Less than two years after her 6-year-old son was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, Nicole Hockley was in an Ohio church basement teaching the first class of a program she hoped would help prevent future school shootings. The program, born in the grief of one of the nation’s worst mass shootings, teaches students how to identify warning signs among their peers and urges them to report any red flags to an anonymous tip system or a trusted adult to head off any violence. Since that first class in a Columbus church, the program, “Say Something,” has been…
Author: Awais
Interruptions in the supply of neurosurgical patties, sponges and strips are expected to continue through 2026.
Root Inc. reported a first quarter 2026 net income of $35.9 million—the best quarterly result in the company’s history—compared with net income of $18.4 million for the same period in 2025. In a letter to shareholders, Root Inc, the parent of insurtech Root Insurance, said it continued investment in its system put on track “to building an entirely automated insurance carrier.” “From our next generation risk brain in pricing, to our modern, AI-native claims architecture, Root is increasingly becoming a closed loop system capable of rapid decision making and continuous learning,” said Alex Timm, co-founder and CEO. For Q1 the…
Meteorologists are forecasting about 13 named Atlantic storms this season, or a little less activity than average. That sounds like good news for the US power grid and everyone who relies on it. But a look back at recent years suggests the number of storms in hurricane season, which begins June 1, may be an unreliable predictor of how much damage is caused, specifically when it comes to downed power infrastructure, according to a new research note by Hayley Lai, grids and utilities analyst for BloombergNEF. The concentration and resilience of local infrastructure matters as much or more than a…
Eric Cioppa, a respected former national and Maine insurance regulatory leader, passed away from Multiple System Atrophy on May 1 at his home in China, Maine. Cioppa’s career included 33 years at the Maine Bureau of Insurance. He began in 1988 as a statistician and later advanced to deputy superintendent in 1998 before being named to the bureau’s top job of superintendent in 2011. He served as superintendent until his retirement in 2022. Throughout his career, in addition to overseeing regulation of insurance in Maine, Cioppa was also involved with helping to set national priorities, develop model laws and regulations,…
Starting in the 1970s, the textile mills of northwest Georgia relied on chemicals known as PFAS to add stain resistance to the carpets they manufactured. Some of the chemicals that didn’t stick were flushed with the multibillion-dollar industry’s wastewater into local sewer pipes and, eventually, the region’s rivers. Decades later, the odorless, colorless chemicals are now found everywhere in the area, including in the blood of some people. Scientists have warned of health risks to humans and wildlife. While the federal government doesn’t yet have enforceable limits on PFAS, states have the authority to protect public health and the environment.…
Brighthouse Financial: Net loss widens despite steady adjusted earnings Brighthouse Financial reported a Q1 2026 net loss available to shareholders of $792 million, or $13.82 per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $294 million, or $5.04 per share, a year earlier. The company noted it anticipates volatility in net income given differences between its hedge target and GAAP reserves.
Hiscox Capital Partners’ insurance‑linked securities (ILS) assets under management (AUM) rising to $2.4 billion is a testament to the organisation’s reinsurance business and franchise, according to Hiscox CFO Paul Cooper, who also explained that the group has launched a new sidecar to take on business that exceeds Hiscox’s own balance sheet appetite.We reported earlier today, that Hiscox Capital Partners, the division of Hiscox Re that encompasses insurance-linked securities (ILS) investments and quota-share partnerships, had grown its overall ILS assets under management (AUM) to $2.4 billion at April 1st, with its catastrophe bond fund being the main beneficiary. This represents a…
Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Company (PLM), headquartered in Philadelphia, made several executive leadership changes and promotions across the organization. Steve Firko Steve Firko, CPCU, a PLM veteran of over two decades, assumed the role of president. Firko, who has 40 years of industry experience, will be responsible for executing the company’s strategic vision and overseeing key departments, including claims, accounting, regulatory, human resources and information technology. Firko succeeds John K. Smith, CPCU, as president. With over 27 years of experience at PLM, Smith will continue in his role as CEO, with Firko reporting to him. Firko joined PLM as a…
Since his second term started, President Donald Trump has announced, negotiated, or floated a flurry of initiatives aimed at taming the excesses of the pharmaceutical industry. No surprise. About 60% of American adults are “worried about being able to afford prescription drug costs for themselves or their families,” a recent KFF nationwide poll showed. More than 80% consider the price of prescription drugs “unreasonable,” and most support increased regulation to lower costs. Americans pay about three times as much as people in other countries for the same prescription drugs. Last July, Trump sent letters to 17 drugmakers, demanding they voluntarily…
Slide Insurance Holdings Inc. is expanding into California with a residential property excess and surplus lines program. The company said its entry into the California market us consistent with its strategic timeline. Related: California Taking Action Against State Farm Over LA Wildfire Claims Slide Specialty Insurance Company is a surplus lines insurer. Insurance coverage for California risks is available through licensed California surplus lines brokers. Slide calls itself a technology-enabled insurance company. Based in Tampa, Fla., Slide was founded by Bruce and Shannon Lucas. Topics California Homeowners Was this article valuable? Yes No Here are more articles you may enjoy.…
JPMorgan Chase tried to reach a settlement with a former investment banker before he filed a lawsuit recently making sexual assault and harassment claims, a bank spokesperson said on Wednesday. The largest U.S. bank offered $1 million to settle the allegations, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter, adding the former banker rejected it and asked for more money. The plaintiff, who in the lawsuit has the placeholder name John Doe, last week sued JPMorgan and leveraged finance executive Lorna Hajdini, alleging that he was subjected to sexual assault and racial harassment at the…
The White House is looking into an executive order that would create a vetting system for new artificial intelligence models like Anthropic PBC’s Mythos in a bid to protect business and government networks from AI-related cyber risks, a top economic adviser said Wednesday. “We’re studying, possibly an executive order to give a clear roadmap to everybody about how this is going to go and how future AIs that also potentially create vulnerabilities should go through a process so that they’re released to the wild after they’ve been proven safe, just like an FDA drug,” National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett…
EU countries and European Parliament lawmakers on Thursday agreed to watered-down landmark artificial intelligence rules, including delaying their implementation, in a move which critics say shows Europe caving to Big Tech. The tentative agreement, which needs to be formally endorsed by EU governments and the European Parliament in the coming months, came after nine hours of negotiations. “Today’s agreement on the AI Act significantly supports our companies by reducing recurring administrative costs,” Marilena Raouna, Cyprus’s deputy minister for European affairs, said in a statement. Cyprus currently holds the rotating EU Council presidency. The changes to the AI Act, which entered…