Minnesota reinsurance waiver fight looms as commerce leaders exit
Minnesota must reapply for its health reinsurance waiver in 2026 as senior commerce lawmakers leave and premiums face renewed pressure
Insurance News
Florida property insurers may see lower June reinsurance costs after reforms
AM Best expects softer June 2026 reinsurance renewals for Florida property insurers as litigation reforms and better results support capacity
Everest to sell Colombia insurance unit to AIG in portfolio shift
Everest agreed to sell its Colombia general insurance business to AIG as it narrows focus to global reinsurance and wholesale specialty insurance
Workplace homicide rates stay flat as national murders rise 35%
NCCI says workplace homicides stayed near 400 to 500 cases a year from 2011 to 2024, led by risks in sales, transport, and public-facing jobs
North Carolina homeowners face 7.5% insurance rate hike in June
North Carolina homeowners insurance rates will rise 7.5% on June 1 after regulators rejected an industry request for a 42% increase
New York budget bars ICE pacts and rewrites auto insurance rate rules
New York’s PPGG budget bill restricts local ICE cooperation, sets police mask rules, and changes auto insurance rating and approval rules
Washington wildfire town hall spotlights home insurance coverage gaps
Washington officials discussed wildfire recovery, insurance losses, underinsurance, risk scores, and retrofit grants after the 2023 Gray fire
US home insurance premiums more than double as 2025 rate hikes slow
Rate Insurance says U.S. home insurance premiums rose 107.6% since 2019, though annual growth slowed to 9.16% in 2025
Nevada utility seeks customer funding for wildfire insurance plan
NV Energy has added $250 mn in wildfire coverage but still wants Nevada ratepayers to help fund a $500 mn self-insurance policy
Reduced health insurance payments for hospital births changed U.S. sterilization rates
A new study says shorter postpartum hospital stays in the 1990s reduced U.S. female sterilization rates more than 1970s consent reforms
California FAIR Plan customers will face the insurer’s largest rate increase
California FAIR Plan premiums will rise after Oct. 15, with wildfire-risk areas facing larger increases and some ZIP codes seeing decreases
Florida home insurance premiums rise 75% as weather risks mount
Florida homeowners insurance premiums rose 75% from 2021 to 2025, nearly twice the U.S. average, as weather risk and reinsurance costs strain the market
California FAIR Plan raises home insurance rates 29% in October
California’s FAIR Plan will raise rates 29.1% for some homeowners as wildfire exposure, policy counts, and insurer pullbacks strain the market
California governor candidates focus on housing and insurance costs
California governor candidates are pitching plans on housing costs, home insurance, rebuilding, rent caps, and homelessness before the June primary
Providence exits most health insurance businesses for 2027
Providence will stop offering Medicaid, ACA, and employer health plans in 2027 as rising costs and regulation strain its insurance unit
Cyber insurance penetration among North American SMBs and SMEs remains low
55% of small and medium-sized businesses in North America lack basic email security protections. KYND found major cyber hygiene gaps among SMBs and SMEs
CFP Board urges NAIC to replace annuity sales model rule
CFP Board asked the NAIC to restart its annuity rule work, saying Model Regulation #275 lacks fiduciary duties and conflict controls
Fortegra backs insurtech Incept title insurance platform for UK property deals
Incept signed an underwriting deal with Fortegra for its UK title insurance platform, using Land Registry data to issue policies in seconds
Florida homeowners drop coverage as hurricane insurance costs rise
South Florida homeowners face high insurance costs before hurricane season, with some choosing to self-insure despite flood and wind risks
Thomas Stoddard elected to the AIG Board of Directors as an independent Director
American International Group announced that Thomas (Tom) Stoddard has been elected to its Board of Directors as an independent Director
D&O insurance premiums stabilized in 2026, average limits increased to $66 mn
