State Farm faces probes over California wildfire claims delays
State Farm says it paid $5 bn after California wildfires as Los Angeles County and state regulators investigate claim delays and possible AI use
Insurance News
Florida Citizens Property Insurance enrollment sinks after reforms reshape market
Enrollment at Florida’s insurer of last resort has fallen sharply, as lawmakers credit legal reforms with restoring competition and stabilizing property insurance
Beneva shifts auto products to Guidewire APD with GFT support
Beneva completes early Guidewire APD conversion for auto insurance, cutting timelines in half and unlocking faster digital product changes
US House blocks ACA subsidy extension as premiums set to rise
Expanded ACA subsidies are set to expire after a narrow House vote, leaving millions facing higher health insurance costs amid party infighting
Pinpoint Predictive partners with Trexis Insurance to optimize auto payments
Trexis Insurance deploys Pinpoint Predictive’s loss models to tailor payment plans, cut downpayments, and lift premium output during quoting
John Garamendi attacks California insurance chief over premiums, drops
Former insurance commissioner John Garamendi accuses Ricardo Lara of failing California consumers amid rising premiums, policy nonrenewals, and insurer profits
California court limits insurance commissioner’s power over FAIR Plan
A California appeals court says the insurance commissioner can’t force the FAIR Plan to add liability-style coverages beyond basic property insurance
Millions of UK travellers hide medical conditions on travel insurance
One in four UK travellers conceal medical conditions to cut travel insurance costs, risking rejected claims and massive overseas medical bills
Toyota launches brand-only motor insurance for Ireland drivers
Toyota enters the Irish insurance market with exclusive cover for Toyota and Lexus drivers, partnering with Wrisk Europe amid weak competition.
Chubb plans up to 20% workforce cut tied to digitisation push
Chubb expects to reduce headcount by as much as 20% over four years as automation spreads across underwriting, claims, and support functions
Florida approves pet insurance rate hikes averaging 9.25%
Florida regulators approved 12 pet insurance rate increases this year, averaging 9.25%, as veterinary costs continue to rise faster than inflation
Australia’s competition regulator blocks IAG bid for RAC Insurance
Australia’s competition regulator opposes IAG’s planned takeover of RAC Insurance, warning it would weaken motor and home insurance competition in WA
Flood insurance drops nationwide as Florida holds firm, study finds
A new study shows flood insurance policies falling across the US under Risk Rating 2.0, while Florida adds coverage as affordability strains the federal program
London dental insurance fraud trio avoid immediate jail
A struck-off dentist and her two children were convicted over a £350k dental insurance fraud in North London but received suspended sentences
Ageas UK and Saga launch 20-year insurance partnership for over-50s
Ageas UK and Saga plc roll out a 20-year affinity deal, launching motor insurance now and home cover in early 2026 for over-50s customers
New Zealand home insurance costs diverge by region and risk
NZ home and contents insurance costs show uneven regional shifts as insurers apply finer risk-based pricing, with Canterbury and Wellington moving differently
MetLife Pet Insurance integrates cover into pet adoption process
MetLife partners with Petstablished to embed pet insurance quotes into adoption and registration, aiming to cut surprise vet costs from day one
NFP acquires P&C broker Hamilton Insurance to expand senior care focus
NFP, an Aon company, acquires Hamilton Insurance Agency in Virginia, adding senior housing and long-term care expertise to its P&C platform
Geopolitics and climate strain global marine insurance – Kennedys warns
Kennedys warns geopolitical tension, climate volatility, trade disputes, and post-Brexit rules are reshaping risk and claims pressure in marine insurance
Aon adds ERN Latin America catastrophe models via Oasis LMF
Aon’s Impact Forecasting delivers ERN Latin America catastrophe models through Oasis LMF, expanding open modelling options for (re)insurers
Cyber insurance set to become mandatory as threats escalate – Kennedys’ report
Kennedys predicts cyber insurance will shift from optional to mandatory as supply-chain attacks rise and boards face direct regulatory pressure
