus Christi Initiates Emergency Effort to Boost Water Supply
On the South Texas coast, the city of Corpus Christi has initiated an emergency effort to boost its water supply as local reservoirs experience a yearslong decline and water demand from big industrial projects continues to grow. The Corpus Christi …
‘World’s Largest Truck Stop’ Fined $390K by EPA
Two truck stops in Iowa and Missouri – Iowa 80, advertised as “the world’s largest truck stop,” and Joplin 44 – agreed to pay a combined $390,784 to resolve alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act. According to the …
Florida Condo Sales Reach 10-Year Low as Median Price Dips, Report Shows
Florida condominium sales last year reached their lowest point in almost a decade, according to a Florida Realtors report. It’s another measure of the financial crisis that has gripped condo owners and associations in the state since the deadly collapse …