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
News
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
Insurtech Adoro launches pet insurance across 28 states in expanding US market
Adoro Pet Insurance enters 28 states, targeting gaps in US pet coverage with broader benefits, steadier pricing, and faster claims handling
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
ACA subsidy expiry risks coverage losses and higher costs, experts warn
Health policy experts warn that ending ACA subsidies could double premiums, push millions uninsured, and strain hospitals, employers, and insurers
New Hampshire bills target AI claims decisions and telehealth pay
New Hampshire lawmakers move to curb insurer AI use in claims and require equal payment for telemedicine and in-person care
Poll shows 82% of Americans satisfied with health insurance coverage
An NBC News poll finds broad satisfaction with health insurance, even as coverage denials, delays, and ACA cost worries fuel political tension
InsuranceNews US expands as data shows growing demand for insurance media
InsuranceNewsUS reports rising demand for specialized insurance journalism as professionals seek clarity on regulation, risk, and market change
WTW to buy Newfront in $1.3 bn deal to expand U.S. brokerage
WTW agrees to acquire Newfront for up to $1.3 bn, adding middle-market scale, specialty depth, and AI-driven brokerage technology
Ransomware victims to top 7,000 by 2026 as cloud risks rise
QBE warns ransomware victims named on leak sites could exceed 7,000 by 2026 as AI, cloud exposure, and supply chain risks push attacks higher
Largest Japanese P&C Insurers achieve strong results
Japanese property and casualty (P&C) insurers have reported strong financial results for the 2023 fiscal year, recovering from prior corporate scandals
Tiptree shareholders back DB Insurance’s $1.65 bn Fortegra takeover
Tiptree holders approve DB Insurance’s $1.65 bn Fortegra acquisition, giving the Korean carrier a US P&C platform and broader specialty reach
Georgia court says Dunkin’ cashier’s stabbing falls under workers insurance comp
A Georgia appeals panel rules a cashier’s stabbing stemmed from her job duties, triggering the workers comp exclusive remedy and blocking a premises claim
Dutch court ends bid to prosecute ex-ING CEO Ralph Hamers in AML case
Ralph Hamers will not face further prosecution over ING’s AML failures after a Hague court ruled a conviction is unlikely and ended the long-running case
Vienna Insurance Group sets evolve28 plan with €20 bn GWP goal and stronger CEE expansion
Vienna Insurance Group’s evolve28 strategy targets €20bn GWP, €1.5bn profit, a 91% combined ratio and deeper CEE growth by 2028
Oregon names TK Keen insurance commissioner as oversight demands rise
TK Keen becomes Oregon’s insurance commissioner, adding stability as DFR expands oversight, tackles reinsurance studies, and boosts consumer protections
Michigan’s Insurance regulator claims the state’s auto no-fault law cut rates
Michigan’s Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) claims the state’s 2019 auto no-fault law cut rates and reduced the number of uninsured driver
Verlan Fire Insurance sues BioLab for $20 mn over Conyers fire and toxic smoke fallout
Verlan Fire Insurance Co. seeks $20.3mn from BioLab, alleging negligence tied to the 2024 Conyers warehouse fire that blanketed metro Atlanta in toxic smoke
Louisiana tightens 2026 unemployment insurance rules with stricter searches
Louisiana raises weekly work-search requirements and sharpens eligibility rules for unemployment claims filed from Jan. 4, 2026
Colorado ACA marketplace posts early 2026 enrollment dip amid rising rates
Connect for Health Colorado reports a 5% early enrollment drop as expiring tax credits and higher premiums push shoppers to reassess their 2026 plans
OpenAI sees rapid AI uptake as insurers and banks scale real deployments
Insurers and financial firms ramp up generative AI for fraud, claims, lending and analysis, with Europe emerging as a leader in production-scale rollouts
Insurtech ZestyAI expands ZORRO Discover to all P&C lines in the US market
Insurtech ZestyAI pushed ZORRO Discover into every corner of the P&C sector, turning the platform into a single gateway for real-time intelligence drawn from millions of state filings
Deck2 Capital buys Auto Europe as it kicks off $400 mn OTA roll-up plan
Deck2 acquires Auto Europe via a restructuring deal, launching a US$400mn OTA roll-up built around AI upgrades and insurance distribution
Insurtech Eleos launched AI Voice Agent to deliver 24/7 insurance policy support
Eleos debuts an AI Voice Agent for round-the-clock insurance support, building on earlier chatbot tools and its embedded life and income protection model
Louisiana regulator launches Insurance Pop-Ups to give policyholders local support
Louisiana’s insurance department opens pop-up offices for in-person policy help as Commissioner Tim Temple pushes market recovery and consumer access
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
Helvetia gets Spain’s approval to merge Seguros and Suizo into Caser
Spain clears Helvetia’s plan to fold Seguros and Suizo into Caser, creating a top-10 insurer with 2.5mn customers and both brands running through 2027
Skyward clears approvals for $555 mn Apollo deal, targets Q1 2026 close
Skyward wins regulatory and shareholder approvals for its $555mn Apollo acquisition, adding Lloyd’s syndicates and issuing fresh 2026 pro forma guidance
5th Circuit drops Department of Labor appeal over expanded ERISA fiduciary rule
