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
🇺🇸 US Insurance News
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
Reinsurer OnRe appoints of Ben Fortune as Chief Underwriting Officer
OnRe, a licensed collateralized reinsurer and onchain asset manager, announced the appointment of Ben Fortune as its Chief Underwriting Officer
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
Verisk brings insurance analytics and Generative AI capabilities into Claude AI
Verisk launched MCP connectors in Claude, giving insurers and restoration teams conversational access to governed underwriting and claims analytics
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
Insurtech Corgi raises $160 mn Series B at $1.3 bn valuation
Corgi raised $160 mn in Series B funding led by TCV and launched AI insurance coverage for businesses deploying AI systems.
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
Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore loss hits $2.8 bn marine insurance market
The Baltimore Bridge settlement lifts the Dali loss above $2.8 bn, creating the largest single marine insured loss on record
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
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
McGill expands aviation war insurance cover for grounded spares
McGill and Partners launched aviation war coverage for spare engines and equipment kept on the ground, closing a gap in traditional hull war policies
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
Federal trade court rejects Trump’s 10% import tariff
A federal trade court ruled Trump’s 10% tariff illegal, creating new uncertainty for insurers tracking claims costs and imported materials
Insurtech Kin Insurance completes $335 mn catastrophe bond deal
Kin Insurance completed its largest catastrophe bond transaction, securing $335 mn through Hestia Re to support homeowners in storm-exposed markets
Ohio House Bill 838 targets insurance coverage for gender-affirming surgery
Ohio House Bill 838 would bar public employer health plans and Medicaid from covering gender-reassignment surgery
Florida sets new e-signature rules for auto salvage insurance claims
Florida insurers face new identity verification rules for electronic signatures tied to salvage titles and certificates of destruction from July 2026
Global reinsurance capital reaches record $648 bn in 2025
Global reinsurers posted record 2025 profits and capital growth, with dedicated capital rising 11% to $648 bn, according to Gallagher Re
Minnesota’s new law bars denial of police damage home insurance claims
Minnesota’s new law requires homeowners insurers to cover damage from police tear gas, smoke, and flash-bangs when owners were innocent parties
US Treasury meets insurance regulators on private credit
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met state insurance regulators and the NAIC to discuss private credit, offshore reserves, and life insurer oversight
Slide Insurance director sells $1.05 mn in shares of the insurer’s common stock
Slide Insurance director Robert Gries Jr. sold 56,424 shares under a 10b5-1 plan, while the insurer posts strong Q1 earnings and enters California
California insurers seek home insurance rate hikes under wildfire risk model
Travelers and the Auto Club exchange seek California home insurance rate changes under the state’s 2025 wildfire risk model
California seeks penalties from State Farm over LA wildfire insurance claims
California says State Farm violated claims-handling laws after the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, with penalties expected in the $ mn range
Sen. Bernie Sanders claim on health insurance coverage losses rated mostly false
PolitiFact says Bernie Sanders overstated the effect of Trump’s 2025 tax and spending law on health coverage losses
Americans may overpay $150 bn a year for home insurance
Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator says US households and businesses overpay $150 bn a year for insurance and proposes federal loss-ratio rules
Hurricane season may still test the US power grid – 13 named Atlantic storms this season
Forecasters expect 13 named Atlantic storms, but grid damage depends on local infrastructure, access, and repair capacity, not storm count alone
Space startup Lunar Outpost raised $30 mn for NASA moon rover
Lunar Outpost raised $30mn to speed development of Pegasus, a smaller rover aimed at NASA Artemis moon missions by 2027
Spirit Airlines shuts down after 34 years as fuel costs and debt overwhelm carrier
Spirit Airlines ceased operations after rising fuel prices, failed merger attempts, and bankruptcy pressure pushed the budget carrier into liquidation
Specialty insurance rates in 2026 soften faster than expected, WTW’s SIMS survey shows
WTW’s SIMS survey shows specialty insurance rates fell sharply in 2025 and early 2026, with property, energy, marine, and liability lines diverging
El Niño raises hurricane risk for Hawaii and California
AccuWeather expects an above-average 2026 Pacific hurricane season as warm ocean waters and El Niño conditions increase storm risks
Insurtech Root posts record Q1 net income of $35.9 mn as AI automation expands
Insurtech Root Insurance reported record quarterly profit as the insurtech expanded AI-driven underwriting, claims automation, and distribution partnerships
New York $268 bn budget plan includes auto insurance reforms and consumer protections
New York’s proposed $268 bn budget includes auto insurance reforms, consumer protections, tax measures, and dispute over whether lawmakers reached final agreement
US insurance sector outlook for 2025-2026: capital strength, social inflation risks, P&C returns peak, Florida reforms, life insurance resilience and alt capital trends
Teen drivers face crash rates nearly 4x higher than adults. Safer vehicle choices and smart insurance decisions can lower risk and costs for families
AM Best keeps a stable outlook for commercial lines, citing strong results, rising investment income and tech-driven underwriting amid stress in liability and auto
Many drivers carry little or no insurance. Uninsured motorist coverage protects you financially when they cause a crash