El Niño Kelvin wave could raise California sea levels by up to 1 foot
A Kelvin wave linked to El Niño is expected to raise California sea levels by up to 1 foot, increasing coastal flooding and erosion risks along the West Coast
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Latest Washington insurance news from US insurers and regulators. Explore auto, home, life, P&C, pet and health insurance, including insurance rates, insights, trends, and breaking insurance news from the United States.
Trump to send $500 ACA refunds to 950K Americans as health insurance premiums rise
Trump administration announces $500 ACA refund checks for over 950,000 Americans in 30 states as health insurance premiums rise in 2026
U.S. Senate extends the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program through 2034
U.S. Senate passes S. 4395 by unanimous consent to extend the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program through 2034, beyond its current 2027 expiration
FDA chlorthalidone dissolution testing recall: Inventia Healthcare recalls 13,567 bottles
FDA chlorthalidone dissolution testing recall covers 13,567 bottles from Inventia Healthcare after 25 mg tablets failed dissolution specifications
Washington proposes 4.9% workers’ comp insurance rate increase for 2027
Washington L&I proposed a 4.9% workers’ compensation rate increase for 2027, adding about $1.44 a week per full-time employee on average
ShinyHunters claims FBI breach exposed employee and applicant data
ShinyHunters claims it breached FBI systems and stole data on agents and job applicants, as the FBI investigates activity affecting FBIjobs.gov
Washington wildfire insured losses reach $600 mn
Washington wildfire insured losses have reached an estimated $600 mn, including about $535 mn from residential claims, according to state regulators
California uninsured population projected to double by 2030, raising pressure on insurers
Federal Medicaid and ACA cuts are projected to leave 4.6 mn Californians uninsured by 2030, raising pressure on hospitals, insurers and state finances
US Health Insurance Transparency for Patients Act targets health insurance denial reporting
A new House bill would force health insurers to report denial rates, appeal outcomes, prior authorization rules and decision times
Three Washington wildfires destroy more than 700 homes and businesses near Spokane
Three Washington wildfires destroy more than 700 homes and businesses near Spokane, forcing 60,000 evacuations as insurers prepare claims teams
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
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
Washington requires life insurers to add lapse notices and third-party alerts
Washington mandates insurers notify policyholders and third parties before life insurance lapses, adding delivery proof rules from 2027
Trump administration probes states over abortion insurance mandates
HHS investigates 13 states requiring abortion coverage, citing Weldon Amendment disputes and renewed federal enforcement stance
Washington Senate advances wildfire grants and insurance fraud overhaul
Lawmakers approve SB 6079 to fund home hardening and SB 6031 to expand felony fraud definitions and enforcement reach
Full-coverage auto insurance premiums in the US drop 6% in 2025 after a 46% surge
Full-coverage auto insurance premiums drop 6% to $2,144 in 2025 after a 46% surge, but high-cost states climb and 2026 increases loom
Insurify launches first car insurance comparison app on ChatGPT
Insurify introduces the first insurance app in ChatGPTâs directory, enabling users to compare car insurance quotes and reviews directly within the AI platform
Insurers brace for Arctic tension, regime shifts, nuclear risk in 2026
BMIâs Yoel Sano flags Arctic disputes, regime change, and nuclear uncertainty as top political risks insurers face heading into 2026 and beyond
Nevadaâs Affordable Care Act enrollment slips 5.5% as subsidies fade, officials stay calm
Nevada Health Link reports stable ACA enrollment despite higher premiums and expired subsidies, with public option plans drawing 10% of signups
Medicare Advantage 2027 shock rattles health insurers, wipes $ bn in value
A proposed 0.09% Medicare Advantage payment update for 2027 triggers a sharp selloff in US health insurers, forcing a rethink of margins, benefits, and capital plans
Insurtech Lemonade launches Autonomous Car Insurance for Tesla FSD drivers
Lemonade introduces autonomous car insurance for Tesla FSD, cutting per-mile rates by about 50% using real vehicle data and AI pricing models
Illinois extends enrollment deadline for health plans as subsidy cliff hits
Illinois residents get extra time to enroll through the state marketplace as expired federal subsidies push 2026 premiums sharply higher nationwide
Neptune Flood adds Lloydâs capacity via Somers Syndicate 3705
Neptune Flood partners with Somers Syndicate 3705 to expand Lloydâs-backed capacity as private US flood insurance demand keeps climbing
Warren Buffett stepped down as Berkshire Hathaway CEO after reshaping insurance
Warren Buffett retires as Berkshire Hathaway CEO, closing a decades-long run that turned a small insurer into a $1 tn powerhouse
States scramble to limit health insurance premium hikes after ACA subsidy lapse
At least a dozen states are acting to curb health insurance premium increases after Congress let enhanced ACA subsidies expire, leaving millions facing higher costs.
