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Wildfires, storms, floods contribute to record 92% of global insured losses in 2025: Swiss Re Institute 0

Wildfires, storms, floods contribute to record 92% of global insured losses in 2025: Swiss Re Institute

In 2025, secondary perils† – among them wildfires, severe convective storms and floods – accounted for a record 92% of total global natural catastrophe insured losses of USD 107 billion Population growth, rising asset values and elevated reconstruction costs among factors increasing exposure and insured losses over time Swiss Re’s modelling shows that in a peak-loss scenario, insured losses could reach USD 320 billion in 2026, underscoring the continued need for well-designed adaptation and risk mitigation measures Zurich, Switzerland (Mar. 19, 2026) – Secondary perils dominated natural catastrophe headlines in 2025. The LA wildfires, for example, generated record-breaking combined insured losses of around USD 40 billion. Losses from severe convective storms (SCS) remained elevated with USD 51 billion of losses. 2025 was also notable due to the absence of a major US hurricane landfall. With long-term global insurance losses from natural catastrophes continuing to follow the 5–7% annual growth rate, sustained adaptation and risk mitigation are instrumental to maintain long-term insurability and reduce protection gaps. Balz Grollimund, Head Catastrophe Perils, said: “The below-trend natural catastrophe losses seen in 2025 are the result of favourable variability rather than any easing of underlying risk. If losses return to normal long-term levels, they would total USD 148 billion...

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Shippers Rush for Hormuz Insurance After Truce Deal, Broker Says

Article 0 Comments Shipowners are placing “huge volume requests” for insurance cover as they look to transit the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Iran ceasefire deal, according to broker McGill and Partners. With the increased demand from the market also comes “a pronounced rate correction,” said David Smith, head of marine at the London-based firm. He added that despite the ceasefire agreement, “heightened war conditions still remain and the Strait of Hormuz is still classified as a very high risk area.” The Strait of Hormuz remained largely blocked on Wednesday, as shipowners try to understand if they can safely transit the vital waterway following a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran that was announced overnight. That’s as continued fighting in the Middle East, punctuated by Israeli strikes in Lebanon, threatened to derail the US-Iran détente even as the two sides signaled they could soon hold talks to end the six-week conflict. “The latest news on the ceasefire is positive news and will hopefully ease the passage through the Strait of Hormuz and for ships more generally in the region,” said Andrew James, managing director, Marine, at broker Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. “Of course, it is very early days,”...

InnSure Announces Next Creation Labs Cohort 0

InnSure Announces Next Creation Labs Cohort

Boston, MA (Mar. 23, 2026) — InnSure, a non-profit reimagining climate change-related insurance risk financing, is pleased to announce the nine companies comprising the second cohort of Creation Labs: 7Analytics, Aillium, Delos, EVSTAR, Fast Hazard, LocationHealth, Orbital Sentry, Tenax ai, and XyloPlan. Creation Labs is InnSure’s flagship launch and growth platform accelerating the development and deployment of new climate risk management products that address critical market gaps in U.S. communities. Companies, entrepreneurs, and innovators participating in Creation Labs gain access to resources that help them deploy and scale their products in climate-challenged markets that need affordable and creative insurance solutions. “The innovative companies joining us for this next cohort represent exactly what Creation Labs is about,” said InnSure’s Managing Director Chris Lowell. “They each bring unique, forward-thinking climate solutions to the table, and we’re excited to help them reach the communities and ecosystems that can benefit most from their products.” The Creation Labs cohort members are: 7Analytics: A flood analytics specialist empowering insurers and businesses to adapt to the climate challenges of today. By combining ultra-high geospatial resolution with AI/ML techniques and weather intel, they provide both property-level flood risk data and event impact forecasting several days ahead. Aillium: Aillium...

