Daily Archives: <span>June 18, 2020</span>

Markel International Exits Personal Accident, Contingency Insurance on COVID-19 Impact

Markel International, the London-based specialist insurer and division of Markel Corp., has announced its wholesale business will now focus solely on the entertainment book of business within its personal accident, contingency and entertainment (PACE) portfolio. As a result, with immediate …

US Assure to Issue Residential Builders Risk Policies Via New Online Application

US Assure, the program administrator for the Builders Risk Plan insured by Zurich, has launched XPressBIND, an online application that gives agents the ability to quickly issue residential builders risk policies. The application allows agents to quote and issue builders …

S&P’s Outlook for AGCS Revised to Negative on ‘Weak Underwriting Performance’

S&P Global Ratings has revised its outlook on Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE (AGCS) to negative from stable, while at the same time affirmed the insurer’s “AA” financial strength and issuer credit ratings. The outlook revision reflects S&P’s view …

MEMIC to Distribute Early $17M Dividend for Eligible Maine Policyholders

In recognition of economic stress being experienced by many of its 18,000 Maine workers’ compensation insurance policyholders, Portland, Maine-based MEMIC’s board of directors has authorized the immediate distribution of a $17 million dividend to eligible employers. The 2020 MEMIC dividend …

Plymouth Rock Hires Kordes, Announces Changes to Massachusetts Team

Plymouth Rock Assurance has hired Charlie Kordes as vice president of Direct Marketing for its direct-to-consumer auto insurance business. In this newly created role, Kordes will be responsible for advancing Plymouth Rock’s direct marketing operations and organizational practices in its …

Renaissance Alliance Expands Its New England Insurance Company Network

Renaissance Alliance Insurance Services, a Wellesley, Mass-based membership alliance for independent insurance agencies, has been newly appointed by two insurance companies – Arbella Insurance and Vault Reciprocal Exchange. This serves to expand the carrier network available to Renaissance Alliance’s members, …

U.S. Automakers Revving Up Production, Stressing Covid Safety at Work and Home

Automakers are speeding up U.S. assembly lines to meet recovering demand, increasingly confident coronavirus safety protocols are working to prevent outbreaks in their plants but wary of the challenges workers face outside. Screening workers for COVID-19 using temperature scans and …

Reuters: Google Chrome Users Targeted in Major Spyware Campaign

A newly discovered spyware effort attacked users through 32 million downloads of extensions to Google’s market-leading Chrome web browser, researchers at Awake Security told Reuters, highlighting the tech industry’s failure to protect browsers as they are used more for email, …

Update: Lloyd’s of London Apologizes for Its ‘Shameful’ Role in Atlantic Slave Trade

The Lloyd’s of London insurance market has apologized for its “shameful” role in the 18th and 19th Century Atlantic slave trade and pledged to fund opportunities for black and ethnic minority groups. About 17 million African men, women and children …

Lloyd’s Insurers Get Ready to Re-Open in September After Coronavirus Lockdown

Clear screens on underwriting boxes, temperature-check thermal cameras and a click and collect take-away catering service are among changes Lloyd’s of London insurance workers will see when they return to the office in September. Having shut its London “underwriting room” …