2,400 Kaiser Mental Health Professionals Strike in California Over AI Concerns
About 2,400 Kaiser Permanente mental health professionals were striking Wednesday in Northern California over concerns that the health care giant is replacing therapists with artificial intelligence. Kaiser says the union claim is false and AI will not replace human assessment …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 10:45 PM |
Penn. Seeks $2.6M Penalties From Utility Over Deadly Explosion at Chocolate Factory
Pennsylvania is seeking $2.65 million in penalties from a utility company over the March 2023 natural gas explosion at a chocolate factory that killed seven workers and injured 10 others. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s (PUC) has filed a formal …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 6:00 PM |
Jewelers Mutual Launches Digital Jewelry Insurance Program Powered by Sure
Sure, an insurance technology platform, announced the launch of a new digital jewelry insurance program underwritten by JM Specialty Insurance Company, a member insurer of the Jewelers Mutual Group. Developed in collaboration with Jewelers Mutual and built to meet its …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 4:26 PM |
Wisconsin Beauty Products Manufacturer Cited for Safety Violations
The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a Wisconsin beauty and personal care products manufacturer after a 55-gallon fiber drum containing nitrocellulose exploded and started a secondary fire involving flammable liquids. Investigators with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 4:20 PM |
Prysmian Eyes New Texas Copper Mill Amid Data Center Boom
Prysmian SpA, the world’s largest cable maker, is considering building a new mill in Texas while pursuing U.S. acquisitions, as surging demand tied to data centers and electrification drives growth in its largest market. The Italian group may pull the …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 4:17 PM |
Florida OIR Summit Includes Cal Commissioner Lara, Sessions on AI, Compliance, Data
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation’s agenda for its April 15-16 Insurance Summit includes sessions on financial reporting by insurers, changes in data calls, and compliance with orders, along with insights from insurance executives on the use of artificial intelligence. …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 3:59 PM |
McDonald’s Must Face Black Ex-Executives’ Claims of Harassment, Retaliation
A federal judge in Chicago on Wednesday said two former McDonald’s vice presidents can proceed with their lawsuit that they were criticized and subjected to racial slurs because they are Black women, and then forced out of the company for …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 3:17 PM |
Massive 7-Ton Meteor Explodes Over Cleveland, Startling Residents
A 7-ton meteor that sped across the Cleveland sky at 45,000 miles (72,420 kilometers) per hour on Tuesday before breaking apart in a thunderous boom startled residents who feared an explosion. People several states away reported seeing the bright fireball …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 2:23 PM |
Is a Federal Reinsurance Backstop the Answer to Home Insurance Challenges?
The Brookings Institution’s Hamilton Project has released a proposal for a federal reinsurance backstop called US Re to leverage federal borrowing capacity and stabilize the country’s homeowners insurance market. “Properly constructed, US Re could improve resilience while maintaining the benefits …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 2:20 PM |
People Moves: Trade Names Krol as Chief Operating Officer
Trident Marine Managers, a Ryan Specialty managing general underwriter, announced the appointment of Karolina Krol as Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. Trident offers specialty marine and offshore energy insurance solutions and is part of Ryan Specialty Underwriting Managers, the underwriting …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 2:17 PM |
People Moves: MEMIC Promotes Jarrard and Roberts; Khurana Joins Patriot Growth
MEMIC Promotes Jarrard and Roberts to Territory Manager Roles The MEMIC Group, headquartered in Portland, Maine, promoted Sunny Jarrard to territory manager for its Southeast Region and Benjamin Roberts to territory manager for its Northeast Region. Jarrard will guide MEMIC’s …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 1:23 PM |
Lloyd’s CEO Says It’s Critical Mideast War Cover Stays Available
The Lloyd’s of London insurance market will continue to provide cover for vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz even as shipowners avoid the area, according to chief executive officer Patrick Tiernan. Shippers seeking insurance for tankers going through the …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 1:21 PM |
CISA Asks Companies to Secure Microsoft Tool After Stryker Cyberattack
