Detroit Area CBP Director Charged in FEMA Fraud Scheme
A federal criminal complaint was unsealed today charging the Director of United States Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Center for Excellence and Expertise over Automotive and Aerospace Engineering with engaging in a scheme to defraud the Federal Emergency Management Agency …
Swiss Re to Sell Entire 10.05% Stake in Canada’s Definity Financial for C$655 Million
Swiss Re is selling its entire 10.05% stake in Definity Financial, the Canadian property/casualty insurer, for C$655 million ($458.1 million) — a decision the reinsurer made after a review of its investment portfolio. On March 19, Swiss Re was due …
Swiss Insurers Baloise, Helvetia Said to Explore Combination
Baloise Holding AG and Helvetia Holding AG have been exploring a possible combination that could create one of Switzerland’s largest insurers, according to people familiar with the matter. The companies have held on-and-off discussions in recent months about a potential …
Devastating Wildfires Destroy Hundreds of Homes Across Oklahoma and Texas
As Oklahomans assessed the devastation from wildfires that whipped across the state, damaging or destroying hundreds of homes, officials in both Oklahoma and Texas warned of an increased risk of fire danger in the coming week. “We’re going to be …
US Releases $57M in Financing to Help Reopen Michigan Reactor
The U.S. Department of Energy said on Monday it has disbursed $57 million of an up to $1.52 billion loan guarantee for Holtec’s Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan, which the company hopes will be the first U.S. commercial reactor to …
People Moves: Liberty Specialty Markets Promotes Unstad as Head of Nordics; BHSI Appoints Howe as Head of Claims, Australasia
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Liberty Specialty Markets and Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance. A summary of these executive hires follows here. Liberty Specialty Markets Promotes Unstad as Head of Nordics Liberty Specialty Markets (LSM), part of …
Fourth Gang Member Sentenced for Thefts of Warhol, Pollock Art and Yogi Berra Rings
A Pennsylvania man who was part of a group that stole paintings by Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock among other valuables was sentenced to eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to theft of major artwork. Thomas Trotta, 49, …
Teen’s Suicide Turns Mother Against Google, AI Chatbot Startup
Megan Garcia says her son would still be alive today if it weren’t for a chatbot urging the 14-year-old to take his own life. In a lawsuit with major implications for Silicon Valley, she is seeking to hold Google and …
Former Corrections Officer Going to Jail for Insurance Theft
A former state correctional officer from Baltimore has been sentenced in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County for felony theft of $25,000 to $100,000 and ordered to pay $50,251.66 in restitution, announced Attorney General Anthony G. Brown. Prosecutors showed that …
People Moves: Great Bay Insurance Names New Presidents
The Great Bay Insurance Group, headquartered in West Atlantic City, New Jersey, named Timothy J. Byrne, Jr., president of the group, and Ronald R. Lovatt as president of Great Bay Insurance Co., a wholly-owned affiliate of the group. Byrne Jr. …
EEOC Targets 20 Big Law Firms With Demand for DEI Data
The head of the U.S. agency that enforces laws banning workplace discrimination on Monday warned 20 major law firms that their employment policies meant to boost diversity, equity and inclusion may be illegal. The letters from the U.S. Equal Employment …
Kentucky Bill to Trim State OSHA Agency Powers Now on the Governor’s Desk
The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, a non-profit advocacy group, is sounding the alarm about a Kentucky bill that was passed swiftly this month and is now on the governor’s desk. If signed into law, it would limit …
Vortex Hurricane Insurance Now Available in Hawaii
Parametric hurricane coverage provider Vortex Weather has expanded its supplemental hurricane insurance solutions to Hawaii. Vortex’s parametric hurricane coverage provides automatic payouts based on National Hurricane Center data. The company promises swift claims process, with no proof of loss required. …
Markets/Coverages: Rokstone Secures Property D&F Binder With Somers Syndicates
Rokstone, the international speciality re/insurance MGA that is part of the Aventum Group, announced it is expanding its property direct and facultative (D&F) portfolio with a new binder backed by Lloyd’s Somers Syndicates 3705 and 5423. This agreement provides Rokstone …
AM Best: US P/C Industry in 2024 Posts First Underwriting Profit in Four Years
For the first time in four years, the U.S. property/casualty industry will finish a year with an underwriting profit. AM Best today in a “First Look” at US P/C financial results said the industry left 2024 with a $22.9 billion …
Death Toll Rises From Tornadoes, Wildfires and Storms in Multiple States
Unusually vicious and damaging weather across multiple U.S. states spawned violent tornadoes, blinding dust storms and fast-moving wildfires over the weekend, leaving at least 39 people dead. In the latest tally of the destruction, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management …
Australian Pension Fund Fined A$10.5 Million for Greenwashing
Australian pension fund Active Super has been fined A$10.5 million ($6.7 million) for making a number of misrepresentations about its environmental, social and governance credentials amid a regulator push to stamp out greenwashing. In June, the Federal Court found regulator …
Small Plastic Pellets Wash Up on UK Shores After Ship Explosions
Small plastic pellets washed up on the east coast of the UK, a week after two ships collided in the country’s waters. Nurdles, which are used to make plastic products and are usually just a few millimeters in size, were …
Allianz to Sell India JV Stake to Local Partner for €2.6 Billion
Allianz SE has agreed to sell its 26% stake in Indian joint ventures for about €2.6 billion ($2.8 billion) to local partner Bajaj Group, according to a statement. The German insurance company has entered into binding agreements with Bajaj Finserv …
Critics Warn Staff Cuts at Agencies Overseeing Dams Could Risk Public Safety
Trump administration workforce cuts at federal agencies overseeing U.S. dams are threatening their ability to provide reliable electricity, supply farmers with water and protect communities from floods, employees and industry experts warn. The Bureau of Reclamation provides water and hydropower …