BMS Re, the reinsurance arm of independent insurance and reinsurance broker BMS Group, headquartered in New York, appointed Tony Grippa as chief strategy officer for the U.S. business. Grippa will serve on the firm’s U.S. Executive Committee. Grippa will act as a strategic advisor, helping advance BMS Re US’s multi-year strategic plan and accelerate organic growth across its Programs, Mutuals and Specialty segments. Grippa previously served as a senior advisor to Dowling Hales, executive chairman and CEO of RYZE Claim Solutions, executive chairman of Risk Transfer Agency and also served as vice chairman on the board of directors for Atlas…
Author: Awais
After a decade of foundational change, the insurer is sharpening decision-making, not chasing tools
Listen to the article 17 min This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback. The health insurance industry has had a tough few years. But 2026 is poised to be a reset period, where efforts from insurers to stabilize their finances, operations and public images could start to bear fruit, experts said. Margins should begin to improve this year, thanks to reimbursement hikes and payers rejiggering their plans to make them more profitable. Medicare Advantage profits in particular should tick up, offsetting some ongoing volatility in the Affordable Care Act and in Medicaid, experts predict. Moreover,…
Catastrophe risk modeling specialist Karen Clark & Company (KCC) has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Deanne Nixon as Senior Vice President, who joins the firm from global climate risk coverage platform Arbol.Based in Florida, Nixon, a respected industry figure, most recently served as a Senior Adviser for Reinsurance at Arbol, where she played a key role in strengthening the firm’s offerings. Nixon is well-known for her time at Weston Insurance. During her eight year tenure at the firm, she served in a number of high leadership roles, including more than six years as the Florida specialists Chief…
From family-run cafes to retail giants, businesses are increasingly coming into the crosshairs of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign, whether it’s public pressure for them to speak out against aggressive immigration enforcement or becoming the sites for such arrests themselves. In Minneapolis, where the Department of Homeland Security says it’s carrying out its largest operation ever, hotels, restaurants and other businesses have temporarily closed their doors or stopped accepting reservations amid widespread protests. On Sunday, after the U.S. Border Patrol shot and killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, more than 60 CEOs of Minnesota-based companies including Target, Best Buy and…
Google will pay $135 million to settle a proposed class action by smartphone users who accused Google of programming its Android operating system to collect their cellular data without permission. A preliminary settlement with the Alphabet unit was filed late Tuesday night in the San Jose, California federal court, and requires a judge’s approval. Google denied wrongdoing in agreeing to the settlement, which covers users of Android-powered mobile devices since November 12, 2017. Users said Google needlessly collected cellular data, which they purchased from mobile carriers, even when they closed Google’s apps, disabled location-sharing or locked their screens. They said…
In 2015, CMS issued a final rule that established a prior authorization process for certain Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) items, with the goal of reducing the use of items that had been frequently subject to unnecessary utilization. Initial implementation began March 20, 2017, and items have been added and subtracted to the list over the following years through subsequent rulemaking. As of January 13, 2026, the DMEPOS items prior authorizations list includes over 70 items, including for pressure reducing support surfaces, power mobility devices, and lower limb prosthetics. Additionally, in December 2025, CMS issued a rule…
AUB Group Ltd., the Sydney, Australia-based brokerage and underwriting agency group, announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire 95.9% of Prestige Insurance Holdings Ltd. for $432 million (US$300.1 million). Founded in 1973, Prestige is a diversified insurance broking and underwriting platform in the UK with more than A$300 million (US$208.4 million) in gross written premiums, employing approximately 650 people. Prestige comprises a retail broking business placing £170 million (US$233.5 million) of premium across 18 branches and a portfolio of specialist managing general agents writing approximately £140 million (US$192.2 million) of premium supporting more than 550 broking partners in…
Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt this week testified in favor of a bill that would create an Insurance Savings Account (ISA). The Kansas Department of Insurance introduced the bill to give Kansans a state tax free way to save for property and casualty insurance expenses. If passed, the bill will allow Kansas tax filers to open up an ISA at a financial institution and make contributions up to a set amount, depending on their tax filing status. Account holders can then use the money contributed to pay for any property and casualty insurance expense including home and auto insurance premiums…
Thousands of East Texans remain without power days after a winter storm paralyzed most of the state over the weekend. Many may be without power until Sunday as utility workers traverse icy roads in dense forests to restore power. Winter Storm Fern spread across the U.S. from New Mexico to the Northeast over the weekend, leaving thick layers of ice and snow in its wake. Residents across Texas saw temperatures drop below freezing and power outages that lasted anywhere from a few minutes to days. East Texas was the only region in Texas to lose power for an extended period…
Inside the firm’s transformation effort to build a more responsive, data-driven specialty carrier
Jan. 22 Arielle Zionts reads the week’s news: Some states are cutting public funding for a type of autism therapy, and older adults are more likely than younger ones to stop taking GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic. Jan. 15 Jackie Fortiér reads the week’s news: Parents are confused by an overhaul of U.S. childhood immunization guidelines, and while people 65 and older make up the fastest-growing homeless population in the country, traditional homeless shelters often can’t accommodate them. Jan. 8 Zach Dyer reads the week’s news: Instead of extending extra Affordable Care Act subsidies that would keep monthly premiums more affordable, some Republicans are pushing health savings accounts. Plus, people seeking…
Novi Underwriters has named Jason Binette, James Cinque and Cody Ruggirello to its newly launched management liability offering. Featuring modern forms for a variety of risks and quick points of sale, coverage will benefit auto dealers, fintechs, manufacturers, retailers, foundations, biotech, staffing, entertainment, restaurants, start-ups and more. Binette has over 20 years of management liability underwriting experience, combining technical precision with product innovation and deep broker relationships. Prior to joining Novi, Binette led the Employment Practices Liability division at AmTrust Financial, where he managed underwriting operations for both standalone and integrated EPLI products across commercial lines. Cinque adds another two…
Texas Mutual Names Cullison as SVP of Talent and Brand Strategy Texas Mutual Insurance Company, the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance, recently announced Brittany Cullison as its senior vice president of talent and brand strategy, effective January 12. In this role, Cullison will be responsible for aligning Texas Mutual’s people, brand and purpose to strengthen the company’s position as an employer of choice and trusted partner to Texas businesses. Cullison brings more than 15 years of experience driving transformation in enterprise organizations and leading both human resources and brand functions. She most recently served as chief people officer…