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Article 0 Comments Europe’s four largest reinsurers – Swiss Re, Munich Re, Hannover Re and SCOR – are maintaining their appetite for property-catastrophe risks as well as their ambitious profit targets for 2025 – despite signs of rate softening and hefty claims from January’s California wildfires, according to AM Best. “This follows a period of right-sizing of [property-cat] portfolios, increases in attachment points, and a move away from aggregate covers and working layers,” said AM Best in a report titled “The European ‘Big Four’ Reinsurers Maintain Their Risk Appetites,” published on Aug. 19. “Although prices have softened in the 2025 renewals, discipline on attachment points and terms seem to be holding for now,” said the report, adding that there is no material sign, as yet, that this discipline is weakening The main negative note for the “Big Four” reinsurers, highlighted by the report, was adverse development in U.S. casualty. However, these losses were absorbed by strong margins in property lines and improved investment yields. The report noted that all four reinsurers continue to benefit from business written through the hard reinsurance market, with strong pricing, terms and conditions, which has allowed them “to maintain robust performance metrics for their property/casualty...
While some financial advisors enter the industry in a roundabout way, Sarah Mouser’s experience was different. After studying in the CFP program at Virginia Tech University, she headed straight into the wealth management world with Ameriprise. More than two decades on, Mouser is now the managing director of financial planning at Verdence Capital Advisors, where she works closely with the entire Verdence team to develop custom, individualized planning strategies for clients. She also helps the firm’s financial planning team stay ahead of the curve and deliver integrated and holistic advisory solutions. On this episode of the Ask the Retirement Expert podcast, Mouser speaks with ThinkAdvisor Senior Reporter John Manganaro about her journey as a financial planning professional — evolving from a novice producing advisor to an experienced mentor and leader in the industry. During the episode, Mouser and Manganaro also discuss: – The evolving expectations of wealth management clients. – “Giving back” through mentorship and new-advisor training. – Planning for hard-to-estimate retirement expenses and more. To listen to additional podcasts within the Ask the Retirement Expert series, click here.
Wawanesa offering $200,000 in grants Winnipeg, MB (Aug. 5, 2025) – With extreme weather becoming more frequent, unpredictable, and severe, Wawanesa Insurance is once again stepping up to help more Canadian communities become more resilient through its Wawanesa Climate Champions: Local Grants. Now in its second year, the initiative is offering $200,000 in total funding to support climate adaptation and mitigation projects that reduce the effects of extreme weather on communities. To help recipients make an even greater impact, Wawanesa has doubled the maximum individual grant amount to $50,000. The Wawanesa Climate Champions: Local Grants are open to qualified projects in any Canadian community. “From wildfires, to flooding and hailstorms, this past year has been the most destructive weather-wise in our country’s history,” said Jackie De Pape Hornick, Director, Communications & Community Impact at Wawanesa. “As our climate continues to change, Wawanesa is doing its part to help Canadians better protect what matters most.” The deadline to apply for the Wawanesa Climate Champions: Local Grants is September 26. Eligible organizations include registered charities, non-profits, and Indigenous communities. The initiative is part of the broader Wawanesa Climate Champions program, which invests $2 million annually to support the people and organizations on...
Get paid for any measurable rain Paris, France (Aug. 14, 2025) — Vortex Weather Insurance is pleased to introduce RainSureSM, the latest addition to the company’s line of parametric rain insurance products. RainSure differs from Vortex’s existing rain insurance products by offering incremental payouts for every .01 inch of rain up to a .25-inch, .5-inch, or 1-inch threshold selected by the policyholder. The biggest benefit of an escalator rain insurance policy like RainSure is that unlike traditional rain insurance policies, which only pay out when the rainfall amount meets or exceeds a certain threshold, a RainSure policyholder receives a payment for any recorded precipitation starting at .01 inches. “RainSure helps protect your event from any amount of rain, even small amounts,” said Andy Klaus, lead weather index insurance producer for Vortex. “No more worrying about whether the rainfall that is creating losses will be enough to trigger a payout. If it’s just one one-hundredth of an inch, you get paid.” The only parametric escalator rain product on the market, Vortex’s ground-breaking RainSure provides quick, easy payouts. The policy holder can choose from three different versions of the RainSure product, each with a progressive level of payout. RainSure also provides unique...