Baldwin and Nasdaq say D&O premiums stabilized in 2026, with most companies seeing flat pricing or moderate decreases after 2022 high
Insurance digital satisfaction falls as online policy sales grow
JD Power says 47% of new auto and home policies are bought digitally, but insurer website and app satisfaction declined in 2026
US mortgage rates edge lower as spring home sales stay weak in 2026
Freddie Mac says the 30-year mortgage rate slipped to 6.36%, while higher Treasury yields and weak affordability keep U.S. home sales muted
Annuity sales rule guidance divides insurers and CFP Board
Insurance trade groups and the CFP Board split over NAIC guidance tied to best-interest annuity sales supervision and compliance
Trump administration withholds $1.3 bn in Medicaid funds from California
The Trump administration will withhold $1.3 bn in Medicaid payments from California and audit state fraud units over program oversight
Freight brokers face new insurance gap after Supreme Court ruling
The Supreme Court ruling opens freight brokers to negligent carrier selection claims, exposing gaps in surety bonds and contingent auto coverage
US auto insurance shopping cools as policy growth slows in Q1 2026
LexisNexis says US auto insurance shopping rose 3.2% in Q1 2026, while new policy growth slowed to 3.6% after hotter activity
Neptune Insurance prices secondary stock offering and planned share buyback
Neptune Insurance Holdings, the parent company of Neptune Flood Incorporated, has priced a public offering of 9,841,395 shares of Class A common stock
Colorado passes hail roof grant plan to cut home insurance costs
Colorado lawmakers passed SB155 to fund hail-resistant roof grants through a 0.5% fee on homeowners insurance plans
Illinois Senate passes auto insurance rate notice Bill 714 for drivers
Illinois Senate Bill 714 would require notice before auto premium increases above 10% and give regulators more rate oversight
Utah prosecutors seek $1.4 mn life insurance repayment from Kouri Richins
Utah prosecutors want convicted murderer Kouri Richins to repay $1.39 mn in life insurance benefits paid after her husband’s fentanyl death
Delaware Medicare birthday rule expands Medigap switch rights
Delaware’s SB 71 gives Medigap policyholders a birthday enrollment window and adds protections for Medicare Advantage exits
Louisiana arrests six in long-running fire and water insurance claim fraud case
Louisiana officials arrested six Ouachita Parish residents over an alleged fire and water damage insurance fraud scheme spanning nearly a decade
Howden buys Cybeta IP assets to expand US cyber insurance unit
Howden acquired Cybeta’s IP assets and cyber analytics talent to strengthen its US cyber insurance practice across underwriting and claims
Louisiana reaches $4.8 mn deal in Ronald Greene death lawsuit
Louisiana officials reached a tentative $4.8 mn settlement with Ronald Greene’s family over his 2019 fatal roadside arrest
Trump delays $83 mn Carroll defamation payment pending court appeal
Trump secured a delay on paying E. Jean Carroll’s $83 mn defamation award while he seeks Supreme Court review, with a $7.4 mn bond required
Florida surplus-lines homeowners insurance premiums near admitted market rates
Florida surplus-lines HO-3 premiums fell below $3,500 in April as E&S policy counts rose and admitted-market pricing narrowed
Maryland settles Dali Key Bridge collapse insurance claims for $2.5 bn
Maryland settled civil claims with Dali owner Grace Ocean and operator Synergy Marine over the Key Bridge collapse, while shipbuilder claims continue
US pushes China to reopen Hormuz after vessel seizure near UAE
A vessel seizure near the UAE complicates US talks with Iran as Rubio urges China to press Tehran on the Strait of Hormuz closure
Florida permit law raises insurance concerns
Florida HB803 removes permits for work under $7,500, expands private inspections, and creates new concerns for residential insurers
New York backs captive insurer for affordable housing
New York loaned $2 mn to Milford Street’s captive insurer as housing operators face higher liability premiums and thinner margins
UnitedHealthcare seeks 7.9% small plan rate hike in Maryland
UnitedHealthcare asked Maryland regulators for a 7.9% mid-year small market premium increase affecting more than 26,000 people