Canada Life UK completes £330m buy-in with Comet Pension Scheme
Canada Life UK secures benefits for 4,500 members through a £330m full-scheme buy-in with the Comet Pension Scheme backed by Fnac Darty
IFC to take 20% stakes in VIG’s Ukrainian non-life insurers, USG and Kniazha
IFC plans to invest in two Vienna Insurance Group insurers in Ukraine, backing growth, digitalisation, and insurance capacity ahead of reconstruction
UK motor insurers face losses by 2026 as premiums fall – EY
EY expects UK motor insurance to break even in 2025 and slip into losses in 2026 as inflation and repair costs outpace pricing
Nippon Life Insurance moves to acquire MDV to expand health data strategy
Nippon Life launches a tender offer for Medical Data Vision, aiming to deepen use of health data and analytics across insurance and healthcare
J.P. Morgan sees softer pricing cycle for European P&C insurance in 2026
J.P. Morgan expects easing property cat reinsurance rates and weaker pricing momentum across European P&C through 2026
FCA moves to simplify insurance rules, faces London market pushback
The FCA eases insurance rules to cut costs and boost flexibility, but Lloyd’s and London Market leaders say reforms stop short of real change
Experian warns of AI-driven cyber risks in 2026 breach forecast
Experian’s 2026 Data Breach Forecast points to AI-powered attacks, quantum risk, and rising identity fraud as cyber threats grow faster and smarter
PERILS estimates A$1,108 mn loss from Australia convective storms
PERILS sets initial insured loss at $1,108 mn for late-October 2025 severe convective storms across Australia’s east coast
US commercial insurance rates rise 3.8% in Q3 2025 – WTW
US commercial insurance pricing rose 3.8% in Q3 2025, matching Q2 and slowing sharply from 2024 as most lines eased, according to WTW data
Wisconsin Supreme Court upholds Catholic Charities UI exemption
Wisconsin’s top court leaves the state’s unemployment insurance religious exemption intact and confirms Catholic Charities qualifies after a US Supreme Court ruling
New York plans 25% rise in rideshare insurance rates by 2028
New York will lift rideshare insurance rates about 25% over three years after American Transit’s collapse, pushing higher costs toward drivers and fares
Louisiana insurers split on home rates as reforms reshape pricing
Louisiana approves a 7.5% home insurance rate cut for two carriers while allowing State Farm a near 10% increase tied to hurricane risk
US Labor Department sends fraud strike team to Minnesota UI
The US Labor Department will review Minnesota’s Unemployment Insurance program after fraud findings raised concerns over system integrity
Amazon flags Russian cyber campaign hitting Western energy networks
Amazon Threat Intelligence links a long-running Russian GRU cyber campaign to attacks on misconfigured network devices across Western critical infrastructure
Coupang data breach traced to ex-employee with system access
South Korea’s largest retailer says a former employee accessed internal systems, exposing data of 33.7 mn customers in the country’s worst cyber breach
President Trump’s AI order splits insurers and state lawmakers on regulation
President Trump’s AI executive order draws support from health insurers but sharp resistance from state insurance lawmakers over federal preemption
Illinois court tosses genetic privacy suit against State Farm Life
An Illinois appeals court dismissed a class action claiming State Farm Life violated genetic privacy law, ruling underwriting limits apply to health insurers
Iowa Attorney back dismissal of Lockheed pension transfer lawsuit
Nine state attorneys general urged a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit challenging Lockheed Martin’s pension risk transfer to Athene
Arizona court weighs Centene bid to force provider case to arbitration
Centene asked an Arizona court to move a discrimination lawsuit by health providers into arbitration, arguing contracts bar the case from court
ICIEC approved €135 mn in insurance for Turkiye’s KIAD railway
ICIEC approved €135 mn in insurance for Turkiye’s KIAD railway, supporting murabaha financing and boosting Asia–Europe rail connectivity
Michigan Supreme Court lets stand denial of benefits to workers
Michigan’s Supreme Court declined to review a challenge to a law denying indemnity benefits to undocumented workers who used false documents.
