Patricia Wells

Coterie Insurance, based in Appleton, Wisconsin, has added two new leaders to its team: Mike Albert as chief technology officer and Allan Egbert as chief platform officer. Both bring years of experience and a history of working closely together. Albert and Egbert co-founded Ask Kodiak, a company they started before it was bought by Applied … Read more

Two workers died Thursday after their helicopter crashed into power lines, hit a barge, and caught fire near East Alton, Illinois, just north of St. Louis along the Mississippi River. The crash sent thick black smoke into the sky and led to several explosions, witnesses said. The helicopter crew was performing repairs on powerline tower … Read more

Chubb Limited, based in Warren, New Jersey, has made several important leadership changes in its surety and claims businesses. Steve Haney, who has served as vice president and division president of North America surety and chief underwriting officer of global surety, has been named president and chief underwriting officer of global surety. Haney, with nearly … Read more

California-based insurance brokerage ALKEME has acquired Innovative Insurance Group, a major player among Virginia’s insurance agencies. This move broadens ALKEME’s reach on the East Coast, with the local team continuing to work out of its eight Virginia offices. Innovative Insurance Group was formed in 2015 when four Virginia benefits agencies combined. The company focuses on … Read more

The Great Barrier Reef has suffered its biggest loss of live coral in a single year in 40 years of monitoring, according to Australian scientists. This sharp decline comes mainly from coral bleaching caused by rising ocean temperatures linked to climate change. Despite this setback, the total amount of living coral remains close to the … Read more

Two workers lost their lives and at least ten others were injured after an explosion rocked a U.S. Steel plant just outside Pittsburgh on Monday morning. The blast took place around 10:51 a.m. inside the battery operating area at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works. Emergency crews were quick to respond. First responders managed to … Read more

People living in central North Carolina whose homes and belongings were damaged by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Chantal last month can now apply for state financial help. The aid is available to residents in eight counties around the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area, following a state disaster declaration signed by Governor Josh Stein. The storm dumped … Read more

Two deputies in Greenville County, South Carolina, were seriously injured during a SWAT training exercise when they were shot with live breaching rounds instead of blanks. The incident happened on July 29 at a vacant school building where officers were practicing room clearing. According to Sheriff Hobart Lewis, the rounds used were taken from a … Read more

Smith Brothers Insurance, a Connecticut-based broker, has expanded its reach by acquiring Moscato & Associates, an independent agency located in Ithaca, New York. The deal, finalized on August 1, 2025, brings Moscato & Associates’ expertise in employee benefits, individual health, and Medicare under the Smith Brothers umbrella. Edward Moscato and his team will join Smith … Read more

Two women from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, have been charged with making a false auto insurance claim after investigators found their story didn’t add up. Unique Shavon Johnson, 29, and Jamela Janea Jolly, 33, said they were in a car hit from behind by a driver who then fled the scene. They filed a claim … Read more