Oklahoma P&C insurance rate review law changes insurance filings
Oklahoma’s HB3781 moves property and casualty insurance rate filings to review before increases take effect, with public notices starting July 2027
Iowa law removes prior authorization for cancer AI-screening by insurers
Iowa’s new law ends prior authorization for cancer screenings, sets claim deadlines, and restricts AI-only health insurance denials
Georgia authorities accuse Dalton agent of workers’ comp insurance fraud
Georgia investigators say Dalton agent Lucy Margarita Suarez took workers’ comp premiums and issued fake certificates to clients
California insurance commissioner race tests wildfire coverage
California’s insurance commissioner race turns on wildfire claims, State Farm, FAIR Plan pressure, and Jane Kim’s public disaster coverage proposal
Stryker reports renew focus on healthcare cyber risk
Alleged Stryker cyber incident coverage renews focus on healthcare, life sciences, and medical device cyber insurance preparedness
Berkshire Hathaway operating earnings rise to $11.3 bn
Berkshire Hathaway Q1 2026 operating earnings rose 17.7% to $11.3 bn, supported by stronger insurance underwriting, BNSF, energy and manufacturing
Allianz Commercial shifts stand-alone cyber portfolio to insurtech Coalition
Allianz Commercial signed a 10-year cyber insurance deal with Coalition, making it the group’s exclusive global partner for stand-alone commercial cyber
Howden Re expands cyber reinsurance team
Howden Re added five cyber reinsurance specialists to expand US coverage, actuarial analytics, broking, account management, and exposure modelling
Heart Foundation and life insurer TAL target heart myths in young Australians
Heart Foundation and TAL are tackling heart health myths among younger Australians, urging prevention before risks build into later-life disease
NAIC private rating review may pressure US insurers
Fitch says NAIC scrutiny of private letter ratings could raise capital pressure for US insurers with heavier exposure to complex private assets
Fitch puts Prudential ratings on negative watch after Japan sales misconduct
Fitch placed Prudential ratings on Rating Watch Negative after Japan sales misconduct led to a 270-day suspension and earnings pressure
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission warns finance sector over AI cyber risks
ASIC urged Australian financial firms to strengthen cyber controls as frontier AI tools such as Mythos raise new vulnerability risks
Illinois settles Vee Pak no-poach case for $625,000
Illinois AG Kwame Raoul reached a $625,000 settlement with Vee Pak over no-poach claims affecting temporary workers.
Michigan Supreme Court backs Progressive policy rescission
Michigan Supreme Court ruled Progressive properly rescinded a policy after a driver misstated garaging and household details
Ransomware attacks rise 45% as ransom payments fall
Cowbell’s 2026 claims report shows ransomware attacks rose 45%, while average ransom payments dropped 44% as insureds improved response planning
Artificial intelligence plans outpace workforce investment, Aon says
Aon’s Human Capital Trends Study says employers expect AI to reshape skills, but most have not reskilled workers at the same pace
New Jersey court limits PIP medical cost evidence in auto injury cases
New Jersey Supreme Court ruled future medical costs covered by PIP cannot be presented to juries in auto injury cases
NAIC names Jeffrey Johnston permanent CEO
NAIC appointed Jeffrey C. Johnston as permanent CEO from June 1, 2026, after his interim leadership of the US insurance regulator group
Aerospace and defense M&A reached 532 deals in 2025, as business aviation attracts private equity, family offices, and growth investors
U.S. cyber insurance premiums rose nearly 11% in 2025 as policy volume jumped, but weaker pricing, higher losses, and AI-driven threats added fresh pressure
Finding affordable health insurance in California can be overwhelming. You’re faced with dozens of plan options, unfamiliar terms and questions about whether you qualify for subsidies through Covered California
Insurers enter 2026 with longer settlement cycles, rising volumes, and slow AI adoption, increasing costs and operational risk, AutoRek finds