National News

Aon Cites Need for Mitigation as Insured Wildfire Losses Top $10B for Second Year

Total aggregated economic losses for the wildfires that have burned across Northern and Southern California throughout the month are expected to minimally exceed $10 billion, while insurance claims payouts for wildfires are set to exceed $10 billion in the United …

Senators Seek Ban on ‘Confessions’ Tactic Used by Predatory Small Business Lenders

Two U.S. senators are seeking to outlaw a legal tactic that predatory lenders have frequently used to seize money from small businesses. Senators Sherrod Brown, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, and Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, said …

Romaine Lettuce Outbreak Highlights Safety Measures in Produce Industry

After repeated food poisoning outbreaks linked to romaine lettuce, the produce industry is confronting the failure of its own safety measures in preventing contaminations. The E. coli outbreak announced just before Thanksgiving follows one in the spring that sickened more …

Public Transit Systems See Rise in Liability Losses

Nationally, public transit systems are seeing a steady increase in liability claim severity, even as ridership declines, according to a new study from Aon. Aon’s study found that overall public transit liability claim frequency is growing 1 percent annually, with …

Congress to Extend Government Funding, Including Flood Program, Until Dec. 21

The House of Representatives today approved a two-week government spending bill and sent it to the Senate, which is expected to go along. The measure would prevent a partial government shutdown by authorizing funding until Dec. 21. The short-term funding …

Distracted Driving Laws Save Motorcyclists’ Lives, Research Finds

Laws to ban or curb drivers’ use of cell phones and other handheld devices have greatly reduced the rate of fatalities for motorcyclists. States with moderate to strong bans have motorcycle fatality rates that differ by as much as 11 …

AIG Chief Data Officer DalleMule Jumps to Insurtech Startup Planck

Planck Resolution, AI-based data platform for commercial insurance, has hired Leandro DalleMule as general manager, North America. Prior to joining Planck Resolution, DalleMule was the chief data officer (CDO) and head of information management at American International Group (AIG), which …

Phillips to Head Allianz Global Entertainment Business in North America

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty reported that Wanda Phillips will take on responsibility as the North America regional head of Entertainment, effective January 1, 2019. Phillips will replace Sue McGuirl who has left Allianz to pursue opportunities outside of the …

Chinese Manufacturer Ninebot’s Dominance Has Startups Sharing Scooter Product Risks

Scooter-sharing company Lime recently relayed a troubling message to its users: a portion of its fleet was at risk of bursting into flames. The startup recalled about 2,000 vehicles, less than one percent of its scooters, following its Oct. 30 …

USA Gymnastics, Short on Funds to Pay Sex-Abuse Claims, Files for Bankruptcy

USA Gymnastics, under threat of being decertified by the U.S. Olympic Committee, filed for bankruptcy after running short of funds to pay victims of Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse. The organization filed for Chapter 11 status in the Southern District of …

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