The U.S. government on Wednesday asked companies to strengthen the security of Microsoft’s endpoint management tool, after a cyberattack on medical device maker Stryker Corp last week. The March 11 cyberattack hit Stryker’s computer systems, causing widespread disruption to its …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 1:04 PM |
Report: ‘One in A Million’ Live Fire Malfunction Rained Shrapnel on California Highway
A “one in a million” malfunction during a live fire demonstration over Camp Pendleton last October led to a misfire that rained shrapnel on Interstate 5, striking two California Highway Patrol vehicles, a U.S. Marine Corps investigation found. An artillery …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 12:48 PM |
Iran Attacks Energy Sites, Defying Trump Calls for Restraint
Iran maintained attacks on energy assets around the Middle East even after US President Donald Trump called for restraint, with damage to key oil and gas infrastructure triggering a fresh surge in prices. Tehran’s response to Israel’s assault on the …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 12:40 PM |
‘Tag Man’ Charged With Title-Washing $3.8 Million in Stolen Luxury Autos
A Philadelphia man has been charged for his alleged role in a vehicle title-washing scheme involving dozens of stolen luxury vehicles valued at nearly $4 million, according to state police and prosecutors. Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said an investigation …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 12:20 PM |
India Offers Insurance Support as Small Exporters Face Cash-Flow Strain
Indian small and medium exporters are facing payment delays and cash‑flow stress as war‑risk premiums and emergency surcharges drive freight rates sharply higher, the trade ministry said on Thursday. Routes through conflict‑hit West Asia have seen a steep rise in …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 12:04 PM |
Tariff Refund Lawsuits Surge Amid Uncertainty About US Plans
The number of companies suing for tariff refunds has spiked in recent weeks, a sign that many importers aren’t confident yet in the Trump administration’s plans to create a claims process after the US Supreme Court struck down the president’s …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 10:09 AM |
Viewpoint: Driving Sustainable Underwriting Performance With Data and Discipline
International insurance markets are entering a new phase of the cycle. Rates have become increasingly competitive across the majority of businesses classes for some time, with recent market reports estimating that rates declined 4% in the fourth quarter of 2025 …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 7:39 AM |
EU Moves to Ban AI That Creates Nonconsensual Sexual Images
Artificial intelligence tools that can be used to create nonconsensual sexual images may be banned in the European Union, following outcry after users used Elon Musk’s Grok service to generate thousands of undressed pictures of women and children. The European …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 6:00 AM |
Countries Propose Safe Corridor to Free 20,000 Seafarers Stranded in Gulf
A proposal from the UN’s shipping agency on Wednesday calls for a safe maritime corridor to free some 20,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf by war in Iran. Hundreds of vessels have dropped anchor since Tehran threatened to attack ships …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 5:47 AM |
Vehicle Thefts Declined Nearly 25% Last Year: NICB
Prevention efforts are making a substantial dent in vehicle thefts across the nation, according to newly released data by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). The non-profit organization dedicated to preventing and combating insurance crime found that vehicle thefts declined …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 5:41 AM |
EU Sanctions Chinese and Iranian Companies for Cyberattacks
The European Union on Monday imposed sanctions against two China-based and one Iranian company for cyberattacks against EU member states. The EU listed China-based Integrity Technology Group and Anxun Information Technology, and Iranian company Emennet Pasargad. China’s foreign ministry said …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 5:29 AM |
Tesla Is Sued by Survivor of Deadly Cybertruck Crash
Tesla Inc. was sued by the sole survivor of a 2024 Cybertruck crash in California that killed three college students who were unable to escape the burning vehicle, the latest in a growing body of litigation faulting the automaker’s electrically …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 5:11 AM |
Florida’s Home Hardening Grant Plan Is Massive, Popular—and Flawed, Critics Say
Florida’s $833 million My Safe Florida Home mitigation program is as popular as ever, providing grants for homeowners to harden their homes and install new roofs. But it’s wasteful, is a tax-dollar giveaway, and has some glaring issues that do …
POSTED MARCH 19, 2026 5:01 AM |