Mercury Insurance Founder Joseph Dies at Age 104
George Joseph, who founded Mercury General Corp. nearly 65 years ago, has died at age 104, the company announced this week. Joseph served as chairman from the company’s founding and led Mercury as CEO for 45 years, ending his time …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 5:14 PM |
Buc-ee’s Faces Backlash in Ohio Over Logo Lawsuit with Mini Mart
A lip-licking alligator, a smiling moose and a hat-wearing bear are among the many cartoon animals to have found themselves in the crosshairs of Buc-ee’s, the popular Texas convenience store chain that has a penchant for protecting its buck-toothed beaver. …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 4:54 PM |
Wildfire Burns Structures in North Central Texas
A wildfire that exploded in size in a matter of hours ripped through wide swaths of ranchland in rural Texas, burning structures at a youth camp while forcing evacuations and closing schools Tuesday. The fire, which began early Monday afternoon, …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 4:45 PM |
Carnival Cruise Line Wins New Trial After $10M Verdict in Sex Assault Suit
Carnival Cruise Line, long the subject of lawsuits accusing its crew members of unwanted sexual advances on passengers, has won a new trial in a case in which a Florida jury awarded $10.3 million to a young woman who said …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 4:25 PM |
Near-Miss Data Can Expedite Self-Driving Vehicle Algorithm Training: Study
Researchers have developed a new approach to boosting self-driving vehicle algorithms that could significantly reduce the time and cost required to prepare automated vehicles for real-world deployment, according to the University of Michigan. Rather than relying on the vast amounts …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 4:03 PM |
Marketing Firm Sued for Refusing to Hire Pregnant Woman
International advertising and marketing firm Dentsu International Americas, LLC, violated federal law when it refused to hire a pregnant woman for a Minneapolis-based position promoting alcoholic beverage brands, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit announced. …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 3:44 PM |
Permian Basin Set to Become Top US Gas Producer, Citi Says
The Permian Basin is on track to become the largest US natural gas-producing region by the end of the decade, making the world’s most productive oil shale field also the nation’s leader in gas output, according to Citigroup Inc. analysts. …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 3:43 PM |
People Moves: Marsh Promotes Ward as CEO of Pacific, Guy Carpenter; QBE Names Thompson as Global Director of Data Centres in Newly Created Role
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Guy Carpenter and QBE. A summary of these new hires follows here. Marsh Promotes Ward as CEO of Pacific, Guy Carpenter Insurance and reinsurance broker Marsh announced the appointment of Justin …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 3:36 PM |
The Villages Health Agrees to Pay $542M for Medicare Advantage Overbilling
The Villages Health System in central Florida, part of the world’s largest retirement community, has agreed to pay almost $542 million to settle civil claims stemming from its disclosure that it submitted false diagnosis codes to boost payments from the …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 2:55 PM |
Insurance Industry Labor Market Study Shows Slowing Turnover and Modest Growth
More than three-fourths (78%) of U.S. insurers expect modest revenue growth during the next 12 months, and about half (49%) plan to increase staff. However, it seems many companies are “hiring to backfill key positions and bring in new talent, …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 1:59 PM |
Hawaii Insurance Division Issues Memo to Insurers for Lala Claims
The Hawaii Insurance Division issued a memo to insurers this week stating it expects them to handle claims from Tropical Storm and Hurricane Lala “promptly, fairly,” and in accordance with state law insurance contracts. The memo on Wednesday from Insurance …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 1:44 PM |
Europe’s Credit Markets Shrug Off Climate Risks Despite Devastating Droughts
Severe droughts across Europe this summer led to huge wildfires, disrupted transport on critical routes, threatened power plants and hit corporate earnings across the continent. The credit markets are mostly unmoved. The extreme weather is a reminder of the growing …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 1:22 PM |
Russian-Speaking Cybercriminals Used SpaceX’s Cursor AI Tool to Hack Seven Firms
Russian-speaking hackers used SpaceX’s coding assistant, Cursor, to help break in to a Belgian chemical company and at least six other firms earlier this year, according to data reviewed by Reuters and a report issued on Thursday by the startup …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 12:44 PM |