Title insurance compliance tightens as FinCEN rules loom in 2026
FinCEN AML rules, rate pressure, and state scrutiny reshaped title insurance compliance in 2025, forcing firms to prepare for sweeping change
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
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
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
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
Washington Insurance Commissioner Patty Kudere pushes 2026 bills on restitution and home mitigation
Commissioner Patty Kuderer backs 2026 bills to expand restitution powers, ban AOBs in repair contracts and launch a wildfire-focused mitigation pilot
Washington homeowners sue oil majors, blame climate change for soaring insurance rates
A new class-action lawsuit claims oil companies drove climate-related damage that helped push Washington homeowners insurance rates up more than 50% in six years
US insurers add generative AI exclusions as regulators approve new forms
Filings show carriers adopting ISO-based generative AI exclusions in commercial policies, with regulators in multiple states signing off on the updates
Washington Supreme Court extends traveling employee rule to disease
The Washington Supreme Court ruled that the stateâs traveling employee doctrine applies to occupational diseases, including COVID-19, for workersâ comp coverage
Wright Flood to acquire Poulton Associates as private flood insurers gain ground
Wright Flood, a Brown & Brown unit, moves to buy Poulton Associates amid NFIP shutdown fallout and shifting demand for private flood insurance
U.S.Supreme Court to rule on class action standards in State Farm case
The U.S. Supreme Court will review whether plaintiffs in a case against State Farm Automobile Insurance Co. must demonstrate actual financial harm
Washington Insurance Commissioner proposes rule to improve health care timelines
Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has released the proposed language for a prior authorization rule aimed at updating timelines for health care services
Washington may delay phase two of Insurance Transparency Rule to 2029
Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is considering postponing the implementation of phase two of the state’s new premium change transparency rule for auto and home insurance
Wildfires expose underinsurance issues for spokane homeowners – Washington State Office
The Gray and Oregon Road wildfires in 2023 burned 20,000 acres, destroyed 366 homes, and highlighted widespread underinsurance among homeowners in Spokane
State Farm subsidiaries accounted for 7 of the top 10 personal auto premium hikes
State Farm subsidiaries in multiple states accounted for 7 of the top 10 personal auto premium hikes in Q2, according to an S&P Global
U.S. homeownerâs insurance market suffered a $15.2 bn loss – AM Best
The U.S. homeownerâs insurance market experiencing its worst underwriting results since at least 2000, according to AM Best report
Average U.S. homeowners insurance premiums increased – IRC report
Average U.S. homeowners insurance premiums have increased at a rate that has outpaced household income from 2001 to 2021
US home claim severity rose 25.9% in 2025 as wildfire losses, repair inflation and peril shifts reshaped insurer loss trends
Floridaâs property insurance market showed its clearest improvement in a decade, with the stateâs share of US homeowners claims falling to 4.9% and lawsuits dropping to 41.3%
US private flood insurance market is expanding, addressing the nationâs substantial gap between economic and insured losses from flood events
Six months after wind-driven wildfires killed 30 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in and around Los Angeles, the scenes in Altadena and Pacific Palisades remain severe