Wildfires Used to ‘Sleep’ at Night. Climate Change Has Them Burning Overtime
Burning time for North American wildfires is going into overtime. Flames are lasting later into the night and starting earlier in the morning because human-caused climate change is extending the hotter and drier conditions that feed fires, a new study …
100-Year Hurricane in NYC Could Cost Insurers More Than $100B: KCC
A 1-in-100-year hurricane event in New York City could cost insurers more than $100 billion, according to an analysis by Karen Clark & Co (KCC). And a 1-in-250-year hurricane could cost insurers twice as much, the catastrophe modeler says. While …
California Commissioner Advances Proposal to Overhaul Intervenor Process
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and the California Department of Insurance are continuing to try and revamp the state’s intervenor process, in which groups or people are paid for intervening in rate hearings. Lara and the CDI submitted the Intervenor …
People Moves: Swingle Collins & Associates Appoints Curtis as CEO
Swingle Collins & Associates announced the appointment of Dan Curtis as Chief Executive Officer, effective March 31, 2026. In conjunction with the appointment, Founder and CEO Frank Swingle will transition to the role of Executive Chairman, where he will continue …
Low-Producing Oil Wells Cause Headaches for Texans
Some Texas oil wells gush hundreds of barrels of oil a day. But many are like the wells on Jackie Chesnutt’s ranch in West Texas that only trickle out a couple barrels a month. Chesnutt, a retired engineer, claims the …
Destructive Winds and Tornadoes Leave Trail of Damage Across Midwest
A trail of damaged homes and buildings dotted a wide swath of the U.S. after a burst of destructive winds and reported tornadoes tore off roofs, uprooted trees and rendered rural roads impassable with debris. No deaths were reported following …
Michigan Feared Cheboygan Dam Danger Before Rains Pushed it to Brink
Local, state and federal officials were aware of the dangers posed by the Cheboygan Lock and Dam for years before floodwaters pushed it to the brink of collapse, records show. Yet they failed to compel private owners to repair the …
India Approves $1.4 Billion Maritime Insurance Pool
India has approved a 129.8-billion-rupee ($1.4 billion) guarantee for a maritime insurance pool, a minister said on Saturday, as wars and sanctions prompt insurers to withdraw cover, threatening trade flows. The pool will run for 10 years and can be …
State Farm Agrees to $15M Settlement for Underpaid Vehicle Claims in Arkansas
A federal judge last month approved a preliminary class settlement resolving claims that State Farm underpaid Arkansas policyholders for total loss vehicle claims by applying an erroneous valuation method. Under the settlement agreement, State Farm will pay $15.6 million to …
Update: Shipping Firms Seek Clarifications Before Transiting Now-Opened Hormuz
Shipping companies have cautiously welcomed Iran’s announcement that the Strait of Hormuz is open but said they would require clarifications, including about the risk of mines, before vessels move through the entry point to the Gulf. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi …
Marsh Aims to Be ‘AI Winner’ by Focusing on Gains in Growth, Productivity, Efficiency
Marsh aims to be an “AI winner” through growth, productivity and efficiency gains, according to John Doyle, president and CEO of the broker and risk adviser. “[W]e see AI as a powerful accelerator and enabler in delivering value to our …
Pennsylvania Firefighters Back on Job After 6-Day Insurance Lapse
The two volunteer fire departments serving the western Pennsylvania borough of Vandergrift have resumed responding to 911 calls. Mayor Lenny Collini said the firefighters returned to their stations on Thursday after a six day interruption due to a lapse in …
NYC Mayor Eyes City-Run Insurance Program for Affordable Housing
New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani is seeking to lower the cost of property and liability insurance for affordable and rent-stabilized housing through a new city-run insurance program. Mamdani plans to hire independent actuarial experts to design and launch …
People Moves: PIA Arkansas’ Shearon to Retire as Executive Director
The Professional Insurance Agents of Arkansas (PIA Arkansas) announced that Executive Director Staci Shearon will retire effective May 29, 2026, concluding nearly 20 years of leadership and service to the association and the independent insurance community. Shearon informed the PIA …
Michigan Updates Air Quality Risk System Ahead of Wildfire Season
After Canadian wildfires brought extremely poor air quality to Detroit in the summers of 2023 and 2025, Michigan is updating how it communicates air quality risks to residents this year. The state is streamlining a system that has evolved with …
South Texas Cities Racing to Drill Wells Amid Historic Drought Crisis
As a historic drought in South Texas deepens, parched cities along the coastal bend are following Corpus Christi’s playbook and racing to drill their way out of a crisis. But as more and more cities turn to groundwater instead of …
Midwest States Reel from Severe Storms
Floodwaters from record rainfall in Wisconsin inundated streets Wednesday, trapping drivers and forcing officials to close sections of a highway, as other Midwestern states worked to rebuild after storms. Cars were stranded in high floodwater on a highway in Milwaukee …
Carnival Cruise Passenger Served 14 Shots Awarded $300,000 After Fall Down Stairs
Carnival Cruise Line should pay $300,000 to a former passenger after a federal jury in South Florida found that the company was negligent in serving the woman more than a dozen shots of tequila before she fell down some stairs …
Higginbotham Adds Alabama ‘Powerhouse’ Harmon Dennis Bradshaw Agency
Higginbotham, the Texas-based insurance brokerage ranked as the 12th-largest broker in the country last year, has added Harmon Dennis Bradshaw Inc., an independent agency in Alabama and Georgia, to its growing list of partner agencies. Harmon Dennis, known as HDB, …
Travelers Profit Rises on Stronger Underwriting, Lower Catastrophe Losses
Property and casualty insurance giant Travelers reported a jump in first-quarter profit, buoyed by robust underwriting gains and lower catastrophe losses than a year earlier when results were severely hit by the Los Angeles wildfires. Shares of the company, whose …