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Florida-Based Heritage Continues to Shed Policies as Earnings Soar to New Heights

Article 0 Comments While a number of Florida-domiciled property insurers have begun rebuilding their policy portfolios in the last 12 months, Tampa-based Heritage Insurance has continued to shed policies in recent years. The selective underwriting strategy, along with other changes, appears to have made a difference: Heritage reported a Q2 profit of almost $62 million. That’s a 28.5% increase in net income for the second quarter of this year, compared to Q2 2025. The company also posted a microscopic 65% combined ratio as of the end of June this year. That’s eight points lower than what the insurer reported at this time last year, according to filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. “Several years ago, our focus was on improving profitability, strengthening the balance sheet, and reducing volatility in our financial results. Today, we are generating record earnings, producing substantial excess capital and beginning to see encouraging signs that the foundation we have built can support future growth,” CEO Ernie Garateix said in a statement posted last week. He said Heritage has evolved into a stronger, more diversified and more resilient business as a super-regional insurance carrier. The publicly traded insurer, ranked 21st-largest in Florida, reported 350,887 policies...

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Meta Ordered to Pay $567 Million In New Mexico for Teen Mental Health Fund

Article 0 Comments A New Mexico state court ordered Meta on Thursday to pay $567 million into a teen mental health fund and change how its platforms function for young users after finding the company is to blame for harming children’s wellbeing. Judge Bryan Biedscheid in Santa Fe ruled the company had created a public nuisance in New Mexico, siding with Attorney General Raúl Torrez, a Democrat. Torrez had accused the social media company of designing products to addict young users and failing to protect children from sexual exploitation on its platforms. The ruling comes five months after a New Mexico jury in an earlier phase of the case ordered Meta to pay $375 million after finding it violated consumer protection law by misrepresenting the safety of Facebook and Instagram for young users. Related: Meta Says States Seeking $1.4 Trillion in Penalties in August Youth Safety Trial The case was being closely watched amid a growing wave of litigation accusing social media companies of harming young users. While many lawsuits have been brought by children and families over alleged injuries to individuals, states, municipalities and school districts have also pursued lawsuits seeking broad changes to the industry. More than 40...

Market Performance in H2 2026 Will Be Driven by AI, Despite Geopolitical Uncertainty and Persistent Inflation: Natixis Survey 0

Market Performance in H2 2026 Will Be Driven by AI, Despite Geopolitical Uncertainty and Persistent Inflation: Natixis Survey

91% of Natixis strategists believe AI will be the key factor driving market performance in second half (H2) 2026 88% believe productivity gains from AI will translate into higher corporate profits 67% expect U.S. equities to outperform in H2, with 42% identifying U.S. markets as likely to deliver the best returns globally Over half (55%) say concerns about private credit have been overstated Boston, MA (July 22, 2026) — Investors are heading into the second half of 2026 faced with a wide range of potential risks, from the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict to volatile energy markets to persistent inflation. Yet, despite this, nine out of ten (91%) Natixis strategists are optimistic that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be the key factor driving market performance in second half of 2026. Of the 33 market strategists, portfolio managers, research analysts and economists across the Natixis Investment Managers affiliated group, 88% expect the AI sector will accelerate, and only 12% believe the bubble will burst in the second half of the year. However, despite optimism, Natixis strategists are still cautious on AI given the disruptive nature of the technology, as 79% believe volatility driven by AI fears is here to stay and could potentially spread...

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Trump Calls Texas’ Data Center Opposition a “Mistake”

Article 0 Comments President Donald Trump this week criticized Texas for being anti-data centers, just days after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott paused industry-wide approvals until the companies provide the state with more information on things like power and water use. “I saw Texas the other day sort of is against data centers,” Trump said in a nearly hourlong sit-down interview with Punchbowl News released Friday. “I think it’s a mistake. And I’m not taking positions, I just think it’s a mistake, because there are other communities that want it. When a community wants it, it means a lot of money is going to come into that community.” Abbott’s office and campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday. The moratorium, which Abbott announced Monday, will require state regulatory agencies to audit proposed data centers seeking connection to the state’s electric grid and find out whether they’re receiving tax breaks, how much power and water they will use, what kind of cooling they will use, what efforts they’ve made to reduce community impacts, and who owns the facilities. Any projects that fail Abbott’s ordered “comprehensive verification and audit” should be denied connection to the grid, the governor said....

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Texas Bakery Fined $25K for Child Labor and Back Wages Violations

Article 0 Comments The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered thousands in back wages and assessed penalties after a federal investigation revealed child labor, minimum wage, and overtime violations by the operators of three La Panaderia Bakery & Café locations in San Antonio. The department’s Wage and Hour Division investigated the pay practices of Tequila Almond Croissant LLC, Pan Dulce LLC, and SA Bakery Co. LLC. All three do business as La Panaderia Bakery & Café in San Antonio with locations at 301 E. Houston Street; 17030 Fiesta Texas Drive; and 8305 Broadway. Division investigators found the employers violated child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Specifically, they employed a 13-year-old minor who was under the legal age for employment and permitted a 15-year-old minor to work overnight, which is prohibited for 14- and 15-year-olds. The division assessed a $25,706 civil money penalty for the child labor violations. The division’s investigation also revealed minimum wage violations due to the employers’ failure to pay one worker for two overnight shifts at the La Cantera café location on Fiesta Texas Drive. The employers also failed to combine hours for employees who worked at multiple café locations and paid the employees...