Article 0 Comments A tour bus returning to New York City from Niagara Falls with 54 people aboard crashed and rolled on its side Friday on an interstate highway, killing five passengers and injuring many others, authorities said. The driver apparently became distracted, lost control and overcorrected before the bus went into the right shoulder and flipped over shortly before 12:30 p.m. on the eastbound side of Interstate 90 in Pembroke, New York, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Buffalo, state police Maj. Andre Ray said at an evening news conference. He did not say how the driver became distracted, adding that the cause remains under investigation. Ray said the passengers ranged in age from 1 to 74. Multiple people were ejected from the bus during the crash, and five people — all adults — were pronounced dead at the scene, Ray said. Many others became entrapped in the wreck and were rescued. Dozens were taken to hospitals. Ray said it didn’t appear any other people had life-threatening injuries. “An absolute tragedy took place,” Ray said. “And first and foremost, our thoughts, prayers and hearts go out to those involved, their friends and their families.” State police said most...
/ ThinkAdvisor provides financial advisors, registered investment advisors and wealth managers with comprehensive coverage of the products, services and information they need to guide their clients in making critical wealth, health and life decisions.
Article 0 Comments The Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI) announced the state’s mutual insurance companies reported a considerable reduction in net losses from $17.7 million in 2023 to just $4.8 million in 2024. In 2024, mutuals managed 205,000 policies representing more than $61 billion in gross in-force coverage, according to DCI. DCI approved the Missouri Mutual Insurers Captive, a collaborative reinsurance pool, which began operations in late 2023, after many participating metals could no longer rely on a Wisconsin reinsurance provider. Without the approval of Missouri Mutual Insurers Captive, numerous mutuals would have likely faced mergers or closures due to the scarcity of available reinsurance, the department said. Every mutual that participated in the pool reported a profit in 2024. These mutuals generated a net profit of $4.8 million on $51.8 million in direct premiums. “I am pleased to see the pool’s results, in light of this year’s severe weather events, and believe it will play an important role in preserving this vital market segment that serves Missouri’s farmers and rural communities in the future,” said DCI Director Angela Nelson. The pool’s membership has also expanded in 2025, growing from 18 to 21 mutual members, representing nearly one-third...
Article 0 Comments AM Best has revised the outlooks to stable from negative and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of “a” (Excellent) of Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company, Colorado Farm Bureau Insurance Company (Colorado Farm Bureau) (both of Ridgeland, MS), Louisiana Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company (Baton Rouge, LA) and Mississippi Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company (Jackson, MS). In addition, AM Best has removed from under review with positive implications and upgraded the FSR to A (Excellent) from B (Fair) and the Long-Term ICR to “a” (Excellent) from “bb” (Fair) of Arkansas Farm Bureau Insurance Company (Ridgeland, MS), formally Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Arkansas, Inc. The outlook assigned to these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. These companies are collectively referred to as Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Group. The ratings reflect Southern Farm Bureau’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. AM Best said the revised outlooks reflect Southern Farm Bureau’s improved operating performance through 2024, and continued through year-to-date 2025. Results earlier in this five-year period were...
San Francisco, CA (Aug. 12, 2025) — In a provocative step that signals a seismic shift in the insurance landscape, SUPERAGENT AI, the San Francisco–based InsurTech innovator, has announced its ambitious goal to launch the first fully autonomous AI Insurance Agent by the end of 2025. This groundbreaking AI promises to handle every aspect of insurance advisory, sales, and customer service, around the clock, and more efficiently than traditional agents. SUPERAGENT AI’s bold claim sets the stage for intense industry debate, asserting that AI-driven insurance agents will outperform human counterparts in accuracy, responsiveness, and customer satisfaction. The company predicts that within the next year, traditional insurance agent roles will drastically evolve or risk obsolescence. “We’re not just reshaping insurance; we’re redefining what it means to be an insurance agent,” said Milan Veskovic, CEO of SUPERAGENT AI. “Our fully autonomous AI agents will eliminate human error, offer superior client interactions 24/7, and fundamentally alter industry expectations.” While this radical transformation unfolds, SUPERAGENT AI is rolling out powerful interim solutions designed to prepare insurance agents for seamless AI integration while delivering measurable gains today. The first flagship offerings, BOOT|camp and LIVE|assist, will debut publicly in September 2025. Together they cut new-hire ramp-up...
