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Trust Emerges as Main Barrier to Agentic AI Adoption in Finance and Accounting 0

Trust Emerges as Main Barrier to Agentic AI Adoption in Finance and Accounting

New York, NY (July 30, 2025) – Artificial intelligence (AI) is projected to become a mainstream finance and accounting tool, according to a recent Deloitte Center for Controllership™  poll. More than 8 in 10 (80.5%) polled finance and accounting professionals say AI-powered tools like AI agents and Generative AI (GenAI) chatbots could become standard tools for the profession within the next five years, while 14.8% say it could happen in less than 12 months. Across all respondents, 42.7% agree that increased efficiency and productivity are the greatest benefits of using AI agents to support finance and accounting processes, with convictions even stronger among those whose organizations already use agentic AI (56.1%). Other benefits include enhanced data analysis and insights (26.3%) and improved accuracy and error reduction (12.4%). Despite optimism about the future of AI, few organizations are currently using AI agents to support finance and accounting tasks. Just 13.5% of respondents say their organizations are already using agentic AI — although 33.6% say they are currently building or have future plans to adopt the technology. A further 7.6% of respondents do not know what an AI agent is. “There is significant momentum around agentic tools and their potential to transform...

US natural catastrophes dominate global losses in the first half of 2025 0

US natural catastrophes dominate global losses in the first half of 2025

High overall losses of around US$ 131bn slightly lower than last year – but well above long-term average Fires on the outskirts of Los Angeles in January cause highest wildfire losses of all time Very high claims expenditure for insurers: Almost US$ 80bn, mainly driven by wildfires in the United States Insured losses were the second-highest in the first half of any year since 1980 Morristown, NJ (July 31, 2025) – Worldwide, natural disasters caused overall losses of around US$ 131bn in the first half of 2025 (previous year, adjusted for inflation: US$ 155bn), of which US$ 80bn was insured (in 2024: US$ 64bn). Both overall losses and insured losses were significantly higher than the average for the previous ten years and the previous 30 years (adjusted for inflation: overall losses of US$ 101/79bn, insured losses of US$ 41/26bn). Insured losses in H1 2025 were the second-highest in the first half of any year since our records began in 1980. Only in the first half of 2011 were insured losses even higher, attributable to a severe earthquake and destructive tsunami in Japan. Weather disasters caused 88% of overall losses and 98% of insured losses, while earthquakes accounted for 12% and...

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The 6 Biggest Money Mistakes the Ultra-Wealthy Make

/ 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.

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PE Firm B.P. Marsh Invests in New Collateralized Reinsurer to Support Growth of XPT

Article 0 Comments B.P. Marsh & Partners Plc, the specialist private equity investor, announced it is investing in a new collateralized reinsurer that aims to support growth in its long-time investee company XPT Group, the U.S. wholesale insurance broking and underwriting agency platform. B.P. Marsh has committed a maximum of $5 million to the formation of Gambit Risk Finance (Gambit Re), of which $1.875 million will be funded on completion, the company said in a London Stock Exchange filing. In return, B.P. Marsh will receive a preferred equity shareholding of approximately 8%, which carries an 8% preferred annual return. Gambit Re will support XPT’s strategic growth ambitions and enhance its operational and financial flexibility by enabling XPT’s underwriting arm, Platinum Specialty Underwriters, to provide risk capital for selected underwriting programs within its insurance portfolio. Gambit Re will initially support five profitable Platinum programs across its underwriting portfolio, said B.P. Marsh, noting that the reinsurer “is expected to deliver a strong risk-adjusted return, underpinned by Platinum’s historical underwriting discipline.” Gambit Re’s capital structure is composed of $60 million of preferred equity, with participation from: Accord Capital Investments (providing $45 million), RSP, a vehicle formed by XPT senior management (providing $10 million),...

