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Illinois Passes Legislation to Give Insurance Department Oversight of Rate Changes

Article 0 Comments Illinois lawmakers this week passed a pair of bills that gives the insurance department the authority to review homeowners and auto rate filings to determine whether they are excessive. The insurance industry has heavily opposed the legislative measures, warning that expanded government control over insurance rates will reduce competition and drive prices up. HB 4273 and SB 714 give the Illinois Department of Insurance the ability to review and overturn rate increases that are deemed “excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory.” Brian Christenberry, regional vice president for NAMIC, said the bills add a tighter regulatory framework without addressing the underlying drivers of premium increases. “Illinois has a competitive insurance market, but when policymakers focus on controlling rates instead of reducing costs and risk, consumers end up with fewer choices and a less stable market,” Christenberry said. Illinois leaders for years have pushed lawmakers to pass legislation that would give the insurance department more power to reign in rate increases. Governor J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday he would sign the bills into law. “Too many families have dealt with unexplained, unfair insurance price hikes on their homes and cares, so this legislation helps protect consumers while maintaining core principles the...

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Kentucky Food-Color Plant Was ‘Catastrophe Waiting to Happen,’ CSB Says

Article 0 Comments A Kentucky food-coloring manufacturer made a number of missteps and was not equipped to prevent the 2024 runaway chemical reaction that killed two workers and caused millions of dollars in damage to the plant and surrounding neighborhoods. That was the conclusion from the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, which this week released its final report on the Givaudan Sense Colour explosion in Louisville. “This tragic incident was a catastrophe waiting to happen,” Chemical Safety Board (CSB) Chairman Steve Owens said in a statement. “The reactor’s pressure relief system was not designed to release pressure from a reaction like this, and Givaudan did not recognize the potential for a runaway reaction to happen.” The CSB, an independent, nonregulatory federal agency that investigates incidents, explained that a reactor, used to produce caramel coloring for food products, had been relocated to the site from an older facility. In 2021, the reactor was modified and installed in the Louisville plant. But the retrofit was not as safe as it could have been, the board said. The two workers killed in the November 2024 blast were in a control room that was just 40 feet from the reactor—a control room...

AI-powered cyber attacks hit 1 in 3 Canadian businesses: QBE research 0

AI-powered cyber attacks hit 1 in 3 Canadian businesses: QBE research

65% of businesses that suffered a cyber attack say a supplier was involved 58% of affected businesses experienced revenue loss New York, NY (May 19, 2026) – One in three Canadian businesses (33%) experienced cyber incidents in the past 12 months which they believe leveraged Artificial Intelligence, with phishing among the most frequent methods, according to global research* from business insurer QBE. Artificial Intelligence is becoming ubiquitous in the Canadian economy, with 97% of businesses using it or looking into it, up from 94% last year. 2025 2026 Canadian businesses using AI 71% 83% Canadian businesses looking into using AI 23% 14% Efficiency and productivity are among the top motivations for deploying AI, as more than half of businesses rolling out the technology mention these objectives. Canadian businesses are deploying AI to: Increase operational efficiency 53% Increase productivity 53% Improve decision making 42% Grow revenue 41% Improve compliance and reduce risk 36% Drive innovation 36% Improve customer experience and retention 36% Build competitive advantage 36% Increase agility 35% Enable personalization at scale 28% “As new technologies such as AI become embedded in operations, effective risk management remains fundamental to ensuring sustainable and resilient growth,” said Kyle Gray, Underwriter Team Lead,...

