Westfield launches inland flood cover for homeowners outside high-risk areas

Westfield launches inland flood cover for homeowners outside high-risk areas

In parallel with the product launch, Westfield announced a $750,000 donation to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) to support flood recovery and mitigation efforts. The contribution includes $500,000 for national recovery initiatives and $250,000 directed to CDP’s Atlantic Hurricane Season Fund, which addresses flood-related needs during hurricane season. Source link

AI meets insurance: digitizing the face of compliance and risk mitigation

AI meets insurance: digitizing the face of compliance and risk mitigation

He noted that “our goal with proactive compliance is to look at the much earlier set of communications and other unstructured data, where some of these bad ideas get started, and that allows us to find things much earlier and do corrective actions like education or improvements to policies…” A report by KPMG highlights AI’s…

NICB warns about potential fraud schemes in severe weather-prone states

NICB warns about potential fraud schemes in severe weather-prone states

Charlie Worsham, NICB’s regional director in the Southeast region, said spring weather systems can result in catastrophic weather events like the tornados, thunderstorms, and wildfires seen across Arkansas, Missouri, Ohio, the Tennessee Valleys, South Carolina, and Oklahoma. He warned that some contractors may promise help, ask for the assignment of benefits, and after being paid,…

Attorney’s six-figure percentage fees in Hartford insurance case overturned

Attorney’s six-figure percentage fees in Hartford insurance case overturned

However, the appeals court dismissed this part of the appeal. Writing for the court, Presiding Judge Tookey noted that no formal judgment had been entered against Hartford on the breach of contract claim, making the denial of summary judgment for prejudgment interest not appealable. Moreover, the court emphasized that under Oregon law, denials of summary judgment…

GEICO sued over misrepresentation in accident forgiveness program

GEICO sued over misrepresentation in accident forgiveness program

GEICO’s accident forgiveness program is marketed as a way to prevent rate increases following a policyholder’s first at-fault accident. The insurer states on its website: “Your insurance rate won’t go up as a result of your first otherwise surchargeable, at-fault accident.” However, the lawsuit argues that the company’s handling of premium adjustments contradicts its marketing…

Three insurers approved to take over 135,000 Citizens Property Insurance policies

Three insurers approved to take over 135,000 Citizens Property Insurance policies

One notable example of depopulation driving insurer growth is Slide Insurance Co., which expanded its book of residential policies from 209,799 at the end of 2023 to over 341,000 by the close of 2024. Similarly, American Integrity Insurance Co., another active participant in the program, saw its policy count jump to nearly 340,000 in the…

North Dakota looking to limit utilities wildfire liability — report

North Dakota looking to limit utilities wildfire liability — report

Senate Bill 2339 would prohibit courts from holding utilities strictly liable for damages caused by wildfires. Instead, utilities could use voluntarily created wildfire mitigation plans as proof that they took reasonable steps to prevent fires. These plans would need to outline high-risk service areas, vegetation management strategies, and wildfire response procedures. Source link

AI demand drives global surge in data centre construction projects – WTW

AI demand drives global surge in data centre construction projects – WTW

The report notes that tariffs, particularly those affecting the cross-border movement of construction materials, are expected to add further pressure to cost structures. Outside the United States, regional economic conditions are playing a key role. In Asia, growth is supported by both public and private investment, especially in energy and infrastructure. Source link

Consumer group sues CDI over withheld consumer complaint data

Consumer group sues CDI over withheld consumer complaint data

Despite these criticisms, the CDI points to its Consumer Complaint Center where consumers can file complaints and track their status. Additionally, CDI said that the Center for Data Insights and Innovation (CDII) publishes annual reports on health care complaints made by California consumers, including those submitted to the CDI. Source link

Rising health insurance costs strain small US businesses

Rising health insurance costs strain small US businesses

Health insurance premiums in the US ​In 2024, the United States experienced a significant increase in health insurance premiums. The average annual premiums rose by 6%, reaching $8,951 for single coverage and $25,572 for family coverage. This uptick was primarily driven by escalating medical costs and heightened utilization of healthcare services. Source link

New Jersey proposes tighter rules on life insurance reserves to match national standards

New Jersey proposes tighter rules on life insurance reserves to match national standards

The proposal, introduced by the Department of Banking and Insurance, calls for the adoption of the NAIC Term and Universal Life Insurance Reserve Financing Model Regulation #787, known within the industry as the XXX/AXXX Model Regulation. The move would bring uniformity and greater transparency to reserve financing, an area that has historically presented regulatory challenges. Source link

Montana bill to redirect insurance tax to property

Montana bill to redirect insurance tax to property

The legislation also amends the fee structure applied to insurers and insurance professionals operating in the state, including adjustments to licensing fees for producers, adjusters, consultants, viatical settlement brokers, and rental car entity producers. While the primary fee structure remains largely unchanged, the reallocation of tax revenue may signal a shifting focus from direct insurance…

Texas bill would create state-run insurance pool for prescribed burn managers

Texas bill would create state-run insurance pool for prescribed burn managers

At the heart of the proposal is a state-administered insurance pool, funded through a combination of legislative appropriations (capped at $25 million), fees from participating managers, and interest income. Liability coverage would be limited exclusively to prescribed burns conducted by certified individuals, with exclusions for workers’ compensation, automobile liability, and other professional liabilities. Source link

Litigation, cyber risks dominate D&O insurance decisions: Willis report

Litigation, cyber risks dominate D&O insurance decisions: Willis report

For the first time since 2018, civil litigation and third-party claims re-emerged among the top seven concerns, with 63% of respondents identifying them as significant D&O risks. Smaller companies, with revenues under $50 million, and mid-sized firms generating between $1 billion and $5 billion, were more likely to cite litigation as a major issue.   Source…

Litigation, cyber risks dominate D&O insurance decision: Willis report

Litigation, cyber risks dominate D&O insurance decision: Willis report

For the first time since 2018, civil litigation and third-party claims re-emerged among the top seven concerns, with 63% of respondents identifying them as significant D&O risks. Smaller companies, with revenues under $50 million, and mid-sized firms generating between $1 billion and $5 billion, were more likely to cite litigation as a major issue.   Source…