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Louisiana Lawmakers Pass Auto Insurance Reform Bills to Boost Market Competition

Article 0 Comments Louisiana lawmakers passed a series of auto insurance reform bills that aim to bring availability and competition to the market by cutting down on excessive verdicts and settlements. Legislators passed four bills endorsed by Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple that he says will allow Louisiana to compete with other states in attracting insurance companies to write commercial and private auto business. HB 337, sponsored by Rep. Jack McFarland, prevents insurers from being named initially in lawsuits involving an injured person in a car wreck. Known as the Direct Action bill, the law would keep plaintiff attorneys from knowing how much liability insurance is involved in a case until a second lawsuit. The bill, which has already been enacted into law, will force juries to determine what the actual losses in a case are “without knowing that there’s a $2.5 million liability policy in the wing that could be claimed up to the max amount,” said Clyde Bohne, principal at Preferred Insurance Agency of Louisiana and chair of the Governmental Affairs Committee for PIA of Louisiana. Louisiana was one of only three states that allowed insurers to be named directly in initial lawsuits, said Temple. “What we’re trying to...

Leadership, benefits, and technology risks top of mind for risk and HR professionals surveyed by Mercer and Marsh 0

Leadership, benefits, and technology risks top of mind for risk and HR professionals surveyed by Mercer and Marsh

New York, NY (May 2, 2024) – Mercer and Marsh, businesses of Marsh McLennan, the world’s leading professional services firm in the areas of risk, strategy and people, are pleased to announce the release of their US People Risk 2024 Report. Based on responses from more than 1,000 risk and HR professionals nationwide, the survey revealed that ineffective leadership is viewed as the biggest people risk facing organizations today, followed by improper rewards decision making, and increasing health and benefit costs. Risk managers also identified a lack of cybersecurity knowledge and mismanagement of AI as key people threats in 2024. “The breadth and depth of intersecting risks organizations face today is staggering,” said Susan Potter, Mercer’s US and Canada Region President. “People are an organization’s most important asset, but they can also expose organizations to risk without the right culture, policies, and training. By taking a proactive, predictive, and disciplined approach to people risk management, businesses will be better prepared to help their people and businesses thrive in this increasingly complex risk environment.” Risk and HR managers have several concerns related to ineffective leadership at their organizations. According to the report, a third (34%) of employers are concerned about significant...

Navacord Further Expands its Specialization with Navis Marine Insurance Brokers 0

Navacord Further Expands its Specialization with Navis Marine Insurance Brokers

Toronto, ON (May 8, 2024) – Navacord is excited to announce their recent partnership with Navis Marine Insurance Brokers, effective as of May 1. Founded in 2011 after seeking to fill a gap in the BC market for a specialty marine insurance provider, Navis has now grown to be a leading national marine broker based in Vancouver. As a Lloyd’s coverholder, Navis brings a strong presence in the London market alongside their expertise in insurance solutions for both commercial vessel owners and recreational boaters as well as marina operators, manufacturers, dealers, repairers, cargo transporters, and general personal and commercial lines. “Navacord’s reputation for service excellence and their desire to grow in the niche sector of marine insurance made them a perfect fit as our partner,” says Paul Mendham, President and CEO, Navis Marine Insurance Brokers. “This collaboration provides us not only a ‘safe harbour’ where we can refine our expertise, but also opens doors to new opportunities for amplified market presence and expansion.” Leveraging Navis’ deep understanding in meeting the marine industry’s needs for tailored insurance solutions, this partnership reinforces Navacord’s commitment to building out their specialty lines while expanding their geographic presence in BC. “The addition of Navis to...

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Tennessee, Kentucky Tobacco Farmer Sentenced for Second Crop Insurance Fraud

Article 0 Comments A Kentucky tobacco farmer has been sentenced to more than three years in prison after pleading guilty to crop insurance fraud, eight years after he was convicted of similar crimes. David Manion, 61, who resides in Lafayette, Tennessee, and owns land in southern Kentucky, must also pay $9 million in restitution, fines and other costs, a federal judge in the U.S. District Court in Western Kentucky decided this week. In his plea, Manion also agreed to a lifetime ban on utilizing the federal crop insurance program. Manion pleaded guilty in 2016 to defrauding the federal crop insurance program by overstating damage to his fields. He was barred from participation in the program for five years. But while that case was still unresolved, he recruited his adult children to make insurance claims on tobacco that Manion farmed, funneling some of the proceeds to Manion, according to court records and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Louisville. One of Manion’s children was also prosecuted for the scheme and was fined. The man’s attorney had said Manion suffers from diabetes and should be allowed to stay out of prison. Topics Fraud Agribusiness Kentucky Tennessee Was this article valuable? Thank you! Please...

Summer travel spending is on the rise for 2024: Deloitte 0

Summer travel spending is on the rise for 2024: Deloitte

According to Deloitte Canada’s first Summer Travel Outlook, 77 per cent of Canadians will spend more compared to last year New York, NY (May 30, 2024) – Sky-high costs and ongoing economic pressures are not dampening the mood this summer season. According to the 2024 summer travel outlook: Canadian destinations in the spotlight, Canadians are eagerly making travel plans and are ready to get away and make up for missed travel time. Overall, consumers plan to spend an average of $2,405 on transportation and lodging costs for their major summer trip, with three in four (74%) planning to stay in the country and experience the very best it has to offer. “The evolving landscape of summer and leisure travel presents significant growth opportunities to the travel and hospitality industry stakeholders as they prepare for the increasing demand in Canadian tourism, keeping in mind that travellers will still be price-sensitive,” says Leslie Peterson, National Transportation, Hospitality, and Services industry leader at Deloitte Canada. “Despite an unpredictable economic climate, Canadians still value their travel plans for the upcoming summer season and are more eager than ever to make the most of their time off. From lakeside getaways to big city escapes, Canadians...