LexisNexis Risk Solutions Launches AI-Driven Location Intelligence for U.S. Home Insurance Carriers to Improve Property Risk Assessment 0

LexisNexis Risk Solutions Launches AI-Driven Location Intelligence for U.S. Home Insurance Carriers to Improve Property Risk Assessment

New capability combines proprietary claims data and advanced predictive models to deliver property-level, peril-specific risk insights that help improve risk segmentation and underwriting efficiency Atlanta, GA (May 14, 2026) – LexisNexis® Risk Solutions is pleased to announce the launch of LexisNexis® Location Intelligence for Home, an AI-driven predictive model that is redefining how U.S. home insurers assess property risk. Using advanced neural network modeling, LexisNexis® Location Intelligence for Home gives U.S. home insurance carriers a decisive advantage in assessing property risk with more accuracy and efficiency at new business and renewal. There is a growing interest across the market in utilizing location intelligence, in addition to existing underwriting practices, to pinpoint potential risks before claims occur and investigate and mitigate those risks during the underwriting process. Location Intelligence is now available via LexisNexis® Smart Selection, the automated data service that delivers inspection flags and customizable business rules to better identify and segment the property risks that require a higher probability of action. Due to rising costs to repair homes, increased costly catastrophic events and greater pressure on underwriting precision, traditional property risk assessment approaches, particularly ones that rely heavily on exterior condition and loss data alone, can leave critical gaps....

Markel Canada partners with hyperexponential to build AI-native underwriting environment  0

Markel Canada partners with hyperexponential to build AI-native underwriting environment 

Toronto, ON (May 12, 2026) – Markel International, a division of Markel Insurance, the insurance operations within Markel Group Inc., is pleased to announce its partnership with hyperexponential (hx) to modernize rating, underwriting workflows and integration architecture across its Canadian business. The partnership reflects Markel’s significant investment in building a more sophisticated, AI‑native underwriting environment and further expands hyperexponential’s footprint in North American markets as the leading pricing and underwriting decision platform for commercial P&C carriers. As part of its collaboration with hyperexponential, Markel Canada has launched a purpose-built Environmental rating capability on the hx platform, enabling a more streamlined, digital experience. This investment marks a shift from fragmented, transactional pricing toward a more connected underwriting experience. By bringing data, pricing and context together in a single workflow, Markel Canada is creating an environment where underwriters have what they need at the point of decision – without friction or unnecessary hand‑offs. Establishing the hx platform as a centralized rating layer creates a scalable foundation that can support more sophisticated products, package policies and evolving portfolio needs over time. The result is greater clarity at the point of pricing today, and a platform designed to grow with the business – enabling faster, more informed...

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Pollution and Forever Chemicals Threaten Health of Michigan’s Rivers

Article 0 Comments Michigan may be known as the Great Lakes state, but most of its residents have a river to thank for their hometown’s existence. “Just looking at settlement patterns in Michigan tells us a lot about how important our rivers are,” said Lisa Dechano-Cook, a Western Michigan University geographer who co-wrote the book ” Kalamazoo River.” “You wanted to be near water, especially running water, so that you could get from place to place.” When combined, Michigan’s 76,000 miles of rivers, creeks and streams have a shoreline 46 times the length of Michigan’s Great Lakes coast. That means in most of the state, the nearest water body is more likely a river than one of those big lakes. Even some of the state’s most well-known inland lakes — from Oakland County’s Kent Lake to central Michigan’s Lake Ovid — are actually rivers that have been slowed, deepened and widened by dams. “I really don’t think (rivers)get the proper credit and thought,” said Melissa DeSimone, executive director of the Michigan Lakes and Streams Association. While Michigan’s rivers provide drinking water for millions and an abundance of recreational opportunities, they also struggle with widespread E. coli and PFAS pollution, development...

Geopolitical instability, digital infrastructure are reshaping global insurance markets: Willis report 0

Geopolitical instability, digital infrastructure are reshaping global insurance markets: Willis report

New York, NY (May 7, 2026) – Willis, a WTW business, has released its latest Insurance Marketplace Realities report, revealing a global insurance market entering a more complex phase shaped by geopolitical volatility and the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure. Political risk is no longer confined to specific sectors, with impacts now extending across supply chains, infrastructure, and financial systems. Recent developments in the Middle East are driving notable shifts in the political risk insurance market, with rates in Gulf countries expected to increase by as much as 20-30%. By contrast, rates for both traditional political risk insurance and trade disruption insurance are expected to remain flat or increase by just 5%. These changes reflect a broader reassessment of risk. Insurers are increasingly evaluating exposures through a national security lens, while businesses are elevating political risk insurance as a core component of enterprise risk management. At the same time, geopolitical forces are driving systemic effects across global markets, influencing everything from capital flows and regulatory environments to operational continuity. “Geopolitical uncertainty is no longer a background risk. It’s a primary driver of volatility across the insurance market,” said Jackie Bolig, Head of Placement and Broking Solutions for Corporate Risk &...