Employee wellbeing hits new low as financial pressures weigh on Canadians: RBC Insurance poll 0

Employee wellbeing hits new low as financial pressures weigh on Canadians: RBC Insurance poll

As financial pressures continue to affect Canadians’ physical and mental health, group benefits remain one of the strongest ways employers can support their employees – yet their full value often goes untapped by those who need them most Toronto, ON (July 21, 2026) – Employee wellbeing in Canada has declined across every metric over the past year, according to poll results from RBC Insurance. The study shows that Canadians’ overall level of wellbeing rated as excellent or good has dropped by 9 percentage points to 56% in 2026 from 65% in 2025. This downward trend is consistent across all dimensions of wellbeing: Mental health dropped 7 points: 52% (2026) vs. 59% (2025) Physical health dropped 6 points: 53% (2026) vs. 59% (2025) Financial health dropped 2 points: 42% (2026) vs. 44% (2025) The largest declines are seen among workers aged 18–34 which saw its overall year-over-year wellbeing score drop by 18 points (from 67% to 49%) and mental health scores fall by 14 points (from 56% to 42%). However, challenges aren’t limited to younger generations: workers aged 55–65 – traditionally the most satisfied cohort – are also experiencing declines. Overall wellbeing fell 8 points and mental health dropped 11 points....

Families feeling the impact of higher gas prices in their daily lives, summer plans and household budgets: CAA Survey 0

Families feeling the impact of higher gas prices in their daily lives, summer plans and household budgets: CAA Survey

Toronto, ON (July 22, 2026) – More than two-thirds of Ontarians aged 35 to 54 say rising gas prices are affecting their day-to-day activities, as fuel costs continue to put pressure on household budgets and force many families to make difficult trade-offs in how they drive, spend and plan their daily lives, according to a new survey from CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO). The findings highlight how higher fuel costs are contributing to broader affordability challenges, with many families driving less, cutting back on discretionary spending and reducing everyday purchases such as takeout meals and coffee to keep spending in check. “For many Ontario families, higher gas prices aren’t just affecting how often they fill up the tank, they’re changing everyday decisions about where they go, what they buy and how they spend their money,” says Teresa Di Felice, assistant vice president, government & community relations for CAA SCO. Many households report driving less, cutting back on discretionary spending and reducing small but regular purchases such as takeout meals and coffee to manage rising costs. Affordability pressures are reshaping summer plans While summer is typically a time for travel and recreation, rising fuel costs are making it harder for...

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Texas Must Rethink Massive Transmission Lines, Lawmakers Say

Article 0 Comments A growing chorus of Texas lawmakers is calling on the state’s electric grid managers and utility regulators to halt an expansive and increasingly controversial project to build transmission lines that would cut through several thousand acres of private property to deliver electricity to oil companies in the West Texas oil fields. State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, on Friday said that the Public Utility Commission of Texas should reject the applications to build the infrastructure. The Legislature would work on changing the application process — that they first created in 2023 — next year, when lawmakers meet for their 90th legislative session, he added in a letter. “These concerns demonstrate the need for a complete overhaul of the … process before these applications can advance,” Schwertner, who chairs the Senate Committee on Business and Commerce, wrote. Backing Schwertner’s letter on Friday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on X wrote that while the transmission lines were necessary, they should not come at the expense of private property rights. “The testimony made it abundantly clear the current process being utilized by the PUC for proposing and approving transmission lines is broken and must be reformed,” Patrick wrote, referring to a legislative...

TD Insurance and Realtor.ca partner to help Canadians plan for home protection with greater confidence 0

TD Insurance and Realtor.ca partner to help Canadians plan for home protection with greater confidence

New digital experience brings home insurance advice and education directly into Canada’s leading real estate platform TD Insurance and REALTOR.ca are launching an integrated digital experience to bring home insurance guidance into the home-buying journey Only one-quarter of Canadians review their home insurance policy annually, highlighting a gap in preparedness The collaboration aims to help Canadians better understand insurance needs earlier in the homeownership process Toronto, ON (July 28, 2026) – TD Insurance (TDI) and REALTOR.ca are introducing a new digital experience designed to bring home insurance advice directly into the home buying journey, helping Canadians make more informed decisions as they plan for homeownership. With more Canadians turning to REALTOR.ca than any other real estate platform in the country, this collaboration supports them at every step of their journey – from browsing listings to purchasing and settling in. By introducing home insurance considerations earlier, Canadians can better connect the home they want with the protection they may need. The announcement comes as TD Insurance research shows many Canadians avoid thinking about insurance altogether, with just one-in-four reviewing their coverage each year. This underscores an opportunity to make insurance more accessible – and easier to plan for – earlier in the...

Why AI in insurance agencies is defining 2026 0

Why AI in insurance agencies is defining 2026

“The 98% solution” — By Ming Kostuck, Senior Analyst, ReSource Pro — Since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, conversations around AI in insurance agencies have accelerated at an unprecedented pace. What initially began as excitement around generative AI tools, chatbots, and content automation has quickly evolved into something much larger: a complete operational transformation across the insurance industry. Today, agencies are no longer simply experimenting with AI. They are actively investing in it. According to new research from ReSource Pro, 98% of insurance agencies are planning AI investments in 2026, signaling a major shift from cautious exploration to full-scale adoption. From workflow automation and document processing to customer service enhancements and operational intelligence, AI is becoming foundational infrastructure for the modern insurance agency. AI Adoption in Insurance Is No Longer Optional For years, many agencies viewed AI as a future initiative — something innovative but not immediately necessary. That mindset has now changed dramatically. The insurance industry is facing growing operational pressures, including talent shortages, rising customer expectations, increasing workloads, and the need for faster service delivery. Agencies are realizing that traditional workflows alone can no longer keep pace with market demands. As a result, investment in AI for insurance agencies is becoming universal. Whether it is...