Coronavirus News

California Workers’ Comp Premium for First Two Quarters of 2020 Down 11%

Written workers’ compensation premium in California for the first two quarters of 2020 was 11% below that for the first two quarters of 2019, according to a new report out. The Worker’s Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California released its …

Arkansas Elementary School Teacher Dies From Coronavirus

An Arkansas teacher died from COVID-19, her husband said Friday, the second coronavirus death from the state’s public schools this week. Susanne Michael, 47, an elementary school teacher from Harrisburg, died Thursday night at a hospital from complications from COVID-19, …

Illinois Topped 300,000 Coronavirus Cases, Adds 31 Deaths

Illinois topped 300,000 confirmed coronavirus infections since the pandemic hit the state about seven months ago, state health officials said over the weekend. The Illinois Department of Public Health has recorded 300,088 COVID-19 cases and 8,774 deaths across the state. …

Michigan Governor’s Coronavirus Powers Upended After Court Ruling

A 1945 law repeatedly used by Gov. Gretcher Whitmer to respond to the coronavirus pandemic was declared unconstitutional Friday by the Michigan Supreme Court, a striking decision that puts months of restrictions in jeopardy while COVID-19 continues to flare up …

Insurers Gain Early Wins in COVID-19 Business Interruption Lawsuits

Insurers have succeeded in dismissing COVID-19 business-interruption lawsuits in 17 out of 23 cases heard so far, with a growing number of judges finding that some tangible alteration of a property is required to trigger coverage under commercial property policies. …

UK Business Interruption Test Case to Get Fast-Track Appeal at Supreme Court

A test case brought by Britain’s markets regulator against some of the world’s biggest insurers will jump straight to the Supreme Court after London’s High Court agreed to a fast-track appeal on Friday. Although expedited, the appeal will further delay …

Judges Nix Consolidating COVID Business Interruption Suits Against Big Insurers

A panel of federal judges has decided against consolidation of hundreds of lawsuits seeking coverage for coronavirus-related business interruption claims against major national insurers Travelers, The Hartford, Cincinnati Insurance and Lloyd’s. The insurers had opposed consolidation; some plaintiffs sought the …

Iowa Relaxing Quarantine Guidance Despite Rapid COVID Spread

Gov. Kim Reynolds announced a policy change this week to make it easier for Iowa students, teachers and business workers exposed to someone with COVID-19 to avoid a two-week quarantine, despite a surge in cases across the state. Under the …

COVID-Sniffing Robots Promise Fast Testing Alternative

A biotechnology startup called Koniku is trying to develop robots that could sniff out Covid-19 infections faster than conventional testing. The technology fuses neurons with a silicon chip to create a “smell cyborg” capable of detecting scents ranging from explosives …

Few Wisconsin Residents Have COVID-19 Antibodies, Study Shows

Less than 2% of Wisconsin residents had antibodies to the virus that causes COVID-19 as of July, based on early results of a study released Tuesday as cases of coronavirus in the state continue to soar. The study was conducted …