A lower court had previously ruled in favor of the policyholders, determining that the pollution exclusion did not apply because the emissions were authorized by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency through issued permits. Based on that interpretation, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois ordered National Union Fire Insurance Co. of Pittsburgh, Pa. to pay substantial defense costs – approximately $16 million to Griffith Foods and $75.5 million to its subsidiary, Sterigenics.
Author: Awais
SMEs are particularly vulnerable, the report notes. Compared with larger firms, smaller companies often have limited resources for preventive measures, employee training, and IT security infrastructure. Recovering from an attack – restoring systems, resuming operations, and managing financial loss – can become an existential challenge.
Broker Guy Carpenter has announced the appointment of Ian Bartholomew PhD, Co-Founder and former Chief Underwriting Officer of parametric flood insurer, FloodFlash as Global Head of Parametric Advisory, effective June 1st, 2026.In his new position, Dr. Bartholomew will collaborate closely with the broking team to foster additional growth in the developing parametric risk transfer space to deliver robust solutions for clients. He will be based in London and will report to David Lightfoot, Managing Director, Global Analytics and Advisory, Guy Carpenter. As mentioned, Dr. Bartholomew joins Guy Carpenter from FloodFlash, where he was Co-Founder and Chief Underwriting Officer. Before founding…
Health care affordability is top of mind for many Americans, rising well above other necessities based on recent KFF polling. A new Peterson-KFF policy explainer lays out the health care trends shaping the 2026 policy debates, including rising premiums, spending on prescription drugs, health care price transparency and consolidation, artificial intelligence in health care, and Medicaid funding cuts and other key program changes.This brief is available through the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, an online information hub dedicated to monitoring and assessing the performance of the U.S. health system.
According to Mike Nukk (pictured), head of marine at global specialty MGA Rokstone, the combination of tariffs, geopolitical volatility, and industrial investment is already influencing how goods move between the US, Canada and Mexico. The longer-term impact, he told Insurance Business, could be a structural shift in the insurance exposures tied to global trade.
In a room outside the Maryland State Senate chamber last winter, consumer advocates were meeting privately with lawmakers to explain how borrowers were losing their homes over “zombie” loans, old second mortgages that they hadn’t heard from lenders about in years. At the time, the legislature was considering a bill to protect homeowners from unfair attempts to collect these debts. Then Robert Enten barged in. The lobbyist for the Maryland Bankers Association began shouting about his opposition to the bill, according to three people with knowledge of the event who asked not to be identified discussing a private conversation. Others…
The ruling, related to a lawsuit from several major medical organizations, said that the HHS ignored established protocols when altering the childhood immunization schedule and overhauling a key CDC panel.
Kindley Re Ltd., a Bermuda-domiciled life and annuity reinsurance company established by Kuvare Holdings in partnership with global investment manager Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP has raised an additional $250 million of equity capital from institutional investors to expand its franchise.Kuvare Holdings, a technology-enabled specialist in life and annuity insurance and reinsurance solutions, launched the sidecar-like venture back in 2023, after an initial $400 million capital raise. Kindley Re brings a complementary source of capital from third-parties to help Kuvare expand its underwriting business, by co-investing alongside the parent into qualifying new life and annuity opportunities it has sourced. To-date,…
Sitting between small enterprises and large corporates, mid-sized firms occupy a “sweet spot” of vulnerability, according to Kristina Talkowski (pictured), SVP, commercial middle market at Nationwide. Talkowski said these firms are large enough to face complex risks, litigation, and regulatory scrutiny, but often lack the in-house risk-management infrastructure of larger organizations.
WHITE HOUSE/EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENTNational Security Advisor/Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, National Security Council (NSC)Marco RubioDirector, Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP)VacantDirector, Office of Management and Budget (OMB)Russ VoughtU.S. Trade Representative, Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR)Jamieson GreerDirector, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)Michael KratsiosDirector, Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy (OPPR)VacantDEPARTMENT OF STATESecretary of StateMarco RubioPermanent U.S. Representative to the United Nations, U.S. Mission to the United NationsMike WaltzSenior Official, Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs and Religious FreedomJeremy LewinSenior Bureau Official and Acting Global AIDS Coordinator, Bureau of Global…
Los Angeles and the U.S. Southwest are set for a second record heat wave in two weeks as temperatures soar, potentially straining electric grids, melting snowpack and raising health risks. Tuesday’s high in downtown Los Angeles is forecast to reach 97F (36C), possibly climbing to 98F by Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Commercial forecaster AccuWeather Inc. said temperatures may rise as high as 99F, which would tie March 29, 1879, for the warmest March reading on record. Heat advisories and excessive heat warnings span parts of Nevada, Arizona and California, extending to San Francisco, with temperatures forecast to…
Howden, the London-based insurance broking group, announces leadership appointments and regional structure changes, aiming to better serve clients and insurer partners. Howden said the changes will more closely align expertise and shape the business to bring all of its growing capabilities and talent to clients across regional borders. Howden’s International Growth Markets (IGM) division, led by Sonia Caamaño since 2023, has built and scaled fast-growing businesses, delivering 16% per annum average organic growth over the past three years and preparing them for integration into their regional structures, the company said. As a result of the success of this approach, the…
The shift, tied to proposed reforms in Florida, could significantly reshape how commercial property risks are placed in the state. Sean Lorey (pictured), vice president and property broker at Jencap, said wholesale brokers and their retail partners are already preparing for a surge in submissions if the changes proceed as expected.
DUAL Group announced the the appointment of Ed Ashby as chief executive officer, DUAL North America, effective March 23. Ashby will lead the U.S. business from New York, reporting to Richard Clapham, CEO, DUAL Group. Ed Ashby Ashby joins from Axis, where he was chief commercial officer. Prior to that, he held leadership roles at QBE, including head of global distribution, North America and head of credit and surety. He brings 30 years of experience in the U.S. market, having begun his career in the UK. Clapham said Ashby will “focus on expanding our offering for our U.S. broker network…