The subordinated insurance debt market is anticipated to outperform again in 2026, after a landmark year of Restricted Tier 1 (RT1) issuance in 2025. Plenum Investments has affirmed its optimistic outlook, believing that subordinated insurance debt will persist in providing enhanced risk-adjusted returns compared to the wider credit markets.“In a credit market where overall supply is likely to outpace demand in 2026, a sector with strongly declining issuance should continue to outperform,” specialist investment manager Plenum explained in a recent commentary. Adding: “Despite last year’s rally, subordinated insurance paper – and rT1 in particular – still offers meaningfully higher yields…
Author: Awais
A bill to initiate reforms to the California FAIR Plan that include changes to customer service and claims, and added transparency was introduced on Monday. Assembly Bill 1680, the Make It FAIR Act, authored by Assemblymember Lisa Calderon and sponsored by California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, is designed to strengthen claims handling, expand coverage options, and improve transparency for wildfire survivors. Related: California Bill Would Require Insurer Claims Handling Plans, and Double Penalties The act enacts reforms identified in the California Department of Insurance’s recent Report of Examination, which found the FAIR Plan had failed to comply with 17 recommendations…
When Noah Hulsman, who owns a skate shop in Louisville, Kentucky, learned he no longer qualified for federal subsidies to help him pay for his “gold” Affordable Care Act health plan, the 37-year-old opted for skimpier coverage. But the deductible is about a quarter of his yearly income. Loretta Forbes realized she would have to drop her plan after her monthly ACA marketplace premiums jumped tenfold in 2026. So the 56-year-old, who lives outside Nashville, Tennessee, started rationing her rheumatoid arthritis medications. Her husband, Jim, gave up on his fledgling handyman business and started looking for a job with insurance…
Zurich Insurance Group AG disclosed a 1.5% stake in Beazley Plc, about two weeks after the UK specialty insurer rejected the industry giant’s latest takeover approach. The Swiss company now holds about 8.87 million shares of the London-listed firm, or 1.47% of Beazley’s equity, according to a statement on Monday. It started disclosing its purchases in the stock from Jan. 19. Beazley’s shares were trading up 3.6% at 1,174 pence as of 1:19 p.m. in London. The move comes after Beazley rejected Zurich’s latest proposal of 1,280 pence per share on Jan. 22, saying it “materially undervalues” the company. The…
First Mid Insurance Group (FMIG) announce its acquisition of Downs Insurance Agency in Decatur, Illinois. The transaction closed on January 12, 2026. The acquisition supports FMIG’s continued growth strategy across central Illinois and expands its presence in the Decatur market. Downs brings complementary expertise in small commercial and personal lines, further enhancing FMIG’s ability to serve clients throughout the region. Clay Dean, Chief Executive Officer of First Mid Insurance Group, stated, “The addition of Brian Phipps and his team at Downs Insurance adds depth of expertise in our small commercial insurance vertical and strengthens our market presence in Decatur. Their…
Cannabis is here to stay in Texas, lawmakers and industry leaders said last week, as efforts to ban consumable hemp are losing steam. However, figuring out how to regulate the market remains a glaring problem that lawmakers will likely address in 2027. State Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, and Rep. Drew Darby, R-San Angelo, told cannabis industry leaders at the Texas Cannabis Policy Conference that the attempted ban on consumable hemp opened their eyes to how passionate Texans are about these products. Now it’s time to find a safe and responsible way to regulate businesses that sell THC instead of prohibition,…
Listen to the article 3 min This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback. Dive Brief: The federal government entered a partial shutdown on Saturday, allowing telehealth flexibilities in Medicare and waivers for acute hospital-at-home care to lapse. Legislation that would fund the HHS through September and enact other healthcare policies, including pharmacy benefit manager reforms, was stalled for several days over funding for the Department of Homeland Security in the wake of fatal shootings by federal immigration officials in Minneapolis. Still, lawmakers appear to be making progress toward reopening the government. On Friday, the Senate…
Erie denied the tender – now Travelers wants answers and its defense costs back
Novacore, the specialty insurance managing general agent (MGA) formerly the U.S. commercial division of NSM Insurance Group, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire CP Insurance Associates, a Texas-based insurance services agency specializing in lender-placed insurance, investor property and buy here pay here programs, as well as insurance for financial institutions. The acquisition of CPIA expands Novacore’s capabilities within the financial institution and lending ecosystem, adding a long-established platform with deep expertise in collateral protection, compliance services and technology-enabled insurance administration. CPIA will become part of Novacore’s growing portfolio of specialty solutions, supporting continued expansion across lender-focused…
Philip Mortimer is chief financial officer of Heffernan Insurance Brokers and part of the 2026 IBA Hot 100. In this interview, he explains his rise from humble beginnings to the c-suite, how he accelerated his path to the top and what his priorities are for the next few years.
As the latest KFF Health Tracking Poll shows, affordability is the public’s biggest concern, with the cost of health care ranking as their top economic worry. However, KFF polls have demonstrated that beyond costs, insured people report a whole host of issues navigating the health care system. This report looks at which aspects of accessing care and health insurance are the biggest problem for insured adults and finds that prior authorizations – or the process of having to get insurance approval before accessing certain tests, treatments, or medications – are having an outsized impact on insured adults. One in three…
A cluster of earthquakes in the San Francisco Bay Area early Monday including a magnitude 4.2 temblor was felt by thousands. The United States Geological Survey reported more than two dozen different quakes. The largest was a M4.2 east of San Ramon at a depth of 5.8 miles on the Calaveras Fault, a right-lateral, strike-slip fault There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. Operators of the area’s rail line, BART, issued an alert advising passengers that trains were running at reduced speeds as crews undertook track safety inspections as a result of the quake, the San Francisco Chronicle…
Rokstone Agriculture, part of the International Speciality (Re)Insurance MGA Rokstone, has announced the launch of its new U.S. non-admitted Commercial Agriculture and Farm & Ranch Property Program. Available in all U.S. states, except Alaska and Hawaii, and excluding wind is some coastal geographies, the new program is backed by $25 million in non-admitted A rated capacity. Headquartered in Kentucky and Ohio, Rokstone Agriculture continues to expand its suite of specialty agriculture products which now includes Livestock Mortality (admitted and non-admitted), Farm and Ranch (admitted), Equine Mortality (admitted and non-admitted) and the newly launched Agriculture Property (non-admitted) programs. The launch has…
(iStock/Getty Images) Health policy changes in Washington will ripple through the country, resulting in millions of Americans losing their Medicaid or Affordable Care Act coverage. But there are still ways to find care. Over the next decade, the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act is expected to slash nearly $1 trillion in spending from Medicaid, the state-federal program for people with low incomes and disabilities. The implementation of new work rules will cause some beneficiaries to lose their Medicaid coverage. Millions of Americans are facing enormous increases in their out-of-pocket costs for ACA coverage. So far, 1.2 million fewer people…