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Traveling for Business? Don’t Forget to Pack Your Emergency Preparedness Plan

Article 0 Comments We live in risky times. War with Iran, the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Mexican cartels—global tensions are at an all-time high. The Department of State is advising Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution. And yet, C-suite and other executives still need to travel for business. Carrier Management spoke with Patti Clement, EVP at HUB Private Client, to find out what precautions execs should be taking. “The biggest thing is that they have to be prepared ahead of time,” Clement said. “They can’t just get on a plane. They have to be educated as to where they’re traveling to have some kind of preparedness ahead of time instead of reacting.” She likened preparedness to packing your suitcase. “Well, you’re going to pack your suitcase, so while you’re at it pack a plan as to what’s going to happen,” she said. “It may never happen—but just have that plan ready to go.” Check for travel advisories. Clement said one step executives and their teams can take on their own is checking the U.S. State Department website for travel advisories for their destination. “There could be a conflict going on that they’re unaware of, and unfortunately, with the...

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Maker of Stanley Tumblers Prevails in Lawsuit Over Lead Scare

Article 0 Comments A federal judge dismissed a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing the maker of Stanley tumblers of concealing that the popular water bottles contained lead. In a decision on April 3, U.S. District Judge Tana Lin in Seattle said consumers did not demonstrate a “specific and plausible risk of harm” from lead by using the tumblers, which are made by the defendant Pacific Market International. The colorful tumblers are sometimes known as Stanley cups and became popular, particularly among women, with help from social media influencers. Lawyers for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday. A lawyer for the defendant had no immediate comment. Litigation over the tumblers began after reports of possible lead contamination went viral on social media in early 2024. Pacific Market International, based in Seattle, said it used pellets to help keep tumblers’ contents at proper temperatures, and that while the pellets contained “some lead” it was inaccessible to consumers once sealed. The plaintiffs said they would not have bought Stanley cups or would have paid less had they known the risk. But in a 41-page decision, Lin said the plaintiffs did not show the use of lead in Stanley...

CoverGo’s Intelligent Document Processing AI Agent enhances Generali Hong Kong’s health claims automation 0

CoverGo’s Intelligent Document Processing AI Agent enhances Generali Hong Kong’s health claims automation

New York, NY (Feb. 26, 2026) – CoverGo has deployed its Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) AI Agent for Generali Hong Kong, supporting the insurer in automating its health insurance claims operations, accelerating processing times while enhancing accuracy and customer experience. The deployment supports Generali Hong Kong’s ongoing efforts to accelerate claims handling and streamline operations through AI-enabled solutions. CoverGo’s IDP AI Agent automatically processes unstructured documents – including claim forms, medical reports, invoices, and receipts – transforming them into structured, decision-ready data in real time. Combined with CoverGo’s wider claims capabilities, insurers can streamline and automate the whole claims process. By embedding AI directly into the claims workflow, Generali Hong Kong has reduced manual data entry, minimized delays, and improved overall customer experience. The IDP AI Agent extracts relevant information, identifies and maps medical diagnosis codes, including ICD and benefit codes, along with supporting claim details. “At Generali Hong Kong, we continuously explore technology that can help us improve the overall claims experience for our customers and enhance operational efficiency,” said Cecilia Chang, CEO of Generali Hong Kong. “The deployment of this solution supports our ongoing efforts to streamline claims handling through AI-enabled capabilities, reflecting our focus on driving operational...

Cross Border Travel and Property Ownership Drive Increased Focus on Mexican Issued Insurance Coverage 0

Cross Border Travel and Property Ownership Drive Increased Focus on Mexican Issued Insurance Coverage

Toronto, ON (Mar. 16, 2026) – As cross-border travel, seasonal residency, and property ownership in Mexico continue to rise among Canadians, brokers are seeing renewed attention on the insurance implications of operating vehicles and holding assets outside Canada. Industry professionals note that one of the most common misconceptions among travellers and property owners is the assumption that Canadian insurance policies extend seamlessly into Mexico. In reality, Mexican law requires certain coverages particularly auto liability to be issued by licensed Mexican insurers, creating a distinct coverage gap for individuals and businesses with exposure south of the border. In response to these evolving needs, CHES Special Risk has confirmed its capability to support brokers with access to MexiPass, a specialized Mexican insurance program designed for foreign individuals and businesses requiring locally issued coverage that aligns with North American insurance expectations/ The capability allows brokers to address a range of cross‑border scenarios, including Canadian‑registered vehicles travelling or garaged in Mexico, foreign‑owned residential properties, and commercial operations with Mexican exposures. By facilitating access to Mexican‑issued policies, brokers are better positioned to help clients remain compliant with local regulations while gaining clarity around claims handling and coverage intent. “Cross‑border risks don’t always fit neatly into...

