National News

GEICO CEO Roberts to Retire End of 2020; Berkshire Hathaway’s Combs to Succeed

Bill Roberts, GEICO’s president and chief executive officer, has announced that he will retire in December 2020 after 35 years with the insurer. Replacing Roberts as CEO will be Todd Combs, one of Berkshire Hathaway’s investment managers. Roberts, who turned …

How High Tech Competition Is Transforming NFL Helmets

Long gone are the days of the leather shell and single-bar face mask. Today’s football helmets are technological marvels, using cutting edge materials and design elements to make the headgear the safest it’s been in the 100th season of the …

Bipartisan Internet Privacy Proposal Calls for User OK to Share Data But Is Mum on Suits

A top House panel unveiled long-awaited draft privacy legislation that calls for limits on sharing consumers’ information and would allow users to correct their personal data. The draft, which also calls for the Federal Trade Commission to establish a new …

The Hartford Joins Insurers Limiting Fossil Fuel Investments, Underwriting

The Hartford became the latest insurance carrier to cut back on business it does with the fossil fuel industry out of concern over climate change. The company announced it will no longer insure or invest in companies that generate more …

U.S. E-Cigarette Regulation Has Been Delayed for Years

As the Federal Drug Administration pressures e-cigarette firms to stamp out youth vaping, the agency faces criticism itself for failing to rein in the fast-growing industry after years of bureaucratic delays dating back to the Obama administration. Despite recent tough …

Cox Communications Found Liable for $1 Billion for Infringing Music Copyrights

A U.S. District Court jury last Thursday found telecom company Cox Communications Inc. liable to pay $1 billion to music labels and publishers over piracy infringement on more than 10,000 works. Over 50 music companies, including Sony Music, Warner Music …

U.S. Government Backs Bayer in Bid to Overturn Roundup Cancer Verdict

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Justice Department said a federal appeals court should reverse a lower court verdict finding Bayer AG liable in the case of a California man who blamed its Roundup weed killer for his cancer. …

Spending Bills with Flood, Terrorism Insurance Renewals Go to President Trump

The Senate yesterday went along with House measures that fund the military and rest of the federal government through next September. The government funding measure includes two provisions of particular interest to the property/casualty insurance industry: a reauthorization of the …

How Car Makers Are Doing with Voluntary Accord to Install Automatic Braking Systems

Three years ahead of schedule, four vehicle manufacturers— Tesla, Volvo, Audi and Mercedes— have already met their voluntary commitment under an agreement to equip virtually all of their new passenger vehicles with low-speed automatic emergency braking systems that includes forward …

Insured Losses in 2019 Estimated at $56B, Down from $93B Last Year: Swiss Re

Global insured losses in 2019 dropped to an estimated US$56 billion, from US$93 billion in 2018 and below the annual average (US$75 billion) of the previous 10 years, according to preliminary sigma estimates from Swiss Re Institute. During the year, …

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