Research and Trends News

Risks of Business Failures ‘Remain Considerable,’ Says Fed

The risks of ongoing business failures in the United States “remain considerable” even as the economy emerges from the coronavirus pandemic, the Federal Reserve said on Friday in its semi-annual monetary policy report to Congress. Business borrowing “now stands near …

Researchers Testing If Wearable Wristwatch Can Detect COVID-19 Infection

University of Miami Miller School of Medicine researchers are recruiting health care workers to study whether a wearable device, a wristwatch, can capture real time data that can be used to alert wearers of subtle physiological changes that may indicate …

AM Best Upgrades E&S Outlook; Praises Resiliency, Clear Terms Amid Pandemic

A.M. Best has upgraded its outlook for the U.S. excess & surplus lines insurance sector citing its resiliency in the face of pandemic challenges. A.M. Best revised its outlook for U.S. E&S to Stable from Negative. “Despite the widespread impact …

Fitch Sees ‘Modest’ Homeowners Insurance Underwriting Loss for 2020

The homeowners insurance industry is poised to shift to a modest underwriting loss for 2020, reports Fitch Ratings, citing losses from natural catastrophes and managing operations amid the global pandemic. However, barring another overly severe catastrophe season in 2021, the …

Global Insurance M&A Activity Expected to Soar in 2021

There were 407 completed mergers and acquisitions (M&A) worldwide in the insurance sector in 2020, down from 419 the previous year, according to a report published by global law firm Clyde & Co. An anticipated pandemic-induced dip in activity in …

Internet of Things Devices Increase Risk of Cyber Attacks on Industrial Sector: Lloyd’s

Internet of Things (IoT) devices are increasing the risk of cyber attacks to industrial and manufacturing businesses, according to a report published by Lloyd’s in partnership with cyber analytics specialist CyberCube and reinsurance broker Guy Carpenter. As cyber threats continue …

Corporate Filings Reveal Pay Gap for Female Executives Narrows But Persists

Even women who make it to the top ranks of U.S. corporations face a persistent pay gap compared with men in leadership roles, a new study of corporate filings found. Among companies in the Russell 3000 index, covering most of …

IVANS Survey Finds Agencies and Insurers Seek Greater Connectivity

Both agents and insurers express strong support for agent-insurer connectivity and digital collaboration in distribution and servicing. On agency demand for connectivity, 71% of agencies rank the availability of digital connectivity as the highest priority when selecting an insurer with …

Smaller Cars May Be Why Women Are More Likely to Suffer Serious Crash Injuries

The smaller, lighter vehicles that women more often drive, and the types of crashes they get into, may explain why they are much more likely to suffer a serious injury in a collision than men, a new study published Thursday …

COVID-19 Infections in U.S. Nearly 3X Greater Than Reported, University Model Estimates

World health experts have long suspected that the incidence of COVID-19 has been higher than reported. Now, a machine-learning algorithm developed at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center estimates that the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. since the …