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Aon/NFP’s Lenox Advisors Acquires Maryland Benefits Firm Serving Medical Pros

Article 0 Comments Lenox Advisors, Inc., an affiliate of NFP, an Aon company, reports it has acquired Martin/Wight & Co., a Maryland-based insurance and financial services firm that specializes in serving medical professionals. Founders Brian Martin and Ted Wight will join Lenox as partners. Based in the Baltimore area, M&W primarily serves physicians, dentists, and medical centers, providing executive benefits as well as wealth management, financial planning, disability insurance, voluntary benefits, ancillary benefits, individual and group life insurance, and long-term care. Aon Completes $13B Acquisition of Middle-Market Broker NFP New York-based Lenox Advisors is a wholly owned subsidiary of NFP Corp., a financial services holding company. Lenox offers securities and investment advisory services. NFP was acquired by global insurance broker Aon for $13 billion in April. Earlier this month, NFP acquired HELPGB, a human resources and health and safety consulting business in England. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Maryland Aon Was this article valuable? Thank you! Please tell us what we can do to improve this article. Submit No Thanks Thank you! % of people found this article valuable. Please tell us what you liked about it. Submit No Thanks Here are more articles you may enjoy. Interested in Mergers? Get...

Simplifying Risk Analysis with VIN Data 0

Simplifying Risk Analysis with VIN Data

By Jim Vecchio, Head of VIN Products, Autodata Division, J.D. Power — The insurance industry needs dynamic auto pricing symbols. At the 2024 Casualty Actuarial Society’s (CAS) Ratemaking, Product & Modeling (RPM) seminar last month, I had the opportunity to join Martin Ellingsworth from Salt Creek Analytics and Liam McGrath and Clayton Spinner from WTW for a panel discussion around how insurance carriers can simplify their risk analysis using VIN-specific, as-built data. VIN level data has been used in ratemaking for decades. As vehicles get less homogeneous at the make and model level, there is more opportunity to add precision to rating not just using the first 8 digits of the VIN, but the entire 17-digit VIN. Our session dove into the ways auto insurers look at vehicle data and confronted some of the challenges associated with using a one-size-fits-all approach. We also explored examples using insurance loss data to show how using changes in used car prices can enhance pricing algorithms.For those who were unable to catch our panel, below is a recap of our discussion. Martin cautioned insurers to be ready to explain why the same base rate increases were being applied across the board despite every car...

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Irish Court Case on Russia Jet Insurance Claims to Begin on June 11

Article 0 Comments Ireland’s High Court is to begin hearing a dispute around insurance claims for aircraft stuck in Russia on June 11, a week later than scheduled, after parties in the case asked for additional time to prepare, a court spokesman said on Thursday. Lessors are suing dozens of insurers around the world for billions of dollars after more than 400 planes were unable to leave Russia due to Western sanctions in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine that forced the termination of their leases. The world’s number two and three lessors, SMBC and Avolon, as well as BOC Aviation, CDB Aviation, Nordic Aviation Capital and Carlyle Aviation Partners are pursuing their claims in Ireland, where more than 60% of the world’s leased aircraft are owned or managed. The world’s biggest aircraft lessor, Irish-based AerCap, is pursuing its insurance claims through London’s High Court. The Irish case is to be held at a special venue as no court in Ireland is large enough to accommodate the 180 lawyers involved, Justice Denis McDonald told a hearing last year. The case had been due to begin on June 4. (Reporting by Conor Humphries; editing by Kirsten Donovan) Related: Topics Claims Russia...

8 Generational Differences in Americans’ Retirement Planning Worries 0

8 Generational Differences in Americans’ Retirement Planning Worries

Start Slideshow Following the COVID-19 pandemic, workers’ attitudes may have permanently shifted regarding work-life flexibility, part-time or gig work, and shared caregiving responsibilities, according to a new survey report supplement published by Goldman Sachs. Similarly, the survey results suggest that Americans’ stated concerns about their current financial lives and their prospects for preparing adequately for retirement have also evolved, and there are clear differences across the generations with their biggest perceived hurdles to achieving financial security now and in the future. The new crop of data offers additional insights drawn from Goldman Sachs’ annual Retirement Survey & Insights Report, which focused this year on the concept of the “financial vortex” and the way that countervailing personal and economic challenges can leave even affluent Americans struggling to make ends meet. Specifically, the supplement evaluates the distinct retirement planning challenges faced by baby boomers, Generation X, millennials and Gen Z. By appreciating the needs of each generation, the authors argue, key stakeholders can better see the macro changes happening across Social Security, longevity, caregiving, education costs and general views on retirement that are affecting how people save and prepare. Ultimately, the authors conclude, the financial vortex necessitates that retirement savers create a...

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Man Accused of Starting Wildfire Near Arizona-California Border

Article 0 Comments A Yuma man has been arrested for allegedly starting a wildfire in a national wildlife preserve in southwest Arizona near the California border, according to authorities. Yuma County Sheriff’s officials said 47-year-old Jason Bradley Martin remains jailed on suspicion of arson, criminal damage and other charges. The wildfire was reported around 2 p.m. Saturday in the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, which was established in 1941 to protect 30 miles (of mostly wetland habitat along the Lower Colorado River. Authorities said the blaze was 20% contained after burning nearly 2 square miles of vegetation along the Arizona side of the Colorado River in Yuma County. Multiple agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and federal Bureau of Land Management, responded to the scene to assist firefighting crews. Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics California Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Arizona Was this article valuable? Thank you! Please tell us what we can do to improve this article. Submit No Thanks Thank you! % of people found this article valuable. Please tell us what you liked about it. Submit No Thanks Here are more articles you may...