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6 Steps for Updating Your Lead Gen Strategy

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Best Colleges in 15 Categories: Princeton Review, 2025

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Gallagher Re Natural Catastrophe and Climate Report: First Half 2025 0

Gallagher Re Natural Catastrophe and Climate Report: First Half 2025

Rolling Meadows, IL (July 16, 2025) – Following a very active start to 2025 for natural catastrophe activity in the United States, fewer high-cost events in the rest of the world have kept the first six months of the year manageable for governments and the insurance industry globally. Global economic losses reached USD151 billion, the lowest H1 total since 2021, yet still above the 2015-2024 H1 average. Global insured losses climbed to USD84 billion, well above the decadal average of USD54 billion and the highest H1 total since 2011. This was primarily driven by January U.S. wildfires (USD40 billion) and U.S. severe convective storm (SCS) activity (USD32 billion), accounting for 87% of H1 insured losses. Notably, fourteen billion-dollar insured loss events occurred globally, with thirteen in the U.S. and one in APAC, marking the fewest global H1 total since 2019. Entering the second half of the year, there’s a heightened focus on the Atlantic hurricane season, as we approach peak tropical cyclone season and ENSO-neutral conditions persist. Colorado State University, a collaborative partner with Gallagher Re, forecasts near-average Atlantic hurricane activity, detailed in the full report. Gallagher Re’s Natural Catastrophe and Climate Report: First Half 2025 report summarizes preliminary global...

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Hong Kong Extends Record Rain Warnings as Podul Skirts City

Article 0 Comments Hong Kong’s central business district and outer airport were hit by violent gusts and a deluge of heavy rain on Thursday, with the city again issuing its highest rain warning as Tropical Storm Podul passed the region. Parts of Hong Kong have received as much as 400 millimeters (15.7 inches) of rain since midnight, with flights disrupted and schools shut for the day. A black rain warning was issued for a fifth time, breaking a record that was set earlier this month after the city was swamped by a prolonged deluge. The signal was in effect for more than three hours before being downgraded to a red rain warning just after 11 a.m. local time. Podul has continued to weaken as the system moves inland across mainland China. The storm has caused widespread disruptions to flights across southern China, with Guangzhou the worst affected airport in the world as of 10:45 a.m. for delays and cancellations, according to data from FlightAware. Shenzhen and Hong Kong also faced a number of flight delays. Read More: Hong Kong Sets Rainfall Record as Deluge Disrupts Flights A severe rainstorm alert was issued during the morning for Chek Lap Kok, the...

A.I. in Claims: The 4x Trust Effect of Human Oversight 0

A.I. in Claims: The 4x Trust Effect of Human Oversight

Highlights from Wisedocs’ AI in Claims Survey Report — By Amy Mingopoulos, Growth Marketing Specialist, Wisedocs — Wisedocs and ALM’s PropertyCasualty360 recently partnered to conduct a claims industry survey, uncovering a paradox at the heart of AI in claims: while there’s clear excitement around AI’s potential to streamline operations, trust in its autonomous decision-making remains low. The report, AI in Claims: The 4x Trust Effect of Human Oversight, reveals that combining artificial intelligence with expert human validation dramatically increases confidence among claims professionals. The survey, which polled 65 claims professionals – including adjusters, claims, managers, and service providers – delivers a candid look at the state of AI adoption and trust across the industry. Join us as we dive into the key takeaways from the exclusive report. 42% of claims professionals from a Wisedocs-commissioned survey with PropertyCasualty360 reported to be at least occasionally using AI in their claims’ workflows Key insight #1: Trust in AI alone remains low Only 16% of respondents express medium or high trust in AI-generated outputs on their own, with a mere 2% indicating high trust. The primary barriers? Concerns about accuracy (54%), compliance (49%), and integration with existing systems (45%). Even though AI adoption is...

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Typhoon Podul Slams Into Southern Taiwan, Hundreds of Flights Canceled

Article 0 Comments Typhoon Podul hit Taiwan’s sparsely populated southeast coast on Wednesday packing winds of up to 191 kph (118 mph), as a large swathe of southern and eastern parts of the island shut down and hundreds of flights were canceled. Taiwan is regularly hit by typhoons, generally along its mountainous east coast facing the Pacific. Podul slammed into the southeastern city of Taitung around 1 p.m. (0500GMT), Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration said. Read more: Typhoon Podul Set to Strengthen Before Hitting Southern Taiwan “Destructive winds from typhoon expected. Take shelter ASAP,” read a text message alert issued to cellphone users in parts of Taitung early on Wednesday. The alert warned people of gusts above 150 kph (93 mph) in the coming hours. Nine cities and counties announced the suspension of work and school for Wednesday, including the southern metropolises of Kaohsiung and Tainan. In the capital Taipei, home to Taiwan’s financial markets, there were blustery winds but no impact. Authorities are also working to evacuate those whose homes were damaged by a July typhoon that brought record winds and damaged the electricity grid in a rare direct hit to Taiwan’s west coast. The government said more than 5,500...