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Liberty Mutual Insurance Launches First-of-its-Kind Carrier-Backed Conversational AI Quoting App in ChatGPT for Auto Insurance 0

Liberty Mutual Insurance Launches First-of-its-Kind Carrier-Backed Conversational AI Quoting App in ChatGPT for Auto Insurance

App in ChatGPT allows users to get an accurate auto insurance quote in minutes Boston, MA (May 28, 2026) – Liberty Mutual Insurance, the seventh-largest auto insurer in the US, has launched a first-of-its-kind carrier-backed conversational AI auto insurance quoting application. The app allows ChatGPT users to obtain an auto insurance quote from Liberty Mutual in minutes through a conversational, chat-based interaction, rather than a traditional online form. Quotes are now available via the app in ChatGPT for drivers in seven states (Arizona, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, New Mexico, Utah and Wisconsin), and Liberty Mutual plans to offer conversational AI quoting in more than 40 states by the end of the year. “We are excited to extend access to our products and provide additional platforms for customers to find great coverage at a great price. Consumers have more choice than ever in how they choose to shop, including emerging channels like conversational AI and large language model (LLM) platforms,” said Tyler Asher, Liberty Mutual Chief Distribution and Marketing Officer, US Retail Markets. “As this shopping process continues to evolve, it’s beneficial to customers that we meet them wherever they are, leveraging the newest technology to simplify the buying experience and deliver...

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WTW Gets Approval to Operate Investment Business in Dubai Int’l Financial Centre

Article 0 Comments Insurance broker WTW announced it has received approval from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) for a license to operate as WTW Investments (DIFC) Ltd. within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). WTW said the approval marks a significant milestone in the company’s strategic expansion across the Middle East and represents a fundamental shift in how the firm can engage with clients and prospects in the region. For the first time, WTW will be able to proactively arrange access to its full suite of regulated investment capabilities in and from DIFC – transitioning to a locally anchored, scalable platform with direct access to some of the world’s most dynamic and fast-growing investment markets. The DFSA license positions WTW to proactively offer investment advisory services and arrange access to fund solutions in and from DIFC, opening access to a diverse and expanding range of market segments. These include wealth management, family offices, end-of-service benefits and auto-enrolment – areas experiencing significant growth as the region’s financial landscape continues to mature and professionalize. The Middle East has been identified as a strategic growth priority for WTW, with the firm committed to deepening its investment in the region’s talent, infrastructure and...

Resilience Launches Cyber Risk Program for Private Equity, Powered by Arc 0

Resilience Launches Cyber Risk Program for Private Equity, Powered by Arc

New offering gives private equity firms portfolio-level visibility into cyber risk, enabling CISOs and operating partners to manage aggregate exposure across investments from acquisition through exit  San Francisco, CA (June 3, 2026) – Today, leading cyber risk solutions company Resilience announced the launch of its Private Equity Cyber Risk Program, a new offering designed to help private equity (PE) firms manage cyber exposure across their portfolios. It connects Arc, Resilience’s cyber risk management platform for complex organizations, with bespoke insurance endorsements through carrier partners to address structural coverage gaps across the investment lifecycle. Private equity firms operate in a fundamentally different risk environment than traditional enterprises. Security leaders are responsible for dozens of portfolio companies, each with distinct systems, controls, and reporting structures. Some report directly to the PE firm while others sit beneath additional parent entities that further obscure oversight. As firms scale through acquisitions, divestitures, and shared infrastructure, that risk becomes increasingly concentrated and interconnected. Yet most still rely on fragmented, point-in-time assessments at the individual company level, with little to no regular flow of security data back to the firm. In a constantly evolving threat landscape, this visibility gap is where exposure compounds–the distance between what was...

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Texas Lifts Bans on CDLs for Temporary Agriculture Workers

Article 0 Comments The Texas Department of Public Safety on Monday lifted a restriction on commercial drivers licenses and permits for immigrants with temporary agriculture work visas and removed the Spanish language option for CDL tests following changes in federal requirements. In September, Texas halted commercial drivers licenses for many immigrants, including refugees, people with asylum and DACA recipients. The change on Monday will allow those with H-2A visas, designed for temporary agriculture workers, to again hold valid CDLs in Texas. Those eligible who have current CDLs may continue to use them until their expiration date, and those with expired licenses can file to renew them, according to a DPS press release. DPS indicated the shift was made in line with a new federal guideline from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published in mid-March, which permits H-2A workers to hold CDLs alongside H-2B and E-2 visa holders, which are temporary non-agricultural workers and treaty investors, respectively. Under the new federal guidelines, Texas has only been approved to grant H-2A visa holders commercial drivers licenses for now, the DPS release said. Eligibility for H-2B and E-2 visa holders in Texas “will be announced at a later date,” according to the...

