The more than $1 billion that a special master has recommended that imprisoned insurance mogul Greg Lindberg pay in restitution may seem like a huge amount of money. But it falls well short of covering the wreckage left behind by Lindberg’s illegal actions, North Carolina’s insurance commissioner believes. “I am pleased to see the special master in Mr. Lindberg’s criminal case has done the work to show the scope of financial harm caused by his crimes,” Commissioner Mike Causey said in a statement to Insurance Journal. Causey noted that in a recent court hearing, a North Carolina state judge pointed…
Author: Awais
Marine heat waves are supercharging damage caused by hurricanes and tropical cyclones across the globe, a new study found. Researchers looked at 1,600 tropical cyclones — the broader category of storms that includes hurricanes — that made landfall since 1981 and found those that went over the extra-hot water were more likely to intensify rapidly, a problem that’s becoming more frequent. This resulted in 60% more disasters that caused at least $1 billion in damage — adjusted for inflation — when they hit land, according to a study in Friday’s journal Science Advances. A better understanding of how marine heat…
OpenAI said on April 10 it had identified a security issue involving a third-party developer tool called Axios and is taking steps to protect the process that certifies its macOS applications are legitimate OpenAI apps. The ChatGPT maker said it found no evidence that its user data was accessed, that its systems or intellectual property was compromised, or that its software was altered. The company said it is updating its security certifications, requiring all macOS users to update their OpenAI apps to the latest versions to help prevent any risk of someone attempting to distribute a fake app. According to…
Under Hershman’s leadership, CID will continue to operate as a fully NAIC‑accredited department, responsible for solvency oversight, market conduct, rate and form review, consumer protection and licensing across all major lines. Recent testimony to lawmakers has highlighted active work on health insurance affordability, property insurance availability and resilience in the face of climate‑driven catastrophe risk, as well as a push to keep pace with technology and data‑driven business models.
The Trump administration approved major disaster declaration requests for at least seven states this week, according to information released Saturday by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, allowing affected communities to access federal support. About 15 requests for assistance from others states and tribes for extreme weather events this year and last seem to be pending, along with three appeals of previous denials. Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota and Washington were granted major disaster declarations, which can unlock federal support and funding for recovery needs such as public infrastructure repairs and aid for survivors. The announcement, in a…
Field’s addition bolsters capital markets and regulatory expertise amid star-rating setbacks and tighter CMS scrutiny
Three policy defenses and a guilty plea cloud the coverage picture
The decline in prior authorization use follows a June 2025 commitment by more than 40 insurers to streamline approval processes. The reduction spans Medicare Advantage and certain commercial plans, removing 6.5 million authorization requests across a range of medical services, according to a Best Wire report.
On June 9, 2021, the slip-and-fall occurred. The injured party, Melissa Melvin, sued. On September 19, 2023, a verdict of $8,299,916.53 was returned against a Sunshine affiliate. According to the court filing, neither Sunshine nor Trisura had reasonably expected the liability to breach the $6 million ceiling of Trisura’s coverage.
Where storms may strike and what it means CSU estimates a 32% probability of a major hurricane making landfall along the entire US coastline in 2026, compared with a historical average of 43% from 1880–2020. The probability is 15% for the US East Coast, including the Florida peninsula, versus a 21% historical average, and 20% for the Gulf Coast, compared with 27%. The Caribbean probability is placed at 35%, below the 47% historical average.
Changes across distribution, claims and underwriting functions
Gap between healthcare and the economy widens for the first time in years
KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner discussed Medicaid cuts on WAMU’s 1A on April 7. She also discussed health care affordability on The Middle With Jeremy Hobson on April 3. Click here to hear Rovner on 1A. Click here to hear Rovner on The Middle With Jeremy Hobson. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.USE OUR CONTENTThis story can be republished for free (details).
Interim pathway before Part D rollout Ahead of the BALANCE Model, CMS is implementing a separate bridge program to provide short-term access to medications. Under the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, eligible beneficiaries can receive obesity drugs between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2026, outside the Part D system.