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Australia Sues 3M for $1.4 Billion Over PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Contamination

Article 0 Comments The Australian government said on Thursday it had launched legal action against 3M over contamination from firefighting foam supplied by the U.S. company that contained PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” seeking more than A$2 billion ($1.43 billion) in damages. The claim against the Minnesota-based chemicals maker and its local unit is the largest ever brought by Australia, reflecting the past and future environmental, economic and cultural costs of the contamination, the government said. “Make no mistake, this legal action against 3M is significant,” Attorney-General Michelle Rowland told reporters. Read more: EU Restricts Use of ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Firefighting Foams “The Commonwealth is seeking more than A$2 billion in damages to recover significant past and future expenses incurred in investigating and managing contamination resulting from the historical storage and use of this foam.” The government, which used the firefighting foam at 28 defense bases across the country, alleged 3M gave assurances the substance was safe to dispose of, biodegradable and non-toxic. But 3M withheld its own testing showing “significant adverse environmental effects” associated with its use, Rowland alleged. 3M said in a statement it would defend itself against the claims in court. “3M has never manufactured PFAS in Australia...

KPMG expands global alliance partnership with ServiceNow 0

KPMG expands global alliance partnership with ServiceNow

KPMG expands global alliance partnership with ServiceNow to co-innovate, increase client value and create new growth opportunities London, UK (May 6, 2026) – KPMG is pleased to announce the expansion of its global alliance relationship with ServiceNow, establishing a multi-year commitment and US$40 million in services over the next three years to help clients accelerate AI-powered transformation across the enterprise, reinforcing KPMG’s position as a leading ServiceNow partner. The enhanced relationship builds on the AI-first commitments both organizations have made — beginning with KPMG UK’s recognition as one of the first and largest users in Europe to deploy ServiceNow AI Agents in a live environment, followed by KPMG US’s early adoption of the ServiceNow AI Control Tower to operate AI at scale. These efforts anchored by KPMG AI Trust services and Global Business Services, reflect KPMG firms’ approach of using advanced capabilities internally to help clients adopt them with confidence. “Every organization I talk to has moved past whether to use AI,” said Michael Park, SVP, Global Partnerships and Channels at ServiceNow. “The question now is how to get from ambition to outcomes fast. ServiceNow brings the AI Control Tower, the agentic workflows, and the governance. KPMG brings the advisory depth and change...

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Tanker Reports External Explosion off Oman Coast, Crew Safe, UKMTO Says

Article 0 Comments United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said on Tuesday that a tanker had reported an external explosion on the vessel’s port side, close to the waterline, 60 nautical miles off Oman’s capital Muscat. UKMTO said the vessel, identified as the Olympic Life, and its crew were safe, although the tanker reported some bunker fuel had been discharged into the sea. It said the cause of the incident was unknown. According to MarineTraffic vessel-tracking data, the Greek-owned Very Large Crude Carrier was sailing past Muscat at around 0700 GMT, heading out of the Gulf of Oman, and was not carrying cargo. The ship’s technical manager, Springfield Shipping, said the vessel was struck by an unidentified object at about 0920 GMT, but remained stable and operational. “An initial assessment indicated that there was damage to one of the vessel’s bunker tanks. A sheen was reported in the water after the incident,” it said in a statement to Reuters, adding that the spill had since been contained. The vessel is owned by Athens-based Olympic Shipping & Management, the successor to Olympic Management founded by late shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, according to the Onassis Foundation’s website. (Reporting by Ahmed Elimam and Jana...