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Ship Operators Urge Clear Rules to Return Hormuz to Normal

Article 0 Comments Shipping executives meeting in Athens on Monday said that any peace deal worked out between the United States and Iran would need to offer clear rules allowing vessels to resume normal business via the Strait of Hormuz. Shipowners and maritime industry officials met at a Capital Link conference and other events to begin Posidonia, a week-long biennial shipping exhibition. Below are selected quotes (in alphabetical order): ARSENIO DOMINGUEZ, SECRETARY GENERAL, INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANISATION (IMO) “There have been … recent announcements that there’s a possibility of a 60-day ceasefire. If that includes, of course, the Strait of Hormuz, and I can get guarantees from the countries that it is safe to start using the waterway, that’s where the evacuation framework immediately will come and kick in. That’s what we’re looking for, because the first objective is always to seafarers, to engage, so they can actually leave the conflict zone.” PANKAJ KHANNA, PRESIDENT, HEIDMAR MARITIME HOLDINGS CORP “What we need is obviously a framework, a rules regulation, whatever tells us exactly how we can go in and get out. So even if a peace deal was signed, that needs to be clarified and that we don’t know as yet....

Peak Construction Season Brings Increased Activity and Complex Risk Considerations Across Canada 0

Peak Construction Season Brings Increased Activity and Complex Risk Considerations Across Canada

Toronto, ON (May 25, 2026) – As temperatures rise and projects accelerate, Canada’s construction sector is entering its busiest period of the year. Often referred to as “crane season,” the summer months typically see a surge in development activity across residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects, particularly in urban centres. “With tighter timelines, increased labour demand, and higher project values, this seasonal spike not only drives economic momentum but also introduces a more complex risk environment for contractors, developers, and project stakeholders”, mentioned Gary Hirst, CEO, CHES Special Risk. Seasonal Growth Meets Operational Pressure The summer construction period is characterized by accelerated project schedules and overlapping workstreams. Builders aim to maximize favourable weather conditions, resulting in increased site activity, longer work hours, and greater coordination between multiple trades. This heightened pace can amplify common construction risks, including: Equipment damage or breakdown during high‑usage periods Site congestion leading to accidents or third‑party liability exposures Material handling and storage challenges Delays or disruptions impacting project timelines and costs In this environment, both physical damage risks and liability exposures tend to become more pronounced. Specialty insurance providers with dedicated construction expertise play a key role during this period, supporting brokers with tailored underwriting approaches...

CAMGA Releases White Paper on Regulatory Standards for Canadian Property & Casualty Managing General Agents 0

CAMGA Releases White Paper on Regulatory Standards for Canadian Property & Casualty Managing General Agents

Tronto, ON (May 21, 2022) — The Canadian Association of Managing General Agents (CAMGA) has published a new white paper, White Paper on Recommended Provincial Regulatory Standards for Property and Casualty Managing General Agents, authored by respected insurance industry expert Patrick Ballantyne. The white paper is available in both English and French and represents a significant milestone in CAMGA’s ongoing work to advance a clear, consistent, and fit-for-purpose regulatory framework for property and casualty (P&C) Managing General Agents (MGAs) across Canada. View the whitepaper here. In December 2025, CAMGA announced the appointment of Ballantyne as a consultant to support the association’s work on MGA-specific regulatory matters. He was tasked with examining the current regulatory environment for P&C MGAs in Canada and developing recommendations to inform CAMGA’s discussions with provincial regulators and industry stakeholders. “MGAs play an increasingly important role in the Canadian insurance marketplace, yet regulation has not evolved in a consistent way to reflect the unique nature of the business model,” said Ballantyne. “This paper provides practical recommendations to strengthen consumer protection, improve regulatory efficiency, and better align oversight with the operational realities of MGAs.” Key Highlights of the White Paper The paper concludes that: MGAs are a distinct...

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Europe Faces Biggest Food Price Shock in G7 From Hotter World

Article 0 Comments A global food crunch due to extreme weather would boost prices more in the euro area than in Group of Seven economies, according to Oxford Economics. A “severe” shock to food prices from climate events could raise food prices in countries sharing the currency by 1.6 percentage points a year, the economic adviser said in a report. That would translate into an increase in headline inflation of as much as 0.6 percentage point, economists Robert Marks and Ronan Hegarty said in the study published Thursday. Natural disasters and heat waves could cause more harvest failures, damage infrastructure and disrupt supply chains in the future as global warming continues, with nations in Europe roasted by a heat wave this week. The resulting rises in food costs would increase pressure on central banks to rein in inflation. “Climate change and nature-loss are increasingly contributing to food price inflation and volatility, presenting a long-term risk to economies,” the authors said. “Recent research has found at least 14 cases of local or regional price spikes since 2022 linked to unprecedented extreme weather events.” A drought in Brazil saw global coffee prices jump 55% between 2023 and 2024, while heat waves in...

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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...