West Virginia court revives worker’s injury insurance claim against supervisor
West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals reinstated a deliberate intent claim against a supervisor while upholding dismissal of claims against the employer
47% of Texas homeowners insurance claims closed with no payout
Texas insurers closed 47% of homeowners claims without payment in 2024, shifting more repair costs onto property owners as deductibles and denials rise
Asia floods cause $20 bn losses, exposing rising climate risk
Deadly floods across South and Southeast Asia killed over 1,300 people and caused $20 bn in losses, highlighting growing climate and economic risks
Cloud pricing engines shift insurance IT from burden to advantage
Cloud-native pricing engines are reshaping insurance IT, cutting deployment friction, lowering costs, and turning pricing agility into a competitive edge
Oil tanker shipping costs set to stay high into early 2026
Aging tankers, sanctions, and tight capacity are keeping oil shipping rates elevated into 2026, with relief unlikely before new vessels arrive
Colorado ACA premiums set to jump 101% after Senate subsidy deadlock
Colorado residents buying health insurance on their own face a 101% premium jump in 2026 after the Senate failed to extend ACA subsidies
Trump plans to enlist private firms for offensive cyber operations
Draft US cyber strategy signals a shift toward using private companies for offensive cyber actions against state-backed hackers and ransomware groups
La Niña returns, driving floods, snowstorms, and rising global losses
A renewed La Niña is fueling floods in Asia, early US snowstorms, and mounting economic losses, with insurers and commodity markets bracing for impact
Historic floods overwhelm Washington as rivers hit record levels
Severe flooding across Washington strands residents, destroys homes, and forces mass evacuations as rivers exceed records and more rain looms
FEMA releases $350 mn for Helene, Debby relief after delays
FEMA approves $350 mn in disaster aid tied to Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby after pressure over hundreds of millions in unpaid funds
State Farm cuts Louisiana auto rates 5.9% for over 1 mn drivers
State Farm wins approval for a 5.9% auto rate cut in Louisiana for 2026, while homeowners premiums rise on higher hurricane loss projections
US senators press Trump administration on bird flu vaccine plan
Bipartisan senators urge the Trump administration to finalize a science-based bird flu vaccine plan for livestock amid rising outbreaks
Senators seek fixes to defense bill over helicopter safety rollback
Bipartisan senators warn a defense bill could weaken post-crash aviation safety rules and are pushing amendments after a deadly D.C. collision
Illinois law targets insurer pay to expand in-network therapy access
Illinois enacts a law setting insurer payment formulas for behavioral health, aiming to bring more therapists in-network and reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
United Airlines Boeing 777-200 to Tokyo turns back after engine failure at Dulles
A United Airlines Boeing 777 returned to Dulles after an engine failure on departure, prompting an FAA investigation and a brief airport fire
US P&C insurers post $35 bn underwriting gain through Q3 2025
US P&C insurers swung to a $34.9 bn underwriting gain in the first nine months of 2025 as premiums rose and catastrophe losses stayed muted
US lawmakers revive bill to protect NFIP rates with private flood cover
A bipartisan bill would let private flood policies count toward NFIP continuous coverage, protecting grandfathered rates and expanding consumer choice
India opens insurance fully to foreign investors, eases nuclear laws
India approves reforms to atomic energy rules and removes foreign ownership caps in insurance, aiming to attract capital and private participation
The EU delayed parts of the AI Act as US AI funding surged, widening Europe's gap in capital, compute, talent and data for startups
The global insurance sector outlook remains ‘neutral’ at 2026, as business conditions have been resilient across most markets to the more challenging macroeconomic environment
The US P&C insurance industry recorded a $16.3 bn net underwriting gain in the first three months of 2026, up significantly from a $1 bn loss recorded in the prior-year period
Aerospace and defense M&A reached 532 deals in 2025, as business aviation attracts private equity, family offices, and growth investors