The DOL ends its appeal on the paused ERISA fiduciary rule, leaving a Texas court stay in force and industry groups claiming it protects access to retirement advice
Swiss Re sets $4.5 bn 2026 profit target and sharpens AI-driven strategy
Swiss Re outlines a $4.5bn 2026 target, lifts L&H Re goals, deepens AI use, and plans a $500mn annual buyback alongside steady dividend growth
Australia’s insurtech market to hit $4.2 bn by 2034 with 30% annual growth
Australia’s insurtech market jumps from $3767 mn to a projected $4.2 bn by 2034, driven by digital uptake, AI tools, embedded cover and rising consumer demand
bolt partners with Roamly to expand specialty RV insurance nationwide
bolt adds Roamly’s RV insurance to its exchange, giving agents in all 50 states tailored cover as RV travel demand climbs into 2025-2026
Ondo InsurTech launches WRAP Retail Offer as part of £2.48 mn raise
Ondo opens a discounted WRAP Retail Offer for UK shareholders, adding £0.20m to a wider £2.28m placing and subscription aimed at shoring up operations
Sen. Susan Collins presses experts on ACA subsidy fairness and income-cap debate
At a Senate HELP hearing, Sen. Collins questions experts on ACA subsidy limits, asset tests and whether high-income families should still qualify
Insurtech bolttech buys Kenya’s mTek to scale embedded insurance across East Africa
bolttech acquires Kenya’s mTek, expanding its East African footprint and boosting global embedded-insurance capabilities with a proven digital platform
Cyber insurance strains to match fast-shifting threats and client demands
Rising attacks, tighter underwriting and sector-specific exposures show cyber insurance maturing but still trailing criminal tactics and network complexity
Private space boom fuels rise in satellite insurance disputes and high-stakes arbitration
Commercial space now drives 80% of sector revenue and fuels a surge in satellite disputes spanning defects, launch issues, collisions and treaty claims
Relm Insurance launched OMEGASPACE and NOVASPACE to insure fast-growing space tech
Relm debuts new space-economy insurance products, adding financial, cyber and E&O cover for firms using or supplying space-based data and systems
Florida’s 2026 laws reshape health benefits, pet insurance and consumer rules
Florida rolls out new 2026 laws covering breast-exam costs, pet insurance rules, overpayment refunds, cruelty penalties and added health protections
CSX pushes insurers to court over Chicago rail worker injury tenders
CSX sues multiple insurers, alleging silence on tenders tied to two worker-injury suits from the Forest Hill Flyover project in Chicago
Hong Kong tower fire triggers surge in insurance claims and pressure on Taiping
A deadly Hong Kong high-rise fire drives major claims for China Taiping, raises volatility risks and tightens renovation insurance terms
Illinois rolls out major 2026 health laws that reshape insurance cover
New Illinois laws in 2026 force insurers to cover more treatments, expand drug access, widen screenings and change how hospitals disclose fees
KFF poll: soaring ACA premiums push many Americans to consider dropping cover
A KFF poll shows rising ACA premiums and expiring tax credits pushing enrollees toward cheaper plans or dropping cover entirely
Digital MGA Ripe buys Schofields to push deeper into UK and overseas holiday-home cover
Ripe acquires Schofields to enter the holiday-home segment, keeping the family team in place while expanding with its tech and marketing engine
Bridgehaven completes SureStone deal to build its EU specialty platform
Bridgehaven buys Dublin MGA SureStone to expand its EU commercial and specialty reach, adding licences, talent and a scaled hybrid model
Planetun boosts AI investment as digital inspections surge across insurance
Brazil’s Planetun expands its AI-driven inspection and automation tools as demand for digital insurance services surges across LATAM
Nicole Pieterse becomes Swiss Re’s Chief People Officer
Swiss Re announced that Nicole Pieterse, currently Swiss Re’s Head Human Resources for Property & Casualty Reinsurance (P&C Re), will become Chief People Officer
Aistech Space nets €8.5 mn to boost multispectral and TIR Earth-observation platform
Aistech Space, a Spanish spacetech company building a constellation of small satellites for thermal and multispectral Earth observation, closed one of the largest rounds
Wideum boosts remote-assistance cybersecurity with encryption, audits and AWS stack
Wideum leans heavily into cybersecurity because remote-assistance software lives or dies on trust. The company rebuilt its stack around tighter encryption
Louisiana Insurance Commissioner fields questions as premiums climb, options shrink
At a West Monroe roundtable, Commissioner Tim Temple faced questions on rising premiums, cancellations and whether homeowners can still find affordable coverage
Why 80% of renters skip insurance – and why experts say that’s risky?
Most renters go without insurance, leaving them exposed to theft, fire, liability and costly temporary housing after a covered loss
US private flood insurance market is expanding, addressing the nation’s 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
Inland areas are increasingly vulnerable to flooding from both tropical storms and severe convective storms, yet the number of homeowners who purchase flood insurance
The rise in U.S. homeowners insurance costs have been driven by a combination of increasing natural catastrophe losses and extraordinary inflation