Monthly Archives: <span>January 2024</span>

Appeals Court Rules Insurers Not Obligated to Defend Opioid Distributor McKesson

The role drug distributor McKesson Corp. had in the opioid crisis was no accident, meaning the company is not entitled to defense costs related to litigation against it. McKesson Corp. appealed a district court’s ruling that subsidiaries of AIG and …

Global Ransomware Attacks Reach Record High in 2023, Says Corvus

Despite law enforcement actions, fourth quarter 2023 ransomware incidents still surpassed 2022 by nearly 70%, and the number of active ransomware groups grew by 34%. Corvus Insurance recently released its Q4 2023 Ransomware Report, featuring data collected from ransomware leak …

Viewpoint: How Corporate Help Desks Became the Weak Spot in Cyber Defenses

The cyberattack on MGM Resorts in September 2023 provides a vivid example of the effects these types of attacks can have in today’s complex and interconnected IT environments. MGM estimates the incident-related costs at upwards of $100 million, after the …

Florida Bills Would Let Surplus Lines Do Takeouts and Require More Data Reporting

A key Florida Senate committee this week advanced a bill that would allow surplus lines carriers to take over coverage of second homes from Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Reaction by agents and brokers was mixed. The issue of having the …

Connecticut Sues 28 Firms for Alleged Contamination by ‘Forever Chemicals’

The state of Connecticut is suing 28 chemical manufacturers that it alleges are responsible for “knowingly contaminating” the state’s waters and natural resources and harming public health with toxic PFAS “forever chemicals.” Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has filed two …

Small California Business Owners Polled on Legislative Proposals

California small business owners in are decidedly against three proposals or potential ballot initiatives they believe could impact their operations. A poll from the National Federation of Independent Business asked respondents four questions that are being considered in the Legislature …

Alaska Charter Company Paying $900K for Wildfire From Campfire

An Alaska fishing guide company has paid $900,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the U.S. government alleging one of its guides started a wildfire in 2019, the U.S. attorney’s office for Alaska said in a statement. Court documents said …

Avian Flu Is Devastating Farms in California’s ‘Egg Basket’

Last month, Mike Weber got the news every poultry farmer fears: His chickens tested positive for avian flu. Following government rules, Weber’s company, Sunrise Farms, had to slaughter its entire flock of egg-laying hens — 550,000 birds — to prevent …

Record Q4 at Chubb Ends Historic, ‘Blowout Year’

Record fourth quarter 2023 net income of $3.3 billion, a huge increase over net income of about $1.3 billion during the same period a year ago, ended what Chubb CEO Evan G. Greenberg called a “blowout year.” Last year was …

Oklahoma’s Mulready Appointed Chair of American Indian and Alaska Native Committees

Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready has been re-appointed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to serve as the Chair for the American Indian and Alaska Native Liaison Committee in 2024. He was also named Vice-Chair of the Health …