People Moves: Powers Insurance & Risk Management Promotes Winkelmann
Powers Insurance & Risk Management, headquartered in St. Louis, recently promoted Rachel Winkelmann to commercial lines account executive and trainer. As Powers’ new trainer, Winkelmann handles training and onboarding for new commercial lines team members. Before her promotion, Winkelmann worked …
People Moves: Markel Taps QBE’s Smith to Lead Marine & Energy Liability Team, Int’l Specialty; QBE Promotes Lascelles as Dir. of Underwriting, Marine and British Marine
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at the insurers Markel and QBE. A summary of these new hires follows here. Markel Taps QBE’s Smith to Lead Marine & Energy Liability Team, Int’l Specialty Markel, the insurance operations within …
PCF Acquires Asset Insurance Agency in Massachusetts
Utah-based PCF Insurance Services reports it has acquired the insurance business of Asset Insurance Agency, based in Peabody, Massachusetts. Asset Insurance Agency sells auto, home, commercial and life insurance in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Florida, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Erik …
People Moves: Zurich Promotes Nolan to Head of Surety in US; Zink Joins Everest to Lead Specialty Underwriters
Zurich Promotes Nolan to Head of Surety in US Zurich North America, headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois, has promoted Chris Nolan to head of surety in U.S. national accounts. Nolan, who is based in New Jersey, succeeds Bob Murray, who retired …
FirstEnergy Corp. to Pay $20M to Settle Ohio Bribery Scheme
The energy company at the center of a $60 million bribery scheme in Ohio will pay $20 million and avoid criminal charges as part of a deal with state prosecutors to resolve its role in the scandal. Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp. …
Pressure Mounts on Texas Regulator as ‘Zombie’ Oil Wells Spill Toxic Fluids
PECOS COUNTY, Texas – On a sprawling ranch in Pecos County in late July, oil well control specialist Hawk Dunlap used a backhoe to uncover an abandoned or so-called zombie well that had sprung back to life despite being plugged …
U.S. Auto Insurers’ Strong Performance to Continue Through 2025: Fitch
More favorable mid-year 2024 results of U.S. personal auto insurers are likely to continue through the end of 2024 and into 2025 due to material price increases and a moderation of claims severity trends “vastly” improving the segment’s profit footing, …
J&J Eyes Texas as Venue for Next Round of Baby Powder Fight
Johnson & Johnson was twice blocked in New Jersey from getting bankruptcy protection from one of its units to resolve billions of dollars in cancer claims tied to baby powder use. For its third try, the company is eyeing Texas, …
UNC Launches Risk Management Institute with IAP’s Ursano Chair of Advisory Board
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced it is launching an Institute for Risk Management and Insurance Innovation, an interdisciplinary research and innovation center. “The new institute will conduct research that improves our understanding of society’s emerging financial …
Hundreds Able to Return Home After Fleeing Wildfire Along California-Nevada Line
Hundreds of people were allowed to return home this week after being forced to flee a wildfire west of Reno that also shut down Interstate 80 along the California-Nevada line. About 170 firefighters continued to work to secure the perimeter …
Judge Bars Insurers From Going After Defendants Who Agreed to $4B Maui Wildfire Settlement
A Maui judge’s ruling resolves a critical roadblock to finalizing a $4 billion wildfire settlement: Insurance companies who have paid out more than $2 billion in claims can seek reimbursement only from the settlement amount defendants, who victims blame for …
Karen Clark Puts Insured Losses from Debby at $1.4 Billion
Hurricane Debby caused almost $1.4 billion in privately insured losses as it moved across the East Coast this month. That’s about half of the losses incurred in Hurricane Idalia, a stronger storm that followed a similar path almost a year …
High Claims From Medium-Sized Disasters Keep Driving Hard Reinsurance Market
Hard reinsurance pricing conditions are likely to last longer than in previous market cycles mainly as a result of persistently high claims activity from the accumulation of medium-sized disaster losses and secondary perils, according to an AM Best report. As …
US Undercounts Bird Flu in Cattle as Farmers Shun Testing
The U.S. bird-flu outbreak in dairy cattle is much larger than official figures suggest due to farmers’ reluctance to test their animals and risk the economic consequences of a positive result, according to Reuters interviews with dairy experts, veterinarians, and …
Severe Typhoon to Disrupt Flight, Train Services in Japan
Hundreds of flights and some bullet train services will be suspended as Typhoon Ampil makes its way toward Japan’s main island Friday, impacting travel plans during the country’s annual summer break. Japan Airlines Co. canceled 28 international flights bound for …
Hurricane Ernesto Threatens Bermuda, Leaves Puerto Rico in Dark
Hurricane Ernesto took aim at Bermuda as almost half of Puerto Rico remained without power in the storm’s wake, the island’s fragile electric grid battered by high winds. Officials declared a hurricane watch for Bermuda, saying Ernesto could strike the …
McKinsey Sees AI Surge Boosting Consulting Amid Industry Slump
McKinsey & Co. is seeing an increase in the number of clients seeking artificial intelligence-linked projects, as faster adoption of the technology helps the consulting titan and its peers boost revenue following a period of tumult. About 40% of the …
EY, KPMG Benefit Most From PwC China’s Regulatory Woes
Ernst & Young (EY) and KPMG have snapped up over half of PwC’s corporate clients in China that have fled the market’s leading accounting firm as it faces a regulatory probe, filings show. Chinese authorities have been investigating PwC’s role …
AM Best Upgrades Medical Mutual Insurance Co. of Maine
AM Best has upgraded the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to “a+” (Excellent) from “a” (Excellent) and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) of Medical Mutual Insurance Co. of Maine (MMIC). The outlook of these credit ratings is stable. …
Catastrophe Bond Issuance Is Set to Blast Through 2023 Record
Issuance of catastrophe bonds is on track to exceed the record set in 2023, as a cocktail of climate change, population density and inflation feeds growth in a market built around natural disasters. A fresh analysis by Swiss Re shows …