Ageas Says It Won’t Make Third Offer for Direct Line Insurance
Ageas said it will halt its pursuit of UK insurer Direct Line Insurance Group Plc after two takeover proposals were rejected this year. The Belgian insurer had put forth an offer valuing Direct Line at about £3.2 billion ($4.1 billion) …
Hong Kong Reports Its Highest March Temperature in 140 Years
Hong Kong’s temperature on Sunday reached the highest recorded level during the month of March in 140 years, according to the city’s observatory. The maximum temperature measured at the Observatory was 31.5C (88.7F) — the highest reported during the month …
North Korean Hackers Stalk Crypto Startups Scrimping on Security
It’s every cryptocurrency project’s nightmare: Well-resourced hackers — perhaps backed by a rogue state like North Korea — strike out of nowhere, dismantling cyber defenses and making off with millions of dollars in customer funds. Many crypto outfits, large and …
Texas School Bus With Over 40 Pre-K Students Struck by Cement Truck, Killing 2
BASTROP, Texas (AP) — A cement truck veered into a school bus carrying more than 40 pre-K students returning from a field trip to a Texas zoo Friday, killing a boy on the bus and a man in another vehicle, …
People Moves: Hiscox Appoints Hellrung as US COO
Hiscox, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, named Leigh Hellrung as chief operating officer in the U.S. Hellrung will serve on the Hiscox U.S. leadership team. Bringing over 20 years of industry experience to the role, Hellrung will lead all aspects of …
NHTSA: Chrysler to Recall About 286,000 Vehicles Over Airbag Inflator Issue
Chrysler is recalling nearly 286,000 vehicles in the United States over a manufacturing defect that might cause the side curtain airbag inflators to rupture, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Friday. The right and left side curtain …
FAA Weighs Curbing New Routes for United Following Mishaps
US aviation authorities are considering drastic measures to curb growth at United Airlines Holdings Inc., including preventing the carrier from adding new routes, following a series of safety incidents. The Federal Aviation Administration has discussed temporary actions it may take …
UnitedHealth Unit Will Start Processing $14B Medical Claims Backlog After Hack
UnitedHealth Group said on Friday its Change Healthcare unit will start to process the medical claims backlog of more than $14 billion as it resumes some software services disrupted by a cyberattack last month. The company has been scrambling to …
Alabama Bill Would let Alfa Federation, not Insurer, Sell Health Plans. BCBS is Fighting it.
Alfa, one of the largest property-casualty insurers in Alabama, is clarifying that it is not planning to move into the health insurance business: A hotly debated bill in the state Legislature would allow Alfa’s affiliated farmers federation to offer a …
Minnesota Homeowners Report Surge in Insurance Complaints
Minnesota homeowners insurance complaints rose 108% from 2020 to 2023, with of those complaints from homeowners concerned their claims were denied or they faced high out-of-pocket costs after damage from wind and hail. The Minnesota Department of Commerce (DOC) shared …
Oklahoma Contractor Faces $103K in Fines After Fatal Workplace Asphyxiation
An Oklahoma City employer’s failure to follow federal safety procedures left a 30-year-old worker suffering fatal asphyxiation as they tried to make repairs inside a water tank at a McClain County wellsite in September 2023, a federal investigation has found. …
Biden’s LNG-Permit Halt Challenged by 16 States in Lawsuit
Texas, Louisiana and more than a dozen other US states challenged the Biden administration’s suspension of new licenses to export natural gas via ocean-going tankers. A lawsuit filed against President Joe Biden and the US Department of Energy in Louisiana …
Apple Antitrust Suit Mirrors Strategy That Beat Microsoft, but Tech Industry Has Changed
The U.S. government’s antitrust lawsuit against Apple draws on the watershed 1998 case that broke Microsoft’s stranglehold on desktop software, but that may prove to be an imperfect blueprint for addressing smartphone competition. The market for the iPhone today looks …
Challenges to SEC’s Climate Rules Sent to Appeals Court
A U.S. judicial panel on Thursday consolidated at least nine lawsuits challenging the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s new rules requiring public companies to report climate-related risks in a venue favored by Republican-led states and a business group. The St. …
Vermont Communities Hit by Summer Flooding Seek $3.5M to Elevate 20 Homes
Two of the Vermont communities hardest hit by last summer’s catastrophic flooding have requested $3.5 million in state funding to elevate 20 homes in Barre and the capital city of Montpelier for flood victims who still need safe places to …
China Scrutinizes PwC Role in $78 Billion Evergrande Fraud Case
Chinese authorities are examining the role of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in China Evergrande Group’s accounting practices after the developer was accused of a $78 billion fraud, ramping up pressure on the global accounting giant that audited a slew of developers before …
People Moves: Massaro Joins Hartford in Northeast; Alliant Adds Spina in New York
The Hartford, headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut, appointed Matthew Massaro head of sales and underwriting for its middle and large commercial businesses’ Northeast division. Massaro has been with The Hartford for over 25 years, most recently serving as regional vice president …
Yemen’s Houthis Tell China, Russia Their Ships Won’t Be Targeted
The Yemen-based Houthis have told China and Russia their ships can sail through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden without being attacked, according to several people with knowledge of the militant group’s discussions. China and Russia reached an understanding …
Tech Update: Aon Launches Climate Risk Monitor to Aid Risk Mgmt, Renewal Decisions
Insurance broker Aon plc has launched its Climate Risk Monitor, a tool that helps clients visualize and understand their exposures to physical climate risk in order to enable better business decisions. The property insurance market is increasingly influenced by climate-related …
AM Best Downgrades, Withdraws Credit Ratings of Conifer Insurance Group
AM Best downgraded the Financial Strength Rating to C (Weak) from B+ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) to “ccc” (Weak) from “bbb-” (Good) of Conifer Insurance Co. and White Pine Insurance Co. They are subsidiaries of …
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