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FBI Calls Breach of Sensitive Agency Networks a ‘Major Incident’

Article 0 Comments The Federal Bureau of Investigation has concluded that last month’s breach of the networks it uses to manage wiretaps and other surveillance work qualifies as a “major incident,” signaling the severity of an intrusion that had already prompted the agency to launch a criminal probe and move to toughen cybersecurity. An inquiry into abnormal activity on the compromised network was opened on Feb. 17, according to a notice to Congress from the Justice Department that was reviewed by Bloomberg News. The affected system contains sensitive law enforcement information, including data from electronic surveillance and personal identification information on subjects of bureau investigations, according to the notice. Senior officials at the Justice Department determined on March 23 that the intrusion represented a “major incident” under a 2014 law requiring agencies and their contractors to implement security measures to protect government computer systems, according to the notification. FBI and Justice officials are conducting forensic examinations of the breach, along with other remedial efforts, it said. “In response to the incident, the Department initiated the establishment of a working group dedicated to enhancing cyber resilience and improving cyber incident response processes,” the notice said. The Department asked recipients to keep...

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Reinsurance Rates Continued Softening During April Renewals, Despite Iran War

Article 0 Comments Reinsurance rates continued to soften during the April 1 renewals despite the unstable geopolitical landscape and uncertain economic outlook, according to major reinsurance brokers. “The orderly completion of the renewal, with no structural disruption, disciplined capacity and cedent-friendly pricing outcomes, is testament to the underlying health of the market even in a period of heightened geopolitical uncertainty,” said Howden . The main reasons for the ongoing competitive market conditions were lower natural catastrophe losses in 2025 and Q1 2026, robust reinsurer balance sheets, and abundant capacity, indicated brokers Aon, Gallagher Re, Guy Carpenter and Howden, in their separate renewal reports. April 1 is the main renewal period for insurers in Japan, Korea and India, with some U.S. ceding companies also renewing. “Risk-adjusted property-catastrophe rates-on-line returned to levels last seen in the early 2020s even as geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East drove acute stress across multiple specialty lines globally,” said Howden Re in a report on the April renewals titled “Howden Re: 1 April renewals reflect continued softening, insulated from Middle East volatility.” “The orderly completion of the renewal, with no structural disruption, disciplined capacity and cedent-friendly pricing outcomes, is testament to the underlying health of the...

HSB Introduces AI Liability Insurance for Small Businesses 0

HSB Introduces AI Liability Insurance for Small Businesses

HSB AI Liability Insurance Fills Coverage Gaps and Exclusions AI insurance protects businesses from AI lawsuits Includes bodily injury, property damage, advertising injury coverage HSB survey shows 91 percent of companies plan to use AI AI liability protection helps add certainty to an AI-driven world Toronto, ON (Mar. 18, 2026) – Specialty insurer HSB has introduced a new artificial intelligence (AI) liability insurance coverage that protects businesses from lawsuits resulting from the use of AI technologies. Designed for small and medium-sized companies, HSB AI Liability Insurance can pay for AI-related losses that some General Liability policies exclude, including bodily injury, property damage, and advertising injury for claims stemming from AI-generated advertising, marketing, blogs, and social media. “All types of businesses are using AI to do things more quickly and efficiently” said Timothy Zeilman, global head of product ownership for HSB, part of Munich Re Group. “At the same time, the AI transformation brings new legal and financial exposures. Business owners may wonder, am I protected? AI insurance helps remove that uncertainty by filling the gaps in coverage, so businesses can stay ahead of emerging risks.” Small Businesses Embrace AI, but Worry About the Risks Increasingly, smaller businesses are relying on...