Glacier Collapse Behind Nepal Flood Shows Region’s Climate Risk
Scientists are pointing to a glacier collapse and rock landslide as the cause of a devastating flash flood that killed at least 350 people and left many more missing near Nepal’s border with China, a mountainous region that’s increasingly imperiled …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 12:17 PM |
Markets/Coverages: Marsh Exchange Handles Operational Digital Infrastructure Risks
Global insurance broker Marsh announced the launch of Stratus, a property insurance exchange designed to address the complex operational risks of large digital infrastructure projects as they move from construction into operation. Such projects include data centers and associated critical …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 12:16 PM |
Northeast Including New York City Facing Flood Risks From Thunderstorms Today
The US Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, including New York City, face another round of thunderstorms, increasing flood risks and transportation woes, with even the slight chance of a tornado. Flood watches will cover New York’s five boroughs, as well as stretching …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 11:32 AM |
Insurers Want a Bigger Slice of the Bank Risk Transfer Boom
Insurers are aiming for a bigger slice of the market for significant risk transfers this year as banks step up their use of the hedging instruments. Firms expect to participate in about 50% more SRTs than in 2025, according to …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 11:25 AM |
OpenAI Report Says Its Network Was Hacked by Its Own Rogue AI Agents
AI agents created by OpenAI broke into the company’s own systems during internal tests and in some cases tried to conceal their behavior, the company said in a report published Wednesday. The findings are likely to sharpen concerns about increasingly …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 11:22 AM |
As AI Agents Go Rogue, Cyber Insurers Are Adapting Their Policies
Cyber insurers have spent years defining what constitutes a hack and when coverage should pay out, but the rapid emergence of AI agents is raising new questions, forcing insurers to review their policies. Leading AI developers OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 11:00 AM |
Uber to Offer Optional Livestreams of Teen Rides to Parents and Guardians
Uber Technologies Inc. is rolling out a new safety feature that lets parents or guardians view a video livestream of their teenager’s ride. The feature uses the selfie camera on the driver’s phone and notifies an authorized guardian if a …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 10:00 AM |
AI Firms Debate Putting Cyber Tests Online After Model Hacks
Artificial intelligence labs and cybersecurity firms are reconsidering the way they test advanced AI models after models from at least three firms jumped onto the open internet and breached real-world victims. Cybersecurity specialists are debating whether they should connect the …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 5:00 AM |
Judge Dismisses Musk’s X Suit Against New York Law on Hate-Speech, Disinformation
A judge dismissed a suit by Elon Musk’s X Corp. that sought to block a New York law requiring social media companies to disclose how they deal with hate speech, extremism and disinformation, ruling that “the First Amendment poses no …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 5:00 AM |
Western Wildland Firefighters Warned About Supplement for Smoke Exposure
Fire and medical officials have issued warnings about a supplement offered to Western wildland firefighters who have been exposed to toxic chemicals while battling some of the country’s biggest blazes. The supplement glutathione, given through an IV or an inhaler-like …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 5:00 AM |
People Moves: Ellis Joins Alliant Denver Employee Benefits Team
Alliant Insurance Services added Rebecca Ellis as assistant vice president within its employee benefits group in the Rocky Mountain region. Ellis will partner with employers throughout the Western region to develop strategic employee benefits and total rewards programs. Ellis’ background …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 5:00 AM |
People Moves: Alliant Adds Riexinger to Northeast Benefits Team
Andrew Riexinger joined Alliant Insurance Services as vice president within its employee benefits group in New Jersey. He will work with employers throughout the Northeast, providing employee benefits brokerage and consulting services, including financial underwriting, claims analysis, plan design, and …
